Confused about March 1st, and March 20th for first day of spring. Here is the story. Australia is having March 1st as their first day of fall. Isn't that fun.

image from ar.inspiredpencil.com   spring in Iowa

Fall in Australia 

images from Friends of Sale Botanic Gardens, Sale Australia 

Back from the greenhouse.  Overcast, but temperatures not too bad. High today of 38F(3C) a mild week with rain at times.  Looks like March coming in like a lamb.  Stay warm, stay safe.
 
Australia family and friends for Tuesday March 3, will have 70F(20C) looks like a great fall day for them.  Stay cool, stay safe.
 
Pictures from the Sale Botanic Gardens, and you can see fall is starting for them.
Welcome to Autumn!
It’s when the deciduous trees begin to colour up because of the shorter daylight hours trigger the chlorophyll in the leaves to break down.
 Looking forward to the Maple Forest, the Ginkgo Forest and the Elm Forest changing colour.  Images and information from The Friends of Sale Botanic Gardens
March 1st would mark the beginning of fall in Australia as Evelyn told us.
In Australia, autumn typically begins on March 20, 2026, and lasts until June 20, 2026. The months of March, April, and May are generally considered autumn in Australia.
 
What is starting for us is Spring.  There are two springs in March, have a read about them. 
Spring Equinox, Northern Hemisphere (March)  In Mason City, Iowa, USA: Friday, March 20, 2026 at 9:46 am CDT

Meteorological vs. astronomical spring: what's the difference?
by Gracyn Freund
IOWAS NEWS NOW, Iowa — Meteorological spring begins this Sunday, March 1, but the official start of the season, known as astronomical spring, doesn’t begin until March 20.  This brings the question: Why are there two different dates for the "first day" of spring?  March is a month of change across the country in the weather department.  In Iowa, there's a pretty big temperature difference from the start of the month to the end.   Average high temperatures are in the upper 30s in early March and climb to the mid-50s by the end of the month. We typically see around 2" of precipitation.  Even after spring begins, winter weather can still linger, as we average around 4" of snow through March.
Meteorological Spring
Meteorological spring runs from March1-May31. Meteorologists use fixed three-month seasons to better track temperatures, compare climate data, and keep records consistent year after year. These seasons are broken down into groupings based on the annual temperature cycle.  The winter season includes December, January, and February, which are the coldest months of the year. Summer includes June, July, and August, or the warmest months of the year. Fall is made up of September, October, and November.  Both spring and fall are transitional, where temperatures are rising (spring) or falling (fall)
Astronomical spring, the official start of the season on the calendar, arrives on March 20 this year.
The earth’s annual orbit around the sun forms the foundation of the astronomical calendar.
The seasons are determined by the earth's tilt and the sun’s position relative to the equator. At the vernal (spring) equinox, the Earth is aligned so that the sun is directly above the equator. Following the equinox, the Northern Hemisphere experiences longer periods of daylight than darkness, continuing until the summer solstice.
Therefore, astronomical spring will run from March 20-June 20 this year.
The difference between the two “first days” of spring comes down to how they’re defined: meteorological spring is used for data tracking and record keeping, while astronomical spring is based on the tilt of Earth’s axis as it orbits the sun
Taken from https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/meteorological-vs-astronomical-spring-whats-the-difference
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  Beckysgreenhouse.com  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse