“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” ― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
For some reason, it has been a long winter here in Kansas. I am not sure why it seems that way since I spent three weeks after Thanksgiving in Papua Indonesia. There the temperatures were pleasant, the sun was out and avocado smoothies became my new best friend. I returned home 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 is diligently beginning to emerge. We are short on mosture and temps continue to tease with both highs and lows but daffodils do not lie. When spring is on the way, they are the first to announce it.
Spring Grafting – New Life
At Maison Steinbuchel, there are projects lined up and 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 prunning roses. At the end of March I make my annual trek to The Flower Ranch for bedding plants which we keep under cover until the chance of frost is past.
This year our big garden project has been 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 are over 30 years old and need to go. The redbuds are past their prime as well becoming woody and brittle.
The fun part is that my husband has taken cuttings from all of the old fruit trees and grafted them on to new stock. He is adding several new varieties to the stock as well. This means that we will have an apple tree with several kinds of apples including the ones we have lived with since we moved in. The pear and peach will be the same.
So let the spring projects begin. I am ready for some outdoor time!
What spring projects, outdoor or indoor, do you have planned for this spring?