snowy-winter-portends-a-good-garden

A snowy winter portends a good year for crops.

I’ve often heard folks say snow is a poor man’s fertilizer. Snow is actually good for the garden whether you’re rich or poor. Snow contains nitrogen and plants need nitrogen to grow. As snow melts the nitrogen soaks into the ground as does moisture. Snow can also act as a protector of sorts since it insulates the ground.

Snow never lasts that long around here, but I’ve enjoyed the snow I’ve got this year and I’m still holding out for at least one more big snow before spring of the year arrives.

Tipper

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20 Comments

  1. We’ve still got snow on the ground here, and I walk in it as much as possible because every path and slope is covered in ice. I won’t let anyone through my gate unless they are wearing good cleats – it’s that treacherous. My Occasional Helper was here in Thursday to help me fetch hay, and when I saw his boots I gave him my ice cleats to wear. He couldn’t have made even one trip from the truck to the barns without them!

  2. Tipper, I love snow too. I think the cold is good to help kill a lot of bugs that winter over. It seems like the warmer winters I always have more bugs in the garden. There is nothing quite like curling up in a chair with a good book, a fire, and window to watch it snow. I like having four distinct seasons.

  3. Tipper,
    I went and got a haircut today. And I found out those Sisters that cut hair are relatives of mine. When my neighbor died, a few years ago, I saw both of them singing and playing the piano at a church near Robbinsville, but I had no idea they were my kinfolk.

    I’m about ready for some more Snow. When I was a Teenager, we had to shovel Snow to get out
    so we could go to Rainbow Springs to Deer Hunt. This was around the 20th of November. Sometimes the Rainbow Road was so slick our ole ’53 Chevy couldn’t make it much farther than Sassafras Gap. There were no Deer at our place then, but now it’s a different story. …Ken

  4. How blessed you are! Please pray for snow in New Mexico. Farmers, ranchers, town folks, ski resorts, and I would very much appreciate it. It is terribly dry here.

  5. Tipper,
    I love the Snow like you do, but now that it’s gone, the road to my house has partly unthawed and it’s gone to pieces. Thank God for 4-wheel drive vehicles! It’ll be alright when we get another “general thaw”. ha …Ken

  6. We’ve had about 12″-14″ of snow so far this year. That’s about 4 normal years worth and winter ain’t near over yet. It’s been colder longer than I’ve seen it in many years. Cold don’t bother me much. You might see me outside and shirtless when it is well below freezing but ary bit of wind and I’m back in the house bundling up.
    I was over at Flat Gap the other day and there is a pond over there that was still froze all the way across. The way the mountains are situated I don’t think the sun hits at all there in the dead of winter.

  7. Like Dee Parks, snow was a regular part of my childhood from November through April. Growing up just east of Buffalo, NY, I enjoyed lake effect snow, often measured in feet and drifts high enough to cover telephone poles. My siblings and friends derived great pleasure building snow forts, snow caves, saucer runs akin to bobsled runs, snowmen, sledding, and ice skating. And yes, it often was too cold to snow. It seemed the best temperature for the largest snow volumes were between the mid-20s to 31 degrees F. Temperatures colder than just were just frigid, untempered by snow’s beauty.

    Having lived in Kentucky for over 30 years now, I am delighted anytime we get a good snow, at least 4 inches. But my blood has thinned so I do not tolerate cold as before and have learned to greatly appreciate Kentucky’s 4 seasons.

  8. We have had a good snow here in mid Ohio. Coming from the south people can’t believe I like snow. It is good for the soil and it helps to clean the dead limbs and vines from the trees.
    Since retiring the snow doesn’t worry me because I don’t have to travel in it.

    I too like looking at the animal tracks in the snow. Once I followed a mouse trail to come on a bird wing imprint in the snow where a hawk or owl had scooped the unfortunate creature up. Life is a struggle for all. Not just mankind.

  9. I grew up in Northern Illinois right near the Wisconsin border and Lake Michigan about two miles east of our town. When I was growing up we most times would have snow by Thanksgiving and you wouldn’t see the ground again until April. When I married and we moved to south central Pennsylvania in 1974 we thought we had moved to the South because we hardly saw any snow. But as the years have rolled by we have seen more snow here and we have always heard that the farmers say they need an Onion Snow right before spring for their fields. As for me, I only care to see it on Christmas Eve and that is enough for me. I have been dazzled by it though when walking through a forest of trees sprinkled with sparkling sifted confection sugar. The scenes are awesome!

  10. There is nothing more exciting than trying to identify animal tracks in a new fallen snow while enjoying God’s breathtaking creation. I will take the snow every day of the week if the frigid cold will stay somewhere else.My wish is for the snow to fertilize the ground and the cold temperatures to rid my area of some of the pesky lady bugs.
    They are saying that a big storm is brewing for Groundhog Day. Could be rain, but I’m hoping it’s snow.

  11. Coming from Pennsylvania we had to shovel snow and here we just have to sweep. If we just wait a day it goes away.
    All of a sudden I just love snow. I can sit by the fire and look out at God’s wrapping paper as my Mother used to say.
    There is something about the quiet when it is snowing. Especially at night. I love to walk when it is snowing.
    I know Spring is coming because the seed catalogs are starting to arrive.

  12. We had some flurries last night in central Virginia, but with the temperature around 45, there was no chance of it sticking. I enjoy watching it come down.

  13. Tipper,
    This year it had to warm up to snow! Have you ever heard that sayin’? Then it turned so cold again making the snow we had lay around in the shade for days…I just knew it was waiting on another one! However, the last little skif didn’t amount to much and melted quickly…Beginning today we will be in a heat wave compared to the last few weeks. I am ready for that big furry “booger” to pop his head out on February 2nd and let us know if we will get six more weeks of winter…..which we will regardless but hope with an early predicted Spring, (if he predicts so) at least the last six weeks of winter will be mild…This old Southern gal’s bones shore don’t like the temps to drop below 32 degrees during daylight hours….had enough of those days for this year!
    Thanks Tipper,
    PS…If I see a big ole snowy looking’ cloud anytime soon, I’ll pull out the biggest fan I can find and “shew, shew” it over the mountains your way!

  14. I used to work with an old man who said snow made for a good hay year.

    I think you will get your wish for more snow. A friend of mine is a bit of a meteorologist and he sends me maps showing more cold in February. So it’s looking like no early spring.

  15. Tip, I think snow is pretty too but I’d just as soon it happen somewhere else. That a very selfish feeling, I know, snow is beautiful….somewhere else.

  16. You are so very lucky to have snow, to have any kind of moisture. I’d take a blizzard or lots of rain right now. West Texas is so dry and the humidity so low your skin feels like sandpaper. I usually don’t have to water trees and bushes in the winter but this year is a first for me. Love the picture of the snow!

  17. Though it’s true that snow is a gardener’s friend I think we’ve had sufficient. Though it’s pretty falling (as my bride says) I think the danger and damage it creates far outweighs a little visual stimulation. Have a wonderful day.

  18. Bless your heart, Not Me, I’ve seen enough. Good Lord’s willing, in about 7 more years, I can set back in my recliner and say ” Let it Snow”. But for now I’m good.

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