February drawing to a close - Mount Airy News

Signs of spring at close of February. The north wind still has some icy breath and we will receive an extra day of winter because February has 29 days with leap day being Saturday, Feb. 29. The dark green spikes of hyacinth, jonquils and daffodils are peeking out of cold winter soil. A few frogs are croaking half down by the creek-bank and crows are cawing. Robins are on the lawn and we have seen quite a few of them all during the winter months. Spring is less than a month away and plenty of new signs show up each day.

Still opportunity for plenty of snow in the winter of 2020. We are on the threshold of March, which can sometimes be a great month for huge snowfalls. A bit of winter lore says that, “a March of much snow paves the way for year of plenty on the garden.” Heavy snows add nutrients to the soil and also build up the water table.

Take advantage of a huge snowfall not only by building a snowman, but by making a bowl of Carolina snow cream for the family to enjoy on a winter evening. Here is a good recipe for a bowl of Carolina peach snow cream. In a large pot or bowl, beat four large eggs until stiff. Add two cups sugar and beat until creamy smooth with the eggs. Add three cups of milk and one can evaporated milk to the egg-sugar mixture and mix well. Drain a large can of peaches, half cup sugar, two tablespoons peach or vanilla flavoring and pour into bender in “puree” mode until well-blended. Add to the milk mixture. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix and taste for sweetness. Pout in fresh clean snow until milk mixture becomes cold and very creamy. Leftover snow cream can be stored in a covered container and placed in the freezer. Eat snow cream slowly because it will be very cold!

Starting a row or bed of lettuce as February comes to a close. A snowfall will not hurt a row of crunchy lettuce, in fact, it will cause lettuce to quickly sprout and produce a harvest in less than 50 days. The snow will only act as a moist blanket for the lettuce seed. You can choose from Iceberg, Red Sails, Black-seeded Simpson, Oak Leaf, Bibb, Salad Bowl and others. Give lettuce a good start by applying a layer of peat moss on top of the seed in the furrow before covering up with soil an tamp down with a hoe blade. After lettuce sprouts, apply a drink of Miracle-Gro liquid plant food mixed in a sprinkler can and poured over the seedlings. Repeat this every ten days for a quick harvest.

The trees know that spring is on the way. Monday, Feb. 24 is Saint Matthew’s Day, and on this day it is said that the sap in mighty oaks and maples begins to rise from the roots to trunks and limbs of the trees. This event is a harbinger that spring is definitely on the way. Many dogwoods already have tiny bud tips showing up as they get ready for spring.

Sounds of frogs down by the creek bank. Nothing sounds like the arrival of spring like a choir of frogs down by the creek bank. One the front porch, we can hear each evening and they continue until the water in the creek gradually gets cold. They seem to get louder each evening.

A sweet perfume of the hyacinths. Hyacinths seem to be the first bulbs to bloom to herald the advent of spring. Not only are they beautiful but they emit such a sweet fragrance that is carried by the wind across the porch. They seem to be most fragrant in the afternoon when the sun shines down on them. The colors of red, white, pink, yellow, and lavender make the season of spring seem a bit closer than it is.

Picking up the 2020 edition of Blum’s Farmers, and Planters Almanac. The 192nd edition of Blum’s Almanac is available at most hardwares and garden shops in the Piedmont. Pick up one where your seed purchases are made. If you live in eastern North Carolina or you have friends or relatives there, they can pick up a Turner’s Almanac at most hardwares and garden shops throughout that area. The almanac is a useful guide for gardeners and has the planting signs for every day of the year. It has the times the moon rises and sets, dates of the lunar and solar eclipses, morning and evening stars in the night sky, a fishing guide, planting zones, interesting tips, weather predictions and forecasts. It has information for every day of the year.

Leap Day is Saturday, Feb. 29. On Saturday, we will celebrate Leap Day with an extra day on the calendar. It is said to be a lucky day for Old Maids as well as bachelors because they have an extra day to search for the love of their life. It also means we have and extra day of winter in the calendar year. On the lighter side, if you are born on Leap Day, you only have a date of birth every four years!

Still time to fertilize lawns. There are a few days remaining in February and there is plenty of time to fertilize and lime the lawn and prepare it for a long green season. Never use 10-10-10 fertilizer on lawns because it is formulated for gardens. Use a specially formulated fertilizer designed for lawns. Use a pelletized lime for long-term results. There is a possibility of snow all the way through March and this will help soak fertilizer and lime into the soil and prevent it from washing away. When you use your spreader clean it inside and outside with cold water and dry it off. Apply a thin oil spray such as WD40 of Armor-all to prevent rust.

Listen out for winter thunder. Under certain conditions it does thunder in winter. Warm air aloft can produce winter thunder. My Northampton County grandma listened for large and small booms of thunder. Each burst of thunder represented the number of days and inches of snow.

Hoe Hoe Hoedown: Dentist “Good grief! You have the biggest cavity I have ever seen-the biggest cavity I have ever seen.” Patient: “You don’t have to repeat it doctor.” Dentist: “I didn’t-that was the echo!”

A customer who was late paying his bill got a note from the bank that said, “Your account has been on our book for nine months. We remind you that we have carried you longer than your mother did.”

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