Green Thumb Gardeners

As a gardener, I believe you know spring is a great season for your garden to grow plants, flowers, vegetables and fruit. However, before growing new plants, your yard needs maintenance after the long winter. Hence, get your landscape off to the best start with these hints and tips for the early spring. 

Survey the yard. Make not of tree limbs that should be removed or cabled, especially those that overhang structures. Hire an arborist to maintain large trees if necessary. Cut down last year’s perennial foliage and toss it into the compost pile. Rake mulch from beds planted with bulbs before foliage appears, and refresh mulch in other planting areas after soil warms. Check fences, steps, and pathways for disrepair caused by freezing and thawing.

Check soil PH with a soil tester, taking several samples from different planting areas for an accurate reading. Enrich soil as necessary: add dolomitic lime to raise the PH or elemental sulfur to lower the PH.

Prune trees and shrubs. Remove dead, damaged, and diseased branches from woody plants. Thin and trim summer-blooming shrubs such as butterfly bush, hydrangea, and most roses, except for old-fashioned once bloomers. Prune cold-damaged wood after plants resume spring growth. Prune spring-blooming shrubs and trees after flowering.

Prepare new beds. Clear the planting area as soon as soil can be worked, removing sod or weeds and debris. Spread a 4-inch layer of compost or well-rotted manure and any amendments over soil, and cultivate it to a depth of 10-12 inches with your garderning tools.

Choose a cool, cloudy day to plant new trees, shrubs or perennials if you want. transplant container-grown plants anytime during the growing season except midsummer; be sure to water them thoroughly. Sow seeds of cool-season flowers like poppies and calendula, or vegetables such as spinach and parsley.

Hope these tips can help you to refresh your garden in the early spring.