Winter in Beepea Gardens

Winter in Beepea Gardens

Our winters here are usually very mild, however there are times we do have sleet and snow.  While this makes driving very hazardous for us, it is a good thing for the garden since the snow has many nutrients for the plants.

The Beauty and Treasures of the Snow

In our garden the night of Valentine’s Day, we had between seven to nine inches of snow that was so lovely.  The shrubs and objects in the garden took on new shapes.  A three tiered fountain looked like a wedding cake, there were shapes that looked like ice cream cones, a small table looked like a decorated cake with fluffy royal icing and birdbaths that looked like large mushrooms.  With the snow, it was as if God was reminding us that He is the great creator and designer and the great power.  That is a beautiful thing! 

There are a number of scriptures in the Bible that mention snow and the treasures it contains. “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater”. Isaiah 55:10

“Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail.”   Job  38:22

The snow, as well as sleet, hail, rain and lightening returns chemicals and nutrients such as nitrogen to the ground that have been removed by natural process. Rain and lightning contain more nitrogen than snow. Statistics from agricultural studies estimate that as a result of snow and rainfall averages, between 2 to 12 pounds of nitrogen are deposited per acre in the U.S. per year. 

Snow sometimes functions as an insulator in very cold weather. The expression “a blanket of snow” is very meaningful. Fresh snow is 90 to 95 percent trapped air, which is a good insulator, and the ground temperature can be as much as 40 degrees warmer than the air temperature with a blanket of nine inches of snow. Root systems subjected to extended periods of cold weather can be damaged if there is no snow to insulate the ground. A blanket of snow, when the ground is frozen, is like a layer of protective mulch insulating both the soil and the plants from winds and freezing temperatures. 

 

Snow also serves to replenish the water supply in the ground. Five inches of snow can equal one inch of water when the snow is wet. This “white gold” adds much moisture to plants, which continue to lose water through evaporation over the winter. Even in areas where there is no vegetation, the soil still retains the moisture for later growth. 

When our vegetables and flowers and plants come alive in the Spring, let’s remember to thank God for the treasures of the snow.

2-11-21

Snow, December 7, 2017