This past Friday was the Vernal Equinox, the first day of Spring. Vernal equinox means “equal night.” On the day of the Spring Equinox, they hoours of daylight and the hours of darkness are of equal length. Now, until the Summer Solstice on June 21, each day will be a minute or two longer than the one before it.
History of Spring Celebrations
The Spring Equinox has been recognized for centuries. In Egypt, they recognized the longer days and celebrated with great excitement, as it meant time to plant. The Babylonians celebrated the god Markuk, believed to defeat the forces of chaos each year. The Mayans celebrated the god Kukulcan, who they believed caused the rebirth of the earth, and the Germans. associated it with the fertility goddess, Ostara. In England, at Stonehenge, hundreds of people gather at dawn just to watch the sun rise on the first day of spring.
What you can do to celebrate is plant early-blooming flowers that can take frost, if we get it — like hellebores, violas, and pansies — or plant cool-weather-loving veggies like spinach, broccoli, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, or cauliflower.
Choose Your Spring Plantings Carefully
However, just because Friday was the first official day of spring, do be sure NOT to plant veggies and flowers that cannot take frost, however, because our last frost day is technically around April 15. We have had frost as late as May 10th, so choose your spring plants carefully!
My Experience
I remember 2020s unexpected late frost. At about eleven o’clock that night, I was running around the yard in my pajamas and slippers covering what plants I could cover and bringing all my houseplants (which I had just moved outside) back inside. Now, before I plant non-frost hardy plants I look look-up up the long-range forecast.
If you need help with knowing what you can plant know, give us a call.
Happy Spring!