It doesn’t matter that after a long day of potting in the greenhouse we sat with cups of tea and looked out at this…
We are confident that any emerging plants are hearty enough to weather a little snow falling on them. The ground is warming and many plants are now able to utilize the water that’s being absorbed into the ground. This snow will melt quickly and provide some extra moisture for their new and rapid growth. No worries. It is the potential frigid temperatures we worry about, especially after new growth has started.
As you can tell, our pup Lucky finds that the greenhouse (at 88 degrees) is the perfect place for an afternoon nap. I must admit, that deep warmth does feel awfully good! Some early greens are on hold for just a bit longer before being transplanted into the hoop house. Of course, my favorite early green, tatsoi, will be the first to sink its roots into the warm hoop house soil. I wrote a post about tatsoi last year and you can read about it here if you would like. I can’t wait to be harvesting our very first bunches of this nutrient-rich green. The best!
tatsoi
The onions are coming along and the peppers and tomatoes are developing their first ‘true’ leaves which will provide them with an ability to photosynthesize. As many of you know, the first little leaves to appear are cotyledons or ‘seed leaves’. These are actually part of the seed and they provide a food source for the sprouting seedling.
During this time of year, we use the greenhouse for potting some of the plants that will go into the nursery this season, for sowing seeds that have been in winter storage, and for starting vegetable seedlings. It’s filling fast! 
Its a precarious time of year. The snow may fall, we are still walking planks that we’ve set down along the paths to the woodshed and the studio to keep from sinking into mud, and on some days all of the windows and doors in the greenhouse must be opened to keep it from getting too hot! April really does have a flavor of at least two seasons mixed into one month! We are so looking forward to our doors opening in the first of May… yet another nursery season! So many great plant selections, old and new. Some great classes scheduled (check here) and some in the works and waiting to be posted. A really fun and skilled based class on mending clothes is scheduled for April 22nd. A fine young textile artist will be on site to teach both traditional and sashiko mending methods. I’ll post this class in the upcoming week! Until then, enjoy this lovely (and somewhat unpredictable) April!
Fernwood Nursery & Gardens 
This being my first winter in Maine I have been searching for signs of spring. There is nothing like a warm greenhouse and the smell of soil to allow the mind to thing Spring.
Oh, so true! And what a blessing for our winter weary bones!
Happy growing! Spring is certainly temperamental, isn’t she? But as you noted, the snow will soon be gone and will even provide moisture to plants.
Let’s always try and see the positive side of things, eh! Especially when it comes to spring snow!
Right, right! As the snow will be gone soon, it actually doesn’t bother me that much.
I can only imagine how big the smile is when you walk into that warm greenhouse to ‘work.’ I really like the idea of those working conditions. 🙂 Thanks for the green because yesterday we had a whiteout for several hours. It’s definitely not warm today, but the snow did melt so I’m grateful for that. 🙂 Mending clothes? You brought a flood of memories that also brought a smile so thank you.
I am looking forward o the class and introducing this lovely young friend to visitors. Actually, I am thinking about mending an old corduroy chair which has a rip along the side but is one of my favorite cozy chairs. I’m not even worried about the fabric not matching, in fact i might just pick something ‘patch work’ like. Fun!
There’s something so mood and soul lifting about the smell and feel of moist, warm soil at this time of year! I have also been busy in the greenhouse at Rocky Dale Gardens and it sure does a body good to get into that warmth and be surrounded by fresh, green growth! I always think of these late snows as ‘poor man’s fertilizer’. I had heard it scours the air of nitrogen and adds it to the soil…so there’s always that.
I too worked in the green house today..transplanted 2,160 sweet peppers
It was a glorious day
Wow… that’s a good productive day! What’s the name of your greenhouse!
Annette sent me a picture of “Spring in Maine” It looked like your photo and reminded me of what Johnny Ladd , head of the Tide ( lol ) said to me when we first met, quote,” Maine has two seasons, winter and the 4th of July.” When I told that to Annette she said Yes and lets hope our summer falls on a weekend this year ….lol You Mainers are so tuff 🙂 Love ya !
Wish I lived closer. I live in eastern Pennsylvania 11 miles from the Jersey border. I think our las snow was last week!
Crazy weather the past few weeks. Snow last night was pretty but depressing. All gone now! Can’t wait until May!
You really embrace spring with open arms–all those sweet baby plants! Lucky looks lucky to be where he is–and he knows it!