RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – Today may be the official start of the Spring season, with the Vernal Equinox occurring at 7:02 AM EDT, but the outlook for the rest of March looks cold, y’all. And this is causing a fracture between those of you who want one more shot of snow and Winter cold weather, and those of you who really need to get Spring gardening and farming underway.
This year will be our coldest start to the Spring growing season in 20 years (since 1993), according to The National Weather Service in Wakefield, VA. Growing Degree Days in central Virginia are defined as days when the daily average temperature is at least 55 degrees or warmer. This is important for growing rates during this time of year, and also impact the growth and development of vegetation the rest of the growing season.
Richmond-based Sustainable Agriculture Consultant Farmer Russell tells me, “The excessively wet soil is particularly difficult for planting the remaining root crops (carrots, radishes, beets). The post-frost plantings (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants) are still in greenhouses, but we have to spend more on heat.”
Need help with planting this Spring? Here are some helpful tips to time your Spring growth just right.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Spring growing topics from the Virginia Cooperative Extension.
Watch this video from the Kurdstan Planetariumto learn about how seasons are caused on Earth as it travels around the Sun:
Learn more from NASA about seasons HERE.
Watch the seasons change, as viewed from space!
Meteorologist Carrie Rose
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