“April is the cruelest month, breeding
lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
memory and desire, stirring
dull roots with spring rain.”
-T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land.
One could think he was writing about Iceland. It’s the 5th of April and it’s snowing yet again. Frosty nights are forecast throughout the week. Half a month ago I started clearing out the greenhouse and pruning roses and strawberry plants. I’m relived they survived this unusually harsh winter. And very glad indeed that the greenhouse still stands and nothing was wrecked during multiple red and orange weather warnings.
Ten days ago I started growing from seeds and bulbs. The sugar snaps, tarragon and thyme are already turning into those cute seedlings. Exciting time! I was happy about the sugar snaps being so lively cause I forgot the seeds from last summer in the greenhouse during the winter and thought perhaps they were ruined. The cilantro and parsley seeds were also from last year, so we’ll see if they’ve survived too. I’m also growing celery, red celery, cucumbers, cocktail cucumbers, mint and more from seeds.
That’s what the strawberry plants looked like before I removed dead leaves etc. Now they are happier and starting to grow new leaves.
My roses look good after the winter. I also tried planting bulbs of Freesias and peonies. Just as an experiment. I use an electric heater in the greenhouse from March and until the heat doesn’t go below 5 degrees at night. Unfortunately I forgot to close the window one frosty night and during a sunny day the heat went up to 30 degrees before I managed to go out to the house. So I perhaps shouldn’t be optimistic. Yet I am 🙂
I planted some garlic in the autumn. It’s thriving for sure. Can’t wait to harvest and try it. Yummy!
The garlic is in the backyard so at the moment it’s covered with snow. Fortunately, I’ve been told that doesn’t harm the garlic at all.
In the front yard everything is happening too! My fruit trees are awakening and so are the crocuses and tulips.
I have butterflies in my tummy from excitement cause I’ve never had a greenhouse during the spring. The house was ready in June last year. I’ve already started enjoying a good cuppa in my lovely greenhouse when the sun is shining. Makes a lot of difference to be able to do that here in Iceland 🙂
This website and all its content is owned by Sigridur Petursdottir. The recipes on PurelySigga.com are for personal use only. It’s perhibited for restaurants, coffee shops, bistros, catering services and food production companies to use them without a written permission from the owner. Without such a permission you can’t either republish, copy, change, download or reproduce any recipe or photo on PurelySigga.com
