It was a beautiful spring day last Friday as spring sprang in Southwest Georgia, a day early from the traditional March 21 day.

Spring arrived early this year. While March 21 is traditionally the first day of spring, the astronomical event that marks the turn of the seasons (the Vernal Equinox) occurred at 7:15 a.m, Friday, March 20.

As their name suggests, the two equinoxes of spring and autumn are the points when day and night are of equal length, at least north or south of the equator, where light and dark are always in balance.

Thanks to the joyous spring sunshine, it looks as though fair weather gardeners and horticultural heads will be tending their plots in tandem. Note, however, that the new moon, which opens prime planting time, doesn't arrive until Thursday, March 26, at 4.06 p.m. Until then, your time is as well spent pruning, weeding and raking out the remains of the last annual cycle.