Editor’s Note: This article comes to us from Becky Workinger, Lehman’s former Customer Service Manager. Enjoy!
I remember my maternal grandfather always saying, “Plant your peas on St Patrick’s Day.” March the 17th in Northeast Ohio can be a very cold, wintry, blustery day. Not the case this year – it was sunny and 55 degrees when I got home from work. Just ten days ago there were still piles of snow on the ground and I still had Christmas lights on the flagpole making a tree effect with lights.
My family has always been gardeners, and I married a farmer who has taught me even more the stewardship of the land, the love of agriculture and how important it is to all of us. Earlier in the day I thought of the planting and ran at my lunch break to purchase seeds.
On the way home I stopped at my oldest daughter’s place and asked our grandson Jacob (age 13) if we could plant at his place. He looked across the yard to the garden area where his chickens were all out of their pens enjoying the spring day in the yard and garden pecking around. Chickens and gardening are Jacob’s 4-H projects.
“Grandma,” he said, “the manure we put on the garden isn’t ready for planting yet. It would kill everything.” He proceeded with all the details about the nitrogen, acid and so on, which is way too many details for me. I went on home and checked out my garden, which was way too wet for planting. I walked around the yard and found that the flagpole flowerbed was indeed the driest ground, and who needs as many flowers anyway? I decided to use it for my peas.
I was able to plant 2 10-ft rows of peas and a full row of potatoes, too. It felt so good to be out and planting in the dirt and enjoying a little of the sunshine after being in the office all day. I was surprised to find the daffodils already shooting up with buds.
Grandpa’s advice was good – plant on St Patrick’s Day. I believe the date is probably a great marker to keep on your schedule. He always said to do the fall bulb planting of spring flowers on election day, which I have also been doing. It’s just that March Madness (we’re huge basketball fans) was always keeping me from doing the peas and potatoes on St. Paddy’s Day. So see you on May 15th for fresh peas – yum, yum. What day do you think we will dig potatoes?
Happy gardening and happy spring,
Becky Workinger
Customer Service Manager
Lehman’s
Editor’s Note: This post first published in March 2010. Becky has since retired from Lehman’s. We hope she is thoroughly enjoying more time with her children, grandchildren and her garden!
My dad had so much knowledge; lost now unfortunately. He could plant, build, knew about seasons, using trees to help cool your home; do just about anything. He taught me a lot, just wish I had the sense to write it down in a journal.