The Best Companion
A SPRING GARDENING GUIDE 3 FURRY HEROES Grow Your Green Thumb This Spring
Sometimes, heroes come sans cape but with fur, paws, and a keen sense of smell. We’ve heard the stories of police dogs, bomb-sniffing dogs, and the German shepherd Trakr, who found the last survivor on 9/11. But even untrained pets and strays can be heroic. Meet Jack, a stray dog in New York City known for scavenging through dumpsters. One early morning, his routine search for food took a life-saving turn. Behind one of these dumpsters was a baby, wrapped in a blanket, vulnerable and alone. Instinctively and with remarkable gentleness, Jack picked up the baby in the blanket with his teeth. Whether guided by fate, an extraordinary sense of purpose, or just because it was the closest open business, Jack took the baby to the hospital. The nurses tried to shoo him away when he first ran through the sliding doors. One nurse, noticing the bundle in the dog’s mouth, was able to get close enough to retrieve the baby. Thanks to Jack, the baby received life-saving medical attention. In the 1920s, the remote town of Nome, Alaska, grappled with a deadly diphtheria epidemic. Children were dying, and the icebound city was inaccessible by plane or boat in the winter. The only way to deliver the needed antitoxins was by dog sled on the Iditarod Trail. Balto, a Siberian husky, received most of the fame, but Togo, another husky, led the team across the most treacherous part of the journey. These dogs delivered life-saving medicine in time and saved many of Nome’s children. Cats can be heroes, too, as proved by a calico cat who lived up to his name in the most unexpected way. One night in Mississippi, intruders were trying to break into a home. The house cat, Bandit, Jack, Togo, and Bandit Went Above and Beyond
Spring is in the air; the chirping birds and warm air call you outdoors. It’s the perfect time to start your garden. Even as a beginning gardener, you can find plants and flowers to bring you joy throughout the summer.
Carrots and radishes are quick, easy, and grow well in most areas. Carrots are versatile veggies great for snacking and cooking; even your dogs will love
them! They need to be planted early, though, as they take about three months to germinate. Radishes are cool-season vegetables you can start indoors and plant outside after the last frost.
Other vegetables can also be started from seed indoors in late February to early March. Try cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, leeks, endive, and lettuce. Later, in mid to late March, you can start peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, Swiss chard, and tomatillos indoors. Wait to plant your seeds and seedlings in the ground until two weeks after the last frost. Some early cold-tolerant vegetables, like cabbage, broccoli, and head lettuce, can go in the ground early to mid-March. Heat-loving plants like peppers, okra, and eggplant that grow slowly can also be planted in March. Tomatoes are the stars of many gardens. It is best to wait until early April to plant them, though. They are like Goldilocks and prefer everything just right — not too cold or hot. We can’t talk about gardening without giving a few helpful tips for adding color. Plant hydrangea, aster, pansy, sweet peas, garden mums, and Oriental lilies in the spring to invite pollinators and provide blooming color throughout the summer. Spring bulbs, like crocus and daffodils, are the first to bloom. Sometimes, they will even bloom when there is a bit of snow on the ground. But it is best to plant bulbs in the fall so they have time to settle in their roots.
sensed the danger and sprang into action. The cat’s relentless scratching and tugging at its owner’s
blanket finally woke him. Then Bandit led his human downstairs to discover the attempted break-in, which also scared away the intruders. Bandit proved that size and species don’t matter in heroism.
In moments of crisis, these four-legged heroes rose to the occasion, not for glory or reward but out of pure love and loyalty. They are potent reminders of the courage and selflessness that animals are capable of.
A gardener’s best friend is the USDA Hardiness Zone Map. Since most states include three different growing zones, it is a handy resource to choose the best plants for your area. The website at PlantHardiness.ars.usda.gov has a wealth of information, including tips for easy maintenance. So, grab your gloves, get your seeds, and enjoy watching your garden grow!
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