Single digit temperatures this morning are an unpleasant reminder that gardening in Minnesota is not for the faint hearted. The good news may be that flood crests may be slightly reduced by this colder than normal weather that will last until about April 1st. Happily, the long range forecasts show a period of pleasant early spring weather coming for the first week of April. I’m sure we will all breathe a huge collective sigh of relief!
There will be opportunities for work out in the landscape while the big chill is still in force. Pruning shrubs and trees, and cutting down dead trees can be a comfortable activity if you pick days with low winds and mid-day hours when temperatures are at their warmest. My April 15, 2009 blog on tree pruning discusses pruning in more detail and I am linking back to that post.
If you like to make firewood during this period when the seasons are transitioning, you may have to carry in your chainsaw gear and do the cutting. In most locations, haul out will have to wait until the ground firms up enough to allow vehicles to operate without making nasty ruts. If you cut down ash trees that have died, it would be a good idea to check under the bark to see if emerald ash borers (EAB) have infested the tree. The Emerald Ash Borer website has more information and photos that will help you determine if your ash wood is infested with EAB. If your wood is infested, be sure to call the City or County Forester to report the infestation. They will probably come out to verify and lend some advice and assistance. It is extremely important for the health of our forests to report possible new occurrences of Emerald Ash Borer. We all need to help out in reporting new infestations so the spread of this devastating pest can be slowed/halted.
I have also shared this post with the Northfield News.
