Fool's Spring or Winter Strikes Back
Today marks the beginning of the kō known as Rain Moistens the Soil. Aptly named, as we had a big storm move through last night, saturating the ground and priming it for growth. However, in its wake, temperatures are plummeting, and frost threatens to reclaim any progress made by the first hints of spring.
During my lunch break, I found myself scrambling to protect my tenderest plants: tropical bananas, seedling cucumbers, and my poor eggplant that nearly died during the last cold snap. I like to push the boundaries of what can grow here, experimenting with creating a lush backyard jungle. But this gamble requires vigilance and quick, decisive action whenever Mother Nature decides to play tricks.
This time of year is always a dance with unpredictability. I get that not everyone has the time or interest in safeguarding their plants. That’s where our natives shine! My front yard is designed as a native meadow, resilient and adapted to the local climate. Many plants like my Georgia calamint (Calamintha georgiana), false rosemary (Conradina canescens), and needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix) remain evergreen, unfazed by the temperature swings. The false rosemary is even pushing out blooms, defying the cold with quiet confidence. Everything else is either dormant or just beginning to stir beneath the surface, a silent promise of what’s to come.
As I build my microseason calendar, these observations remind me that nature isn’t linear. It’s a cycle, a series of advances and retreats, victories and setbacks. Fool’s Spring always gives way to Winter’s last stand, and the dance continues. I’ll keep documenting these subtle shifts, watching closely as the dormant plants begin to emerge in the coming weeks.
But today, I can’t help but wonder: Is Rain Moistens the Soil the right name for this moment? Or should it acknowledge the tension in the air, the battle between seasons that leaves us all a little uncertain?
I’ll let the next few days decide. For now, I’ll keep my blankets handy and my hopes guarded.
