By Dr. Jean Larson
How many of you are feeling the day length getting longer? That is because around this time the sun's direct rays strike the Earth's equator before crossing into the Northern Hemisphere also known as the spring equinox.
The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night” — equus (equal) and nox (night). During the equinox, the length of day and night is nearly equal in all parts of the world.
This year, the spring equinox (also known as the vernal equinox) happens on March 20, marking the beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn season in the Southern Hemisphere. After March 20, the Northern Hemisphere begins to tilt more toward the Sun, which means longer daylight hours (earlier dawns and later sunsets).
For many, the spring equinox is a time of renewal and celebration (e.g. Easter and Passover). How do you celebrate spring? If you are looking for something to do, here are some ideas:
- It is about this time of year my dogs start to shed — that is because the sun is getting stronger and days are getting warmer — and there’s no need for the extra insulation. It’s time to discard warm fur coats. Here are some ideas on how to use your dog’s fur, be it for birds to line their nests and to needle felt into a soft sculpture.
- If you are like me, it is getting to be the time to plant lettuce and other spring crops. Planting them in a cold frame gives these yummy greens a head start. Here are directions for building a cold frame in your garden.
- The March full moon is called the “Worm Moon:” Can you see worms and grubs reappearing in the soil? Here is how to identify earthworms from other invasive species.
- If you pay close attention, you can see the birds migrating northward along with the arc of the sun moving across the sky. What are the first birds you can identify? Red-wing blackbirds might be at the top of your list.
- While noticing the birds fly, can you hear them sing? The increase in sunlight inspires birds to sing songs of territory and for mating. I can recognize the sound of the eastern bluebird sooner than I can see them! The Merlin Bird identification app from Cornell Ornithology Lab is a great help for identifying birds from both sound and description.
- Can you see the fall-planted bulbs poking their heads out of the ground? You might find snowdrops peeking out from the Home Demonstration Garden or the bloodroot along the Dayton Wildflower Garden walk.
- Trees and other woody plants are sensitive to temperature and day length. Can you see the sap dripping out the maple (Acer) trees? Or the willow (Salix, below) with its striking furry flower clusters called catkins?
Learn more about how to get out into nature at the Arboretum in guided, thoughtful and scientifically proven ways to benefit your health on the Arboretum’s Health & Wellbeing page.
Dr. Jean Larson is the manager of Nature-Based Therapeutics and Nature Heals Initiative at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and is faculty lead of the Nature-Based Therapeutic Studies at the Earl Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing of the University of Minnesota.
Photos (greater pasque flower and "blooming" pussy willow buds) are courtesy of Nick Kreevich