This year is shaping up to be the 2nd warmest
year on record in the US and the USDA has remapped its hardiness zones (http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/).
There are two sides to this
coin. It means you may be able to
consider growing things you couldn’t previously grow and also that you might
not be able to grow some of the things that once did really well in your
area.
This mild weather leaves me feeling conflicted. I really enjoy skiing and playing in
the snow with my kids. The quiet
days with snow falling are enchanting and I miss those. Yet I can’t help but get excited about
gardening and spring! The hoop houses that we have been using for 3 years now stay warm and toasty and the lettuce, kale and spinach have stayed on so far. I actually just replanted them the other day. This is one aspect of our lives that will be sorely missed while we are on the road. We have considered window farming and things that can be grown in pots but with such limited space and without a piece of earth it will just will not be the same.
And I
have been so motivated to get outside with my kids. The other day my little guy and I hiked for an hour and a
half in state forest near us, then he played at the local arboretum with his
sister for 2 more hours after school.
I try to get them out no matter the weather but I’ll be honest, it is
easier when it is warmer!
One project that I have gradually worked into over the past
couple of years is building a small trail for the kids in an overgrown lot
adjacent to ours. Every year I can
see that there are berries growing there and then the sumac and greenbrier grow
up so much that I can’t see or get to them. I have one part of it walk-able now and would also like to
get a NWF Backyard Habitat designation for it. If I can keep at it then it won’t get too overgrown
and should still be usable this summer!
So while I am excited about the mild weather, I also know
that the warming trends are indeed changing the way winter looks.
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