With the longer days and warmer weather, some of you may be saying “hallelujah”, and trust me when I say I’m saying it with you. It seems that those of us who enjoy the outdoors seem to come back to life this time of year… perk up a little bit from a long dreary winter. Heck with New Years, let’s pop the champagne and make a toast to Daylight Saving Time!
If you’re anything like me, the excitement of spring is equally met with an eager, ancy spirit. So many things sit and rest over winter, there’s a pent-up energy building inside us.
So whatever your niche, however you like to spend your time outdoors, here’s a few items you might should include on your springtime bucket list:
Grow something: Whether it’s a raised bed or an acre lot, growing a garden harnesses the springtime spirit like no other. There’s no right or wrong way to go about it… flower beds or vegetable gardens, just find what strikes your fancy and go for it! I think Liberty Hyde Bailey said it best, “A good garden is one that gives its owner the most pleasure; she may grow orchids or thistles”. So maybe growing thistles isn’t the most ideal situation, but if it gives you satisfaction, no judgement from me.
The best place to start is making sure you’re free from any chances of frost. Nothing will start you out on the wrong foot like prematurely planting. Pick up some transplants from your local nursery and drop them in the ground. Or buy seed-starting-cell-trays and start your seeds indoors, for a jumpstart on the season.
Maybe you have established flower beds around your yard and aren’t looking to grow anything new this year. How about refresh those established beds and give them a glow-up. Fertilize those shrubs, deadhead any remaining flowers or foliage that has remained through the winter, and fluff up some fresh pine needles.
Get your fishing rods ready: So maybe winter doesn’t slow your roll when it comes to fishing, I understand it’s year-round-activity for some. But maybe your Zebco 33 has had the same brittle line on it for years and years. Let’s get those things out of the garage, dust them off, put some fresh line on there, and be ready to roll for a summer full of pond fishing and cookouts over campfire.
After all, it’s not going to be long before the Dogwoods bloom, and for our neck of the woods that’s the sign that the white bass are biting.
Go berry picking: If your family includes children, this is a must! There is nothing cuter than a little tot in a strawberry field with juice dripping down their fingers and faces. It’s a fun way to get outdoors, you get a tasty treat out of it, and you support local farmers while you’re at it. Sounds like an all-around win to me!
You may or may not know, farmers actually plant strawberries in the fall, and tend to them all winter until they’re ready for a springtime harvest. It’s a slow and labor intensive process, so supporting their efforts is a sweet reward.
Prep your dove fields: Don’t let dove season sneak up on you this year. A well-executed dove field isn’t something you can start working on the week before. It’s a slowly-executed, well-thought out process. Now is the time to start getting those fields ready with lime, fertilizer, and weed control. Come September, you’ll be glad you got a head start.