Give your Gardens a Jump Start

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. " - Doug Larson

Just when we thought spring was coming early, we get hit with snow.  But I know it will be short lived (fingers crossed) so I continue to count the days until the nurseries open and the days are spent getting my hands into warm soil.  If March is anything like February (whoops...did I just jinx it??), we should be able to get into our gardens earlier than usual and knock off a few spring chores.  Who knows….maybe this means we’ll spend a bit more time enjoying the garden this upcoming season!  Ahhh….with spring, hope springs eternal.

• Transplant and divide snowdrops (Galanthus) after the flowers fade but the foliage is still green.  Any spring crocus that bloom this month can be divided just as the foliage has yellowed and died.
• Although I don't use them, trunk covers from protected trees can be removed after the last threat of winter storms.  Stakes from trees that are now growing straight can be removed.
• Prune non-flowering trees in early March while they are still dormant.  Remember not to prune spring flowering shrubs such as lilac, magnolia, azalea, and forsythia until after they finish blooming.  Otherwise you'll snip off their gorgeous flowers.
• Its time for houseplants to break their dormancy and get ready for their spring growth.  To help them along, fertilize every 2nd watering.  You can also repot any plants that haven't been repotted in awhile.  Fresh soil will give the plants the nutrients they need to push out new growth.
• If you're lucky enough to own a greenhouse, be sure that it's properly ventilated during early spring when fluctuating temps are common.  Open the windows on mild days and close them before nightfall.
• Celebrate the arrival of spring on March 20th!!  Raise a glass of wine and hope that the dreaded New England fifth season of mud is a short one.

Winter Tasks

Are you stuck indoors and getting antsy because you don't have any gardening chores?  Don't worry...there are still a few things that you can be doing during the winter to give both your plants and you a jump start on spring.  

• Cut back on watering and fertilizing your plants.  Rule of thumb for most plants is to water when the soil about 1 inch below the surface is dry.  Hold off on fertilizing until March.
• Over-wintering outdoor plants indoors?  Pinch out tips of plants you brought indoors as they get leggy.  Remember to check for whiteflies and spider mites on the plants overwintering indoors.  An occasional shower and application of insecticidal soap should keep them healthy.
• To prolong the bloom of an amaryllis plant, remove the yellow anthers inside the flower with tweezers before they shed pollen.  Also, move them to a cooler room at night (55-65 degrees) and keep them out of direct sunlight.
• Avoid using salt-based snowmelts because salt is bad for nearby plants.  Choose a potassium or calcium based mix or plain old sand instead.
• As temperatures near 20⁰, cover strawberry beds with 6-inches of straw mulch.   When the ground has frozen hard, add  another foot of mulch.
• Use evergreen boughs to provide winter protection for Canadian wild ginger, Lenten rose, and other evergreens that can suffer in cold weather.

And lastly, leaf through all the seed and plant catalogs that are landing in your mailbox.  Sit back...and dream.

 

I just came across this wonderful list of responses to the statement, "You know you're a plantaholic when":

• you spend your grocery money on plants
• you think a bucket of manure is a thoughtful hostess gift
• you've lied about how much you've spent for a plant
• you sneak plants home

Yes, with the exception of gift-manure (unless you consider compost a form of manure), I'm guilty to all of the above! And, I can add a few more to the list:

• you've lied and said that newly purchased plants were from a plant swap or were a nice surprise left outside your door
• you've had to create new gardens because you don't have room for all your new plants
• every year you promise that you won't buy any more new plants and break that promise almost immediately

I'm sure all of us are guilty of these plus a few more. Anyone have a bumper sticker that says: "Caution. I brake for nurseries!"?

Winter beauty

Although we haven't had much snow yet, there is still beauty in the landscape. Yesterday, my husband and I listened to a woodpecker feasting on hidden bugs in one of our ancient sugar maples. We even spotted him peeking away, causing pieces of bark to fall down to the frozen ground below. Ice crystals formed overnight on the evergreen garland hanging on our fences and railings. For a few minutes they sparkled in the sunlight. True, most of what I'm seeing in my gardens is brown and, lets face it, a bit depressing. But I know that there's activity going on below the surface and in just a few short months, everything will begin to pop.

Now all I need is a nice snowfall, a stack of seed and plant catalogs, a roaring fire, and Riley curled up next to me. Ahhh....the joy of winter.