# Spring is Here



## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Looks like spring is here to stay!

I walk through the back yard, grasshoppers jump, my spinach has aphids and when I went to look at last years collards to check on the flowers/seeds I saw them completely covered with harlequin beetles.

Pulled all the collards, doused them with gas and burned them, those beetles can and will devistate a garden overnight if left "untended". 

Has anyone else in North Texas had a problem with them? I had never seen one until about 3 years ago when they moved in with a vengence.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Warm temps still elude us up north. Was snowing pretty hard this morning.

I just checked our long-term weather forecast. They don't show our nights staying above freezing for another 40 days. 

Mud season is pretty much here now.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

ZoomZoom said:


> Mud season is pretty much here now.


:ditto:

We have mud, mud and some more mud ... but I did get a little of the herb garden cleaned up before the rain came in.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Yep. Here we have 2" of fresh spring, with 2"-4" still on the way.


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

Except for a few frosty days we've had spring pretty much all through winter, been using last years broccoli and Swiss chard leaves for a long time and now new broccoli and kale is coming up, potato plant have been coming up as well and our early and late Fuji apple trees are starting to bud out as well as the pear tree, we're hoping that we don't get a bud killing frost as it would be nice to have lots of fruit. Sorry for those who are dealing with snow and cold, in a way we should have gotten some snow around here, in the tops of our mountains for replenishing the water shed. I'm also a bit concerned due to the fact it didn't get cold enough to kill a lot of the bugs that chew on things in the trees and garden, I'm already seeing fairly large grasshoppers, on the plus side, I'm also seeing a lot of ladybugs as well.


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

The ground here is still frozen. Last year I could not plant till the first of may and I was still planting all the way through that month. This year, if it stays warm from now on, I should be able to start the garden the middle of April.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

We had at least one 70F day every month this winter & only a few days when the soil could not be turned because it was frozen.
I do have a wet garden plot, but I should be able to work it tomorrow.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Davarm said:


> Pulled all the collards, doused them with gas and burned them, those beetles can and will devistate a garden overnight if left "untended".


Can't spray or dust them?


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## Mase92 (Feb 4, 2013)

In no way do I think we are totally past winter but it sure is nice to be done with the cold.


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## Gians (Nov 8, 2012)

*yesterday*

Stopped by one of my favorite spots yesterday, was around 80 degrees. Lots of garden greens coming up now too, have to take out more of the winter veggies for room. Only had a little trouble with the veggies this winter, a few kale plants had grey looking aphid clusters on them.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

It's been pretty warm here in Missouri, It's supposed to be 70* on Saturday with high to mid 60's into next week. The Robins and Red wing Black Birds are back and on warm nights the Spring Peepers are out....So Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the Flowers is.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

We're about to drown here in east Texas. Given California's current condition I won't complain too much but we sure have a lot we need to get done & all this rain is not helping. I hope my squash seeds didn't get washed away.  sure would be nice if we could save some of this for July & August. I outgrew my rubber boots with the last pregnancy, I need to replace them so I can slosh through the mud.


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## Moose33 (Jan 1, 2011)

I love spring. I have 4+ feet of snow on the flat parts of my lawn and 8' in the piles and drifts. Am watching it snow right now. Did I mention I love spring?


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## Utopian (Mar 4, 2015)

We don't get all seasons here. It's a tropical country so we've only got the hot and cold. Sad.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

LincTex said:


> Can't spray or dust them?


I try not to use pesticides on/in the garden, but those critters and squash bugs are the exception.

The beetles do die off when dusted but to keep them away I would have to use it far too often to keep the plants edible. I have no idea where they came from or where they hide but there seems to be a never ending supply of them.

They call them "harlequin beetles" because when they move in it's like a Harlequin Romance, they run around with their butt ends stuck together - eat, ***** and make more beetles is all they ever do.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Davarm said:


> Looks like spring is here to stay!
> 
> I walk through the back yard, grasshoppers jump, my spinach has aphids and when I went to look at last years collards to check on the flowers/seeds I saw them completely covered with harlequin beetles.
> 
> ...


Maybe it's time to let the chickens have a bug feast!


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## lovetogrow (Jan 25, 2011)

Moose33 said:


> I love spring. I have 4+ feet of snow on the flat parts of my lawn and 8' in the piles and drifts. Am watching it snow right now. Did I mention I love spring? ��




Well it's minus 13 celsius right now and tomorrow promises to be a balmy -5 WOOHOO!!

The forecast for next Saturday is -1 with flurries overnight WHAT A TREAT!!

BUT next Thursday we'll be busting our the Barbee for a 0 degrees with light snow and a -9 overnight - WHOOT WHOOT artydance: Bust out the Sunnies and the Lawn Chairs Sprinter is Here


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

tsrwivey said:


> Maybe it's time to let the chickens have a bug feast!


Thats the plan, but.... I'm going to have to get the garden ready for them first.

I've already had to replant several plots that they got into while I wasn't watching them. I haven't gotten the fenced run finished yet so I have to watch them pretty close when I let them out of the coop.



lovetogrow said:


> Well it's minus 13 celsius right now and tomorrow promises to be a balmy -5 WOOHOO!!


I dont know where the heck you are but I'm glad I'm in Texas! lol

It was about 80(above zero:laugh, overcast and breezy today, the fruit trees are blooming, the grass is green and the the birds were singing.


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## SouthCentralUS (Nov 11, 2012)

It has been about 80 here the last few days and will be tomorrow. They are saying we will get snow on Friday.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Well we must be getting close to spring. There is only a small section of the pond that still has a thin sheet of ice on it.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

We're supposed to have Thunder Storms tonight, Tue., and Wed. I can't wait, I love Thunder Storms, especially at night.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Well, it was 12° here Sunday night. About 20° last night.
Long term forecast doesn't have us getting out of nights where it falls below 32 until May.


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