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Mar 10, 2015 3:26 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: June
Rosemont, Ont. (Zone 4a)
Birds Beavers Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Native Plants and Wildflowers Dragonflies Cat Lover
Region: Canadian Cactus and Succulents Butterflies Deer Garden Ideas: Level 1
The first thaw of the year is in progress, a chipmunk has burrowed up through the snow for a quick look around, a male turkey was gobbling and strutting in my yard this morning (but no females were attracted, alas!), and a pot of Cyclamen coum is flowering in my greenhouse.
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Mar 10, 2015 4:11 PM CST
Name: Caroline Scott
Calgary (Zone 4a)
Bulbs Winter Sowing Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Peonies Lilies Charter ATP Member
Region: Canadian Enjoys or suffers cold winters Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
A few tulips barely poking through.
One peony pip showing.
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Mar 10, 2015 4:41 PM CST
Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)
Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member
Morning Glories Critters Allowed Birds Houseplants Butterflies Garden Photography
Monkshood, Columbine and Daylilies are are starting to grow here. The weather has been great and I got most of the beds cleaned up, pruned the small shrubs, sawed a couple of large branches of the willow tree. Next I will get the front yard done, not to much to do out there, I don't plant anything the deer will eat. Glare
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Mar 10, 2015 4:48 PM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Butterflies Birds I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Greenhouse Region: United States of America Region: Michigan Enjoys or suffers cold winters
What the heck?? I think I need to move to Canada... we've had some pretty nice weather the last few days, highs above freezing, at least, but there sure isn't anything poking up out of that 2 feet of snow on the ground!! I did shovel my way into my hoop house today and saw a couple of garlic plants poking up out of the ground... but tried to dig up some carrots that I left in there over the winter and the ground was still too frozen Sad Oh well, at least it's starting to feel like there is hope for spring to get here some day! Hurray!
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer
C/F temp conversion
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Mar 10, 2015 5:03 PM CST
Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)
Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member
Morning Glories Critters Allowed Birds Houseplants Butterflies Garden Photography
Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious! Parts of the ground in the shade is still frozen but all of the snow is gone. Hurray!
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Mar 11, 2015 4:37 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: June
Rosemont, Ont. (Zone 4a)
Birds Beavers Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Native Plants and Wildflowers Dragonflies Cat Lover
Region: Canadian Cactus and Succulents Butterflies Deer Garden Ideas: Level 1
To dispel any misconception that it's balmy here, there's still at least a foot of snow on the ground. However, there are now pools of water in all the low spots (not draining away because the ground is frozen). The only visible parts of my flowerbeds are where the deer have dug down through the snow to find something edible. There may be bulbs coming up under the snow, but only chipmunks and meadow voles have seen them yet. Another sign of spring: my driveway has turned into a sheet of ice. Now then, Sandy, do you still want to move to Canada? Sticking tongue out
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Mar 11, 2015 5:16 PM CST
Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)
Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member
Morning Glories Critters Allowed Birds Houseplants Butterflies Garden Photography
June, at least the snow is melting. Thumbs up It was 47, sun and cloud but very windy here which made it feel cold, but I still got a few more things cleaned up. nodding

Depends on what part of Canada I guess, she could move to the wet coast. Hilarious!
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Mar 11, 2015 9:21 PM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Butterflies Birds I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Greenhouse Region: United States of America Region: Michigan Enjoys or suffers cold winters
JuneOntario said:To dispel any misconception that it's balmy here, there's still at least a foot of snow on the ground. However, there are now pools of water in all the low spots (not draining away because the ground is frozen). The only visible parts of my flowerbeds are where the deer have dug down through the snow to find something edible. There may be bulbs coming up under the snow, but only chipmunks and meadow voles have seen them yet. Another sign of spring: my driveway has turned into a sheet of ice. Now then, Sandy, do you still want to move to Canada? Sticking tongue out


June, it sounds just like home !! Hilarious!

