"In the Spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt"
                                          Margaret Atwood

Weather Watch: Fair and cool (1,2) with snow or rain (3,4,5,6). Snow showers and windy (7,8,9,10) with more windy and cold weather (11,12,13,14). Fair and cool temperatures return (15,16,17) with rain or snow showers, windy and colder (18,19,20,21). Cloudy and cold (22,23,24) with possibility of snow or rain storms (25,26,27,28). Fair and not so cold (29,30,31).

Full Moon: March's Full Moon occurs on the 3rd at 6:17PM. Native Americans called it the Sap Moon because the sap would start to rise at this time throughout the region. It has also been called Worm Moon because March's warmer temperatures often softened the earth just enough to allow earthworms to begin burrowing out of the ground.

Special Notes: Vernal Equinox occurs on Tuesday, March 20th and signals the arrival of Spring (at last!). Don't forget to set your clocks one hour ahead when Daylight Savings starts on Sunday, March 11th.

Holidays: Be sure to wear something green in honor of St. Patrick on Saturday, March 17th!

The Garden: Get outside and rake old grass and debris (that is, if the temperatures have warmed up and the snow has all gone!). Seed bare spots for faster greening when the soil warms up. As soon as your compost pile thaws, start to turn it with a fork as best you can. Begin removing protective mulch from around rose bushes. Prune trees and vines but stay away from birch and maples as they often bleed sap at this time of year if pruned. Start slow-growing and cool season seeds such as onions, leeks, parsley, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, eggplant and peppers. Plant peas around St. Patrick's Day (March 17th). Transplant and fertilize sprouting seedlings after a light rain when the ground is easier to till and roots are fully hydrated. Remember to first test-germinate any leftover seeds from last year before planting. Place ten seeds between several paper towels, keeping the towels moist and warm for a few days. If less than eight of the ten seeds sprout, consider starting with fresh seed. Always plant seeds just before a light rain and on a calm day. For plants that need protection from heat and wind, plant on a cloudy day or late in the afternoon. As a general rule for most warm weather annuals, delay sowing until after the final frost.

J. Grubers' Thought for Today's Living:

"One should never forget that no success or failure is necessarily final"