The Bruce Company Blog

Remember March 1st? Calm winds. 52 degrees. Definitely lamb weather! And the forecast for the 31st doesn’t look particularly lion-like. Though early spring weather is fickle, we count on April to be a more golden month. Don’t you find yourselves looking for any excuse to be outdoors in the early spring sunshine? It feels as though everything alive is aching to stretch- length of the days, leaves on the trees, germinating seeds.

After a few seasons on your deck or patio, your outdoor furniture may begin to show some wear and tear. Especially if you aren’t doing regular maintenance. No matter the material, good quality pieces are manufactured with outdoor use in mind but remember that stain-resistant does not translate to stain-proof.

So how can you add the color and fragrance of flowers to your home without breaking the bank? Bring a bit of spring indoors by gathering branches of flowering trees and shrubs, and then forcing them to bloom inside the house.

As winter recedes, each sign of spring seems more symbolic than the last. And the season’s teasing tone always makes us a little crazy. We’re longing for thunderstorms instead of snow showers. The sandhill crane’s raspy call or the melodious song of a redwing blackbird makes us grin. Even the bright yellow bloom of the first dandelion can be a cause for celebration.

Your houseplants are certainly happier with the sunshine and longer days. You can start fertilizing moderately to encourage new growth. Prune any straggly stems to stimulate branching. You’ll end up with much nicer plants if you give them periodic haircuts. It’s about a month too early though to do any re-potting.

Last weekend’s lovely weather has us itching to get into the garden, but the incoming cooler temperatures are signaling that it may be a while before you begin planting anything. Never fear though. Spring always arrives. Eventually.

Have you wondered why red roses are the go-to flower for Valentine’s Day giving? Or why white calla lilies are in so many traditional bridal bouquets? The answers to these questions lie in the language of flowers, subtle meanings given to flowers in order to evoke an emotional response.

There is a whole list of flowering annuals that you can start now from seed in anticipation of summer’s warmer days.  A mix of zinnias, sweet peas and snapdragons would make a splendid cutting garden.

But if you’re itching to do some more active gardening this time of year, early February is an excellent time to do a bit of pruning. Let’s consider fruit trees. Specimens that are old enough to bear fruit require several things for good production.

It’s also time to start begonias, caladiums, and elephant ears. The Garden Center is expecting them to arrive next week. Summer flowering bulbs tend to sprout slowly, especially if your house is cool.