“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” ― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
For some reason, 2017-18 seemed a long winter here in Kansas. I am not sure why, since I spent three weeks after Thanksgiving that year in Papua, Indonesia. There, the temperatures were pleasant, the sun was out, and avocado smoothies became my new best friend. I returned home in the middle of December to mild temperatures and the holiday season in full swing.
Perhaps it was the contrast that made the month of January and most of February drag. But no matter, spring was a welcome event. Moisture was in short supply, and temperatures teased with highs and lows. However, the daffodils do not lie; when spring is on the way, they are the first to announce it.
Spring Grafting – New Life
At Maison Steinbuchel, projects line up and are waiting for the springtime starting gun. Because fall was rather long, we got a lot more cleanup done than is always possible. That makes my first task prepping the flower beds and pruning roses. At the end of March, I made my annual trek to The Flower Ranch for bedding plants, which we kept under cover until the chance of frost passed.
In 2018, the big garden project was to remove some red bud trees and aging fruit trees from the copse (copice). We do not take trees down lightly, but the fruit trees were over 30 years old and needed to go. The redbuds were past their prime as well becoming woody and brittle.
The fun part is that my husband took cuttings from all of the aging vintage fruit trees and grafted them onto new stock. He added several new varieties to the stock as well. Now, several years later, we enjoy apple trees with several kinds of apples, including the ones we have lived with since we moved in. The same applies to the pear and peach trees .
Here we are in yet another spring season. So let the projects begin! I am ready for some outdoor time!
What spring projects, outdoor or indoor, do you have planned for this spring?