Congratulations, AnneMarie :-)
(I wish it were me!)
Up here, when there's less snow on my containers, there's more ice. When there's no ice on them, there's lots of snow.
Still not seeing green (at least not to my knowledge). We've been having single digit windchills and 20 degree daily highs.
I'm ready to see some green!

Thats great news Anne Marie,
Saturday is my winter sowing talk and now I can say someone local has some green. I did try to check mine the other day but they are loaded with snow and ice.

Here is a link that might be useful: Our pond and gardens

Congratulations Anne Marie! No green yet in my niagara County garden. I checked my containers the day before yesterday and everything is still quite brown.

Penny

These containers are in the best possible spot (protected from wind and cold), and I know how cold resistant malvas are.. In the past my first "ups" were lupines, foxgloves, wallflowers, mimulus, daisies (don't have any of those this year) and malvas of course...
'green' is a big word. It's more 'first signs of germination'.. that very pale greenish stalk unfolding!

If we do get more snow this weekend, I won't be checking my containers for a while!!

Should be doing some vegetables this weekend.
Have a nice weekend everyone, and good luck
Anne-Marie

I haven't even been able to get to mine to check.....I can't believe you have germination with all this freeze and snow!!! This whole thing still just blows my mind. I can't yet wrap my brain around it. They are calling for a warm up this week in Albany.....maybe I'll see something after the thaw! - Keeping fingers crossed!

~Deb

ME TOO! ME TOO!!!!
My native eastern columbine has sprouted! I have several 1/4inch tall sprouts in a snow and ice crystal covered container (23 degrees right at this moment).

I expect to see a few more containers sprout over the next week if the temps continue to climb albeit slowly but surely.

Penny

Ohh I think I need to sneak a peek at mine and see if anything is up!!!

Isn't that exciting!! Things are going to move very quickly now.. so keep 'peeking'!!!! Spring is officially on Sunday.

I will let my flats re-appear from the snow before checking them. I gave up on columbines, Penny, because I can't keep leafminers from destroying the foliage....

Keep posting what sprouts... That's a great way to think spring!

Good luck everyone,
Anne-Marie

Anne Marie
The native columbine species is supposed to be resistant to leaf miners. I was also told that if you cut columbines back after they have finished blooming it will control leaf miners.

Of course I had to plant the native species for my hummers!
Penny

Penny- the first time we saw a hummingbird here in Albany it was at the native columbine...it comes out in April in my front garden. Our first sighting was May 5. I couldn't believe the little bird actually found it, as the columbine is low and sheltered by a little green Japanese Maple. It reseeds itself here and there, but nothing like the hybrid columbine. BTW- have you checked your migration map lately? Lots of encouraging little dots...

Penny , thank you for your info... I'll try 'native' columbines, at least when we move to a bigger place.. haha!! I always did cut them back after their blooming, but leafminers had a feast with those new, tender leaves!

Missttish64... During my 5 years of gardening here in Albany, I have only seen a hummingbird about 4 times, and always in the summer, in spite of my having quite a few 'hummingbird' plants. Is it because of city environment??... or because of my 2 roaming cats?? :(

Happy 'peeking', winter-sowers!
Anne-Marie

Anne Marie,
Keep up your vigil and one day you will be rewarded with a resident hummer.

Missttish64
OH YES I have been watching the migration map since the first dot appeared. It is usually the first thing that I check in the morning.

Besides my plants I now maintain 6 feeders placed around the property in strategic locations. The feeders help in very early spring when they first arrive and very little is in bloom. I started with one feeder and one hummer when we first moved to this house 6 years ago. Each year the hummer population has grown by 1 or 2 and last year I had the most activity. THey actually emptied one feeder in a 24 hr. period which was a first for me since moving from Louisiana. Down there I refilled the feeders twice a day. I have also increased the feeders each year. I start with one feeder when they start getting close to the NY line and then add another when I actually see the first one and then continue to add as more arrive. Last year I hung the first feeder on Easter Sunday and saw my first hummer at the feeder on the 27th of April.

Penny

my chives and montauk dasies are now sprouting.