Snow is a good thing – not only for all the school children who relish a few extra days off to break out their sleds and toboggans, but it is an essential element in growing flowers and vegetables.
We “backyard farmers” need snow to turn out a successful harvest come summer and fall. We had a couple of decent snowfalls back in December, and I hope for a few more. When the snow melts, our garden plots will be properly irrigated and ready for planting. A lack of moisture in the soil right now is very troublesome and can stymie and even prevent production.
But most beneficial of all is that snow contributes greatly to soil fertility. A nice snowfall traps dissolved organic nitrogen, nitrate, and ammonium in the atmosphere, and delivers it free-of-charge to cold and quiet fields. Rain and snow together annually provide between 2 and 20 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Backyard gardeners should take that into consideration and avoid using too much nitrogen as part of their fertilizer regimen come spring.
So, cheer up, fellow gardeners, all that white stuff in our yards will mean juicier tomatoes, more green beans per plant and plump, ripe beets this summer. And best of all, the seed catalogues are in the mail.
