Please, don't panic! There's still time. (Trust me, I feel the same way every year. 😱)

Published: Sun, 04/03/22

Hello there, Rural Sprout Readers,

Another week has come and gone, and here we are at the beginning of a new month – April. Boy, if there is one month that evokes the feeling of promise and hope, it’s April. Things are finally starting to green up, and it’s that new, fresh green that you don’t see any other time of the year.

While we’ve still got plenty of gray skies, brown hillsides and mud here in Pennsylvania, spring makes itself known each time the sun pokes through the clouds. It picks up every bright shock of green growing up through all the brown.

I imagine it won’t be long now until the redbuds are in bloom.

I went for a hike this week and saw quite a few of my favorite things to forage poking out of the ground. It will be a few more weeks until they’re ready to pick, but it’s nice to watch them grow – purple dead nettle, wild catnip, stinging nettle, garlic mustard, wild chives, cleavers, and dandelion.

I can’t wait to have a white pizza with braised dandelion greens or make a batch of stinging nettle soup. Of course, there’s nothing quite so wonderful as garlic mustard pesto with its zingy punch. And then there’s my boys’ favorite springtime treat – violet syrup, to make fancy soda.

I’m glad I got outside for a good long walk; it helps with the itchy fingers where the garden is concerned.

It’s so easy to get carried away in these last few weeks leading up to the start of the growing season. One minute you’re sure it’s safe to start putting things outside, then the next, it’s in the 20s, and you’re getting Emergency Alerts for snow squalls all day long and thinking you’d better hold off for another week.

It’s also that time in spring when you realize just how far behind you are on things like starting seeds indoors, planning the garden or ordering seeds.

You’re alright; you’ve still got time. Plenty of time, in fact. I remember one year, my sweetie and I didn’t lift a finger until Memorial Day weekend. Over the course of that Saturday and Sunday, we managed to cobble together a pretty decent little garden with a couple of trips to the local garden center.

So, my friends, don’t panic. You’ve still got plenty of time to get a jump on the growing season.

In the meantime, you’ll want to see what’s new around Rural Sprout this past week. I’m hoping you’ll join me in growing some dried beans this year, and you’ve got to check out Cheryl’s article about attracting owls to your backyard.

8 Reasons to Grow Living Mulch in Your Garden & 7 Living Mulch Plants

Skip the heavy, backbreaking mulch, and the torture on your knees. Grow a carpet of mulch instead.

Click Here to read

8 Ways To Attract Owls To Your Backyard

Of all the birds on the planet, there are none more mysterious than owls. Learn how to invite these incredible creatures into your yard.

Click Here to read

7 Reasons To Grow Dry Beans + How to Grow, Harvest & Store Them

I'll give you a sneak preview; #2 is because they cook faster and taste better than store-bought dried beans.

Click Here to read

10 Things You Must Know Before Planting Potatoes In The Ground

Even experienced potato growers will learn something new!

Click Here to read

The Easy “Set It & Forget It” Way To Grow Herbs In Water

If you're curious about hydroponics, but don't want to be overwhelmed with gear and jargon, try this. It's cheap, easy, and you can do it in mason jar.

Click Here to read

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That's all for this week, Rural Sprout Readers.

Sincerely,

Tracey

Editor

Rural Sprout