As Spring Equinox approaches we are spending lots of time in the garden. It’s that time of year when the green returns and we are enthused by spending time revelling in it. In the polytunnel beds have been dug and manured ready for the plants that are growing in the seed trays. The Peach tree is in full flower. This will need to be hand pollinated as there are few insects about this early. Some seeds are sown direct in the beds: Oriental Salad Mix, Rocket, Spring Onions and Spinach.
All the manure used in the garden is from our own animals. There’s also the compost made from vegetable waste from the garden, vegetable peelings and teabags from the house. It is full of worms, beautifully dark and crumbly.
Spring Equinox is a day earlier than usual this year because of the leap year. The Equinox ocurs about 6 hours later each year, with a jump of a day backwards on leap years, hence 20th March this year. The Sun will be rising earlier each day now, 6.o5 tomorrow, and nightfall will be coming later and later.
Strawberries are already flowering in the polytunnel, very early this year. This is an alpine variety, small but very sweet fruits.
At the Vernal Equinox day and night are of almost equal length. The Sun rises exactly in the east, travels through the sky for 12 hours, then sets exactly in the west. I look forward to the budding trees revealing their beautiful new leaves, the wind becoming less harsh, plants sprouting and everything being seized by the vibrancy of the Spring season. For this is the real beginning of Spring.
Everything in nature is being revived, growth really takes off and the Sun is gaining height and strength. A great festival of awakening.
Happy days to all. May you and yours revel in the joy and beauty of it all.
arignagardener 
A great post today, thanks! And it’s wonderful to see the growth in your polytunnel, how long before you get strawberries?
Possibly beginning of May I would think. These Alpine ones are tiny but plentiful. The main crop Strawberries should be end of June. Weather dictates so much here it’s hard to tell.
I’m interested as to the difference your polytunnel must make to your gardening year. Early strawberries would be an even better treat!
We are 600 ft above sea level here so a polytunnel is essential. crops like potatoes and onions will grow outside anyway but last year we would’nt have had much in the way of salads, pumpkins and strawberries without the tunnel. It totally depends on your situation, north or south, low lying etc.
oh it’s such a treat to see all the green ‘things’ growing. I’m longing to get outside and turn over the soil in the garden. Have to wait a while longer though.
It’s a great time of year. I can’t believe you’ve got strawberries, oh I’d so love a polytunnel. We had quite a frost last night, everything in the garden had flopped over when I got up, fortunately it was a lovely sunny day so the frost disappeared fairly quickly.
Your peach tree is gorgeous!
Hi,
Thank you for visiting my blog. I’m glad you liked the post about Herb Spirals.
I tried to grow alpine strawberries from seed two years in a row with out much luck. I tried indoors and out. Kudos to you for your success.
I’m still on the fence on when to start. “Officially” the last frost date is in the beginning of May. But it’s in the 60s and 70s F and poking to 80 F, which makes me want to leap. But I remember some blizzards in late April in Boston….
Michael
It seems you are doing a really good job in the polytunnel! Yesterday we prepared the ground for a brand new veggie garden. The thing thrills me! I only wonder if it’s just too early to plant stuff in open air these days or maybe I should wait a couple of weeks more… It’s weird because in 15 days it could feel summer as well as it could still snow around here.
I want some strawberries too! 🙂
I like seeing that your dogs stick around you when you work in the garden, just like mine do.
For safety we are planting only in the polytunnel for now. Everything else coming on in modules and seed trays.