False Spring

It’s here… false spring.

It happens every year at some point in February. It always warms up a bit between each winter cold front in Florida, but after the turn of the new year, there is something different. You can see it. You can feel it.

With the lengthening days, the sun glows for a bit longer at dusk. There is a smell to it too. Like soil, moisture, and chlorophyl. And the crops are growing quickly. The trees in the landscape are budding up and sending out shoots.

But still, we know we can, and likely will, experience more cold weather threats through February and March. So we call it false spring. But we bask in it.

We made it through another frosty weekend to be greeted this week with temperatures in the 80’s. It’s actually glorious. And it’s amazing what a little bit of extra sunlight and warmth will do to the plants in the fields – everything is looking fresh and vibrant after a very cold month.

Many crops thrive in “false spring” and are at their prime right now:

Spinach (first of the season! so delicious), celery, lettuce, ranunculus, carrots, leeks, romanesco cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes (thank goodness for greenhouses).

This warm week was just enough to get the first tulips opening up, ready for harvest. We will have the very first few bunches this weekend at the market (for the early birds), and we should have plenty for everyone the weekend after that (for Valentine’s day!)