Spring is Coming: Ready, Set, Go!

February flew by fast. After the leisurely pace of December and January, it felt like my gardening to-do list exploded, while my available time to do said gardening dwindled. But I needed to get ready: the spring equinox is only a few short weeks away (on March 19 this year).

Urged on by the spring-like temperatures, I ticked off a few major tasks on my list before the month’s end. But really, these February jobs could all be done in early March, especially if you live in a cooler climate. They all share a common aim: anticipating the transformation of spring that’s just around the corner!

Job #1: Re-pot struggling trees and shrubs

Re-potting a large plant is never not a pain. It’s a physical job, involving hoisting heavy containers and bags of soil around, making a huge mess, and then cleaning it all up. But it’s worth it to set up your biggest plants for success. To me, they always look happy and grateful at the end of the process.

I’ve already written a step-by-step guide to re-potting, and last weekend I repeated the process for my fig and lemon trees. They’ve been getting by, but I’d love to see them really thrive this year and produce a lot of fruit. 

Both got an upgrade from cramped terracotta pots to spacious, 15-gallon plastic nursery pots nestled inside large baskets. The baskets were a Craigslist victory and I sourced the pots from a local tree-planting nonprofit that sells its leftover pots for cheap. Finding large containers on a budget is a major challenge, so I was thrilled with these finds. Plus they weigh much less than ceramic planters, lessening the likelihood of my balcony one day collapsing.

It’s a good idea to re-pot trees and shrubs very early in the spring, to catch them just before the new season takes off. More space and nutrients for their roots will fuel the impending growth spurt. Wait too long, and the shock of transplant could hinder their ability to support all that fresh growth.

Job #2: Care for fall cuttings

If you took cuttings of perennials in the fall, chances are they’re looking pretty straggly at the moment. Mine are in varying states of health. While some might not make it, I’ve been amazed before by what longer days, warmer temps, and a little fertilizer can do.

Currently, my cuttings fall into three categories: pot up, give up, or feed, wait, and see. “Give up” is self-explanatory; some were lost causes. I have potted up the ones with decent growth and root development, including my sage, Thai basil, and strawberry mint. 

A few others look quite puny but are hanging in there! I’ll give them another month to see what happens. In the meantime, I’m hardening them off (leaving them outdoors for progressively longer periods of time, weather permitting) and feeding them a liquid fish fertilizer about once a week. 

Job #3: Starting seeds (of course)

I’ve been dreaming and plotting all winter long about what annuals to grow this year, and now the time has finally come to sow the seeds! 

Spring and summer annuals should be sown indoors several weeks before your region’s last frost date, which you can look up here. The number of weeks depends on the plant and will be specified on the seed packet. In Oakland, we don’t usually get frost, so I’m not very precise about it. 

This year I’ve sown “Apricot Lemonade” cosmos and more “Grace Salmon” clarkias in early February for planting out in April. In March, I’ll sow some sunflowers for late season blooms. Not an annual, but I’ve also sown some catnip, because my catnip cutting didn’t make it and Dawn’s gotta get her fix.

I have an extremely low-cost, low-tech seed-starting operation and I concede that fancier set-ups yield better results. If I were sowing more seeds each year, I might invest in grow lights or nice seed trays. But for my small-scale situation, I’m happy to save money and take advantage of my sunny, south-facing window.

Being present

It’s easy this time of year to get swept up in the anticipation of the months to come, but I try not to overlook this special, transitional moment. The weather might be moody, but there’s a new softness in the air. Those tulip bulbs I planted in the fall are blooming now. The plants I cut back to the soil in the dead of winter are sending up new shoots. 

I got a lot done on the balcony over the last few days, but I took breaks to admire my tulips, inhale the sweet jasmine growing below our apartment, and bask in the late winter sun before the rains return. It feels so good to be busy gardening again! It also feels good to just be.