According to The National Weather Service, March is traditionally the rainiest month of the year in Maryland, April is the fifth wettest month. During the month of April, a band of strong winds, known as the jet stream, moves northward. This changes the air pressure and leads to an explosion of cumulus clouds, the type of clouds that create rain showers. April showers bring May flowers.
The rainfall and the rising temperatures during the month of April do help flowers grow, especially perennials that have been dormant during the long, cold winter months. The real reason that we find wisdom in saying, “April showers bring May flowers,” has less to do with a literal reading of the proverb and more to do with our need for hopefulness. The proverb assures us that there is a reward for our patience, it is a gentle reminder that all good things come to those who wait.
May is a month of transformation, the bridge between spring and summer. May is rich with possibilities, in our gardens we are finally enjoying a host of blooms. The earth is almost vibrating with energy pent up during the winter months and all around us life feels new. The leaves appear on trees, flowers bloom, and weeds seem to pop up overnight in the first weeks of spring.
Learning to read weeds as clues to our garden soil’s condition can help the soil recover. Weeds are an indicator of your soil’s heath. If you have large patches of one kind of weed, your garden is trying to tell you something. Dandelions and fleabane are the two “weeds” that popped up in my garden in April.
Dandelions get their name from the French term “dent de lion” which means “tooth of the lion.” The teeth are in reference to the deeply toothed leaves.
Although dandelions are vilified by the “lawn care” industry as weeds, they are the first food source in spring for hibernating pollinators and our disappearing bees. Unlike most other plants, dandelions have both pollen and nectar, not merely one or the other.
Dandelions generally indicate poor soil that is compacted and low in calcium. Dandelions pull nutrients such as calcium deep in the soil and make them available to other plants. Dandelion taproots do a great job of loosening hard-packed soil, aerating the earth, and reducing erosion. Dandelions are also great fertilizers for your garden.
Dandelions are world-famous for their beauty. They were a common and beloved garden flower in Europe and the subject of many poems. In Japan, horticultural societies were formed to enjoy the beauty of dandelions and to develop exciting new varieties for gardeners.
Dandelions are more nutritious than many garden vegetables. The flower is packed with iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. It has more vitamin C than tomatoes and more vitamin A than spinach.
Native to Asia and Europe, the dandelion has been recorded in ancient writings. Ancient Arabian physicians used dandelions to treat liver diseases and digestive problems. The dandelion arrived in the Americas at the time of the Mayflower.
At the end of the day, dandelions are just plain fun; they seem to be earmarked for children. It’s the only flower that children can pick without getting into trouble. A child in a field of dandelions can spend the day blowing on the puffballs while making wishes with the seeds.
Superstition led to the name fleabane, it was believed that dried clusters of the plant could rid your home of fleas. Fleabane is a North American native. It is a pretty daisy-like wildflower that can be found in fields, against buildings and fences, and along roadsides in early spring. After wildfires or other major destructive events, fleabane is often the first wildflower to sprout. You may see it growing in charred fields of a once vibrant forest or the field of a recently chopped forest.
Fleabane flower heads range from white to pinkish to pale purple. Fleabane is easy to control through mowing or pulling, making it the ideal “weed.” Fleabane is a member of the aster family which includes sunflowers, cosmos, mums, zinnias, and marigolds.
Fleabane, a pollinator’s best friend, provides nectar for hungry, overworked bees, butterflies, and moths. The seeds are a favorite snack of the American goldfinch, sparrows, and ground finches.
Fleabane’s presence is a boon for garden biodiversity, ensuring that a garden isn’t just a visual treat but a thriving ecosystem. Fleabane’s root system is a natural warrior against soil erosion. Fleabane safeguards your garden’s topsoil from the ravages of wind and water. In the face of drought, fleabane stands tall, thriving while other plants wilt.
Many years ago my husband and I made the decision to discontinue the maintenance of a traditional lawn, one dominated by a single grass cultivar. By embracing a biodiverse garden, we are saving money and no longer have the frustration of fertilizing and mowing our lawn. Our ground cover includes purple creeping thyme, clover, and vinca. Our garden is filled with assorted plants that promote biodiversity. There are azaleas, black-eyed Susan’s, daisies, lamb’s ears, wildflowers, echinacea, lemon balm, mint, sage, Rosemary, oregano, potatoes, garlic, dusty miller, peonies, and tomatoes, to name a few. These different plant species support microorganisms in the soil. Diversity helps mitigate harmful pathogens, increasing available nutrients and improving the soil.
Our garden definitely looks messy and wild with patches of flowers growing in between the raised vegetable beds. Its wildness offers food and a habitat for a variety of species. With the help of compost, dandelions, and fleabane, I look forward to another abundant growing season.
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