Spring brings another cycle of growth and new life to our gardens. A little time organizing and cleaning up now will pay off later. Here are some tips in getting your garden season started right:
Get your gear ready
Do your housekeeping in the garage or shed and inventory your garden supplies and organize things for easy access. Sharpen shovels, pruning tools and other equipment so that they are ready to use. It’s time to get your lawn mower ready to use. If you can’t sharpen blades yourself, many hardware stores can do it for you. Clean and sanitize your pruners and garden containers.Time to give bird baths, houses and feeders a good cleaning.
Weed early
Many weeds will grow rapidly in early spring and set seed before gardeners even think about weeding. Attacking weeds as early as possible can help prevent a higher infestation later. It’s easier to eliminate weeds by hand-pulling in the early spring, when the soil is moist,after snow melt or spring rains.
Time for garden cleanup
When the first mild days arrive, clear out dead or matted down foliage away from your perennials to make way for new growth. Gently pull the dead foliage from the crowns versus cutting it back. If the dead growth comes away easily, you’ll remove it cleanly rather than leave stems.
Some perennial foliage will have to be cut; cut it as close as you can to the crown of the plant. Keep the dead foliage on any late-blooming perennials such as butterfly weed. The remnants from these plants will help you to avoid accidentally digging them out later. If you have fruits, clear away any leaves or dropped fruits to reduce overwintering disease spores and pest eggs around the plants.
Delay mulching
Don’t be in a hurry to mulch or add compost. Applying mulch too early may delay warming of the soil and prevent spring rains from filtering into the ground. For a perennial garden, wait to mulch until you see significant new growth; this way you know where the plant crown is located. Keep mulch about 6 inches away from the crown. In the vegetable garden, allow the soil to remain bare after cleanup so that it can dry and warm up faster.
Time for some pruning
Look over your shrubs and trees before they leaf out to identify corrective pruning. Corrective pruning removes damaged wood and eliminates rubbing branches. So, remove any dead branches, ones that rub against each other, or any that might be hitting walls or roof of your home. Water sprouts and suckers interfere with normal growth; so, prune them off completely as they appear. Be sure to use sharp tools to insure you make clean cuts. For more information on pruning different types of trees and shrubs, visit our website at cceoneida.com.
Check on your stored plants
Check on any plants or tubers you may have overwintered, such as dahlias to get them ready for outdoor planting. Cut off any diseased parts; if any are soft or moldy, destroy them.If the tubers have shriveled, place them in a bucket of water overnight to plump them up. Allow them to dry thoroughly. You can start planting tender plants or tubersonce all danger of frost/freeze has passed.
Begin planning
Now is the time to collect your thoughts on what you want to accomplish in the garden this year, what areas need improvement, or what plants you want to add. Capture it all by starting a garden journal. Local nurseries are getting ready for the season and it’s a good time to look around and ask questions before you jump in and buy.
For more gardening information, visit our website at cceoneida.com or call our horticultural hotline with your garden questions at 315-736-3394, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon.
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