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Western PA is giving me anxiety.

        Pennsylvania never changes; and this has given me anxiety.  I have a variety of wild flower and grass seed that I want to plant along the front of the porch.   I've containers ready for the few tomato's, peppers, zucchini herbs and strawberries that I am planning on growing.  

    I have two dogwood trees and a few flowers that I planted this past weekend.   I've never planted a tree in my life.   They are in the ground now and all I could think was "Well, it's in God's hands now."



    Part of this stress and the anxiety that I feel is because of a typical Pennsylvania spring can consist of highs of 80 only to be followed by snow on the ground, often in the same day.   So if I plant to early, I risk killing the very things that I want to grow.   If I plant to late, then I worry that I won't have much of a harvest at all.   

    Where I live is pretty much the center of hardiness zone 5B.  According to sources that means that the first frost free date is May 30th!    This weekend was lovely, we are expecting snow Wednesday.  

    This state gives me anxiety.

   I didn't plant a garden last year, largely because my wife and I could not agree on what we wanted or how and then before we knew it, it was fall.   This year we agreed to keep things small and simple, planting only a few things and keeping them in containers.

    After letting a part of my yard go wild last year, and after learning a little bit about foraging and foodscaping I've decided that for us, it's better to think in the long term.  Not only would it be better for the environment but for our health as well.   That's one of the reasons I purchased two Kousa Dogwood's from Tree Pittsburgh, because they produce flowers and edible fruit although that might take 5 - 7 years.

    We don't plant trees for ourselves right? 

     I've got a lot of work to do, and I want not only the trees to be successful, but the native wildflowers and small garden.   If we are successful, Sue and I are talking about adding blueberries, grapes and additional strawberries in the next year.  Maybe even some fruit trees, again not so much for us as for the future.  


       Overall I consider this a pretty successful day, although we will have to wait and see if the tree's take and if I find time over the next few days to do some other gardening.

    I actually like yard work, in that it shuts down the brain for a bit but this worrying about when I should plant is new to me.  Yes, you can refer to guides and what not and God only knows how many guides are out there...at the end of day you have to trust yourself, and I'm to new for all this.

    The good news is that even in failure, you learn something.  

   

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Location: Stoneboro, PA 16153, USA

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