Spring in Tennessee

The first day of Spring is marked by gardeners everywhere.  Unfortunately not everyone gets to experience warm days, growing plants, and all the wonders of spring at the same time.  It’s different for every region but that doesn’t make it any less significant.  The first day of spring symbolizes the beginning of the growing season for many gardeners.  Even gardeners who are stuck indoors with snow on the ground know that warmer days are coming soon and it is time to sow seeds and make plans.

Our springs in Tennessee are marked by the blooming trees, the cherries, the peaches and plums and as much as I am loathe to mention the Bradford pears are blooming too.  Hyacinths are releasing their fragrance across the garden and the grass is looking as green as it possibly can.  The robins are here, but not because it is spring.  The harbingers of spring in the north overwinter here in the south and stick around.  Robins don’t mean spring in Tennessee.  The bluebirds are dashing about preparing nests and swooping newly emerging insects from the air.  If you want a few bluebirds put up a bluebird house and a few tall posts or stakes around open areas in your yard and they will come.  Bluebirds love open areas where they can swoop freely.

Spring in Tennessee will soon transition to highlight the dogwoods and redbuds.  Both flowering trees fill the forests and hills with their flowers.  Spring becomes a painting.  One of my favorite places in Tennessee is the Cumberland Plateau in Spring where redbud trees wash the hillsides in purple.

Spring in Tennessee is when the garden gets growing in earnest.  We plant potatoes, onions, lettuce, spinach, and any other cool season plant in the garden.  It’s too early to plant warm season plants like tomatoes, squash and peppers but it won’t be long before we can. Preparations in the garden have begun!  Of course that means weeds are growing too…

Spring in Tennessee is a beautiful thing.  The flowers bloom, the days are warm (usually), and the nights are cool.  This is as it should be because all too quickly spring will change into summer and hot and dry days will come to battle Tennessee gardeners.  Spring doesn’t last forever so we must enjoy it while it lasts!