
Portland has been enjoying a week of sunny warm days; yesterday’s high was 60 heavenly degrees. Even though I know spring doesn’t technically start for another 29 days I can’t help but begin to enjoy some of the rites of spring.
For instance unwrapping the bananas (Musa basjoo). Last year this task was done on March 22nd, this year with our warm temperatures I feared they were starting to grow (if they were still solid and alive) inside their wrappings. So off they came! Some of the smaller ones around the garden had frozen and turned to mush, so I cut them back to the ground and no doubt by summer they will have quickly regained their previous height.
Luckily my tallest specimen retained its pseudo stem and I’ll get to start the season with some banana height in the garden, in fact it is already pushing out a leaf!

Not so lucky with the half a dozen ‘pups’ around the mama plant. They all turned to mush…

But with a little time, warmth, and water they all should grow back and make a nice little banana jungle clump.
Another rite of spring? Planting peas! This year I remembered to soak them overnight like my Grandpa always did.

And then I planted them in the warming soil of my driveway stock tanks.


The crazy bamboo poles will have twine tied across to act as support once the peas start growing. There is nothing better than a fresh pea pod plucked from the vine! Well, except maybe a fresh warm tomato, or a basil leaf …but those will have to wait a while longer.

I also snipped a few Euphorbia myrsinites stems to enjoy inside. These plants sometimes end up a little leggy in the garden but a few quick snips and they make a lovely cut “flower” to enjoy inside for weeks!

I do feel a little guilty getting all spring giddy when I know there are parts of the county where spring is still a long way off. Right now is one of those times when I feel really lucky to live, and garden, in Portland.