We've had a very fast change for the better with the weather... all of February seemed to be below 0F, now suddenly we're up above freezing and then some every day, plus sunny !! Lots of water standing around here too, hope the frost goes out of the ground quickly so the water can soak in. March is always a bad month for me -- it teases us with spring and then we get hit with a big snowstorm or really cold temps again for a while... but at least at this point it can't last a whole lot longer Thumbs up
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer
C/F temp conversion
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Mar 12, 2015 6:50 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: June
Rosemont, Ont. (Zone 4a)
Birds Beavers Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Native Plants and Wildflowers Dragonflies Cat Lover
Region: Canadian Cactus and Succulents Butterflies Deer Garden Ideas: Level 1
As Sandy predicted, a return to below-freezing weather is in the forecast, but the raccoons have woken up. One was foraging for bird food in my yard before sunset yesterday evening, so she (pregnant females are the hungriest, so I'm assuming that's what she is) is a portent of spring. I'm looking forward to seeing baby raccoons in due course. Smiling
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Mar 12, 2015 7:17 AM CST
Name: Jane
Tobyhanna, PA (Zone 5a)
The "Garden" is my Happy Place!
Garden Ideas: Master Level
Yay! I can see my driveway! Oh, and parts of my deck. Like Weedwhacker, these past 2 days here in northeast PA. were beauiful, sunny days in the mid-forties. Lot of melting and I could hear water running through the gutters. No bare soil yet since there's still at least 18 inches of snow cover. Today it will only be in the mid-thirties, but I'll gladly take it. Windy as heck though.
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Mar 12, 2015 11:14 AM CST
Name: Mary Stella
Chester, VA (Zone 7b)
Dahlias Canning and food preservation Lilies Peonies Permaculture Ponds
Garden Ideas: Level 2
Clear skies, no wind, 2.7F ---- my poor garden with almost no snow cover
From -60 Alaska to +100 Virginia. Wahoo
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Mar 12, 2015 12:04 PM CST
Name: Treehugger
Hanover Twp, PA (Zone 6a)
Region: United States of America Region: Northeast US Region: Pennsylvania Native Plants and Wildflowers Miniature Gardening Herbs
Enjoys or suffers cold winters Bee Lover Hostas Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Frogs and Toads Hummingbirder
I read about columbine foliage emerging so I took my camera outside and sure enough where the snow has melted columbine foliage is emerging, along with yarrow and bee balm foliage. I also found my first Galanthus flower opened.
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Mar 12, 2015 2:37 PM CST
Name: Mary Stella
Chester, VA (Zone 7b)
Dahlias Canning and food preservation Lilies Peonies Permaculture Ponds
Garden Ideas: Level 2
My beebalm is still under snow and ice. And with the great drop in temp in the last few days any green stuff is looking pretty puny
From -60 Alaska to +100 Virginia. Wahoo
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Mar 12, 2015 6:49 PM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Butterflies Birds I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Greenhouse Region: United States of America Region: Michigan Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Brrrr, Mary Stella -- I suppose those temps are eventually headed our way!? (Hey, bring it on -- can't last too long at this point, right?)

So far I have green moss showing in my shade garden... Rolling my eyes.
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer
C/F temp conversion
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Mar 12, 2015 7:13 PM CST
Name: Mary Stella
Chester, VA (Zone 7b)
Dahlias Canning and food preservation Lilies Peonies Permaculture Ponds
Garden Ideas: Level 2
Hilarious! I also have green moss. Hey, you guys have been beaten up enough for one winter. I figure it is my turn. And am hoping it just quietly slips away, like NORTH!!
From -60 Alaska to +100 Virginia. Wahoo
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Mar 15, 2015 10:27 PM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Butterflies Birds I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Greenhouse Region: United States of America Region: Michigan Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Our snow is leaving pretty quickly... went out and checked on the garlic and asparagus and no signs of any sprouts yet, but that wasn't too surprising. The buds are starting to fatten on the hazelnuts and rhododendrons, though... I think spring is going to come all of a sudden this year! Smiling
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer
C/F temp conversion
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Mar 16, 2015 8:26 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: June
Rosemont, Ont. (Zone 4a)
Birds Beavers Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Native Plants and Wildflowers Dragonflies Cat Lover
Region: Canadian Cactus and Succulents Butterflies Deer Garden Ideas: Level 1
You know it's spring when the first pair of geese arrives, even though there's still ice a foot thick on the pond! Luckily, I put plenty of corn out for the birds and deer this morning.
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You can tell the sex of the geese by what they're doing. He's nobly standing watch. She's sensibly eating.
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Mar 16, 2015 9:03 AM CST
Name: Mary Stella
Chester, VA (Zone 7b)
Dahlias Canning and food preservation Lilies Peonies Permaculture Ponds
Garden Ideas: Level 2
I had forgotten about the geese. And of course we haven't seen goose one. Smart guys. They are a real nuisance here running people off sidewalks and making nests by building entrances then defending said entrance. Sad But they are pretty.

It has warmed (?) up to 18F which the 10 day weather report predicted. Supposed to go to the 40's this week. Gosh I sure hope so.
From -60 Alaska to +100 Virginia. Wahoo
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Mar 19, 2015 8:51 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: June
Rosemont, Ont. (Zone 4a)
Birds Beavers Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Native Plants and Wildflowers Dragonflies Cat Lover
Region: Canadian Cactus and Succulents Butterflies Deer Garden Ideas: Level 1
Another sign of spring: seed packets arriving in the mail. Yesterday I received packets of Salvia coccinea 'Summer Jewel Red', Lobelia cardinalis 'Compliment Mix' (reds & pinks), and Coleus 'Chocolate Covered Cherry'. I'm hoping that hummingbirds will like the Salvia and Lobelia flowers, but I bought the Coleus because I just could not resist the name.

Three more geese have joined the original pair, but the pond is fully frozen again as the temperature fell to -12C (about 10F) last night, and so the geese are now noisily arguing about who owns which bit of ice.

A chocolate brown mink ran through the yard this morning and stopped to roll around on the hard-frozen snow lying in the shade along the north side of my house. I wonder if the mink was scent-marking, or just scratching an itch?

Everything is reminding me of chocolate this morning. Another sign of spring is dieting.
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Mar 19, 2015 9:43 AM CST
Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)
Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member
Morning Glories Critters Allowed Birds Houseplants Butterflies Garden Photography
Nice selection of seeds, June, are you going to start them inside or direct sow?

Geese are so messy, glad I don't have water for them to visit.

Would have loved to have seen the mink, I did get to see one a few years ago when we were camping at the lake.
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Last edited by mcash70 Mar 19, 2015 4:16 PM Icon for preview

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