Early April often comes at you with a slow comforting joy then a fast jolt. The snowdrops and crocuses have decided correctly or incorrectly that the snow is past and are flush with leaves and blooms. Daffodils are pushing upward with visible progress each day. Tulips are more tentative as is a cautious child peeking outward many times before committing to make a more declarative move. The soil has a scent.
All of a sudden growth accelerates, particularly as now we are in the midst of a warm spell. The forsythia is past the budding out phase and blooming. The redbud trees are covered with emerging red buds a few days from flowering. The animals have become more active, with the smell of skunks permeating the house at night and the sound of squirrels climbing it during the day.
As nature rushes to fill in the spaces, I must start to clear them. Remove the heavy layers of straw from the strawberry plants so they do not rot and the soil can warm and flowers form. Pick up the random leaves that have scattered around the property and nested in wind protected corners. Cut back the last vestiges of hosta flower stems that did not fall to the snow over the last five months. Pick up sticks.
It is also time to start seedlings. Last month a few trays of greens were started that must now find their way into the ground. But with this transplanting also comes planting of carrots, radishes, onions, beets, peas (especially peas) to take advantage of the lengthening light and warming days. Some years that is not possible as the ground remains a solid frozen mass, but this year we are not so inconvenienced. Weeds have already started to take hold and a worm or two has been spotted looking for detritus to munch on.
