We spring forward today with the observance of Daylight Saving Time. And we celebrate the actual arrival of spring in another 10 days.

We at Hattie’s Garden are beginning to get spring fever, and our day time activities are increasing. Daylight time is fast approaching 12 hours and feels so much different than those winter solstice days when it got dark before 5 p.m. All we need now is warmth, water and sun.

Our pickup/delivery service will continue for the next two Saturdays: March 17 and 24. Then we break for Saturday March 31 so Hattie can teach a farmer’s workshop. We will resume service on April 7.

This week, Chesapeake Organic continues to harvest very nice greens from inside her high tunnels. Grown in the soil, this high tunnel produce is protected somewhat from the elements, making for a nice tender leaf for their kale, Swiss chard and collards. They are also harvesting delicious overwintered leeks, root crops and more.

As the sun cooperates a little more, Fresh Harvest hydroponics has nicer and nicer lettuces and salad ingredients.

Hattie’s Garden will harvest scallions this week.

We have all of our other great items for you such as eggs from Twin Post and Black Hog Farm, microgreens that pack a lot of flavor and nutrition from Black Hog, free-range meats from Bohemia Lea, flash-frozen fish from AlaskaWild, delicious mushrooms from Davidson’s, cheese from Chapel’s, a great assortment of jams ‘n jellies from Backyard, wonderful honey from Baues’ Busy Bees, gourmet prepared food from Patty’s, and herbal remedies from Plant Wisdom.

Deadline for ordering is Wednesday at noon. Order early as some produce items may be limited.

Spring Gardening Class

Due to popular demand, our Spring Gardening class, scheduled for March 25 and April 8, has sold-out. Therefore, we are planning to add another class for Sunday, April 15 and Sunday, April 22 from 2 to 5 p.m. Classes are kept intentionally small, so register online now if you would like to attend.

The Spring Gardening class, consisting of two three-hour sessions, is intentionally limited in size in order to provide customized instruction. If you are already a gardener, you will come away with plenty of new information and knowledge. If you have never tried to grow vegetables and would like to give it a try, join us for the next class and learn.

Cold-Hardy Vegetable and Herb Plant Starts

Hattie’s Garden will continue to sell early cold-hardy (or cool weather) vegetable and herb plant starts at the Garden on Saturdays from 9 to 3.

“Plugs” and/or “starts” are the small plants we nurture in an excellent compost-based soil mix for you to put into your garden or container. We never allow our plants to become root-bound and they are ready to take off and grow vigorously for you.

For March 17, we will have gourmet mixed Lettuce plugs, Spinach plugs, Cilantro plugs and Dill plugs. These little six-packs give you lots of bang for your buck and are ready to go in the ground or in a pot.

Plants are for sale to everyone, and if you would like to receive a 10% discount, you still have a few days before our deadline of March 15 to participate in our CSA Plant credit program.

You may use your Plant credits to purchase plants or other items from Hattie’s Garden anytime you wish.

We thank those of you who have already signed up. The CSA model helps us to purchase needed inputs for the season.

Delmarva Potting Shed Radio Program

Give a listen to the podcast from the March 3rd Delmarva Potting Shed radio program which featured Hattie as a guest speaker. Hattie speaks at the 20:00 minute mark.

Sharing her vast knowledge with Valery and Rick Cordrey of the East Coast Garden Center about gardening in this area, Hattie touched on a variety of subjects, including best flowers to grow in this area, cool weather vs. warm weather plants, ideal time for planting vegetables, spring planting, and offered a wealth of insight for the plants she grows for her garden, as well as plants for her customer’s gardens.

Yours, having sprung forward,