It’s gotten cold again, just in time for “spring”. Yesterday the weather man said that winter was basically over, and now it is spring. Not officially spring by the vernal equinox, but spring in that it isn’t February any more. So, why is it as cold as it has been all winter. Granted, we did have an unusually warm winter, but does that mean we should have an unusually cool spring?

I need at least one Saturday or Sunday soon when temperatures get to about 50 degrees so I can get outside and comfortably inspect the yard and gardens and start an early spring task list. I know one item on the list is to dig out as much ivy as I can in a bed that wraps around the front and side of the garage. I spent exactly $1 on four small ivy plants at Walmart when I first started my landscape in 1997 and now I’ve got a mess of ivy that is choking out some good shrubs, including 3 Deutzias that have pretty little white blooms in late spring. I barely notice them because of all the ivy growing up and around and through them. I hope they will recover once I remove the ivy.

I’m not sure of my method for removing the ivy. I guess I will cut as much as I can, and try to pull out as many roots as I can. I don’t want to disturb the shrubs too much. I’m not sure yet if I will let the ivy grow back or try to get rid of it completely. It does look nice draping over the edge of the bed, which is raised up to keep it level, and bordered with a small retaining wall.

I guess I will decide what to do once I start working on that bed!