9
Easy Steps Towards Spring
Before I get into gardening I have to tell
you that Yavapai Regional Medical Center is awesome! Lisa and
I had to spend most of Wednesday at the hospital fixing her
broken arm. (If you recall, I mentioned that she suffered a
nasty fall on the ice, resulting in the break.) The admin staff,
nurses, aids, and doctors truly enjoy their jobs helping patients.
The professionals I encountered at the cafeteria were helpful
and kind, and their pizza and blueberry pie hit the spot while
I waited for Lisa to come out of the O.R.
Our thanks to everyone at YRMC, also to all of you that kept
us deep in your thoughts and prayers this week. Lisa is on the
mend and very happy to have her arm free of that elbow-length
cast.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It may be prompted by Lisa’s ordeal with the ice and
snow, but I’m sick of winter weather. So I was really
glad this week when my daffodils bloomed and the Oregon grape
exploded with its solar yellow flowers. Knowing that soon willows,
roses, and forsythias will join the bloom parade, spring is
showing signs in the garden!
Now it’s time to get ready for the growing season. Related
here in order of importance are the things I do every spring
to prepare my yard, shrubs, and beds for the months ahead. My
goal is to complete all the tasks by the end of March.
Easy Step #1 -- Apply “Weed & Grass Preventer”
before the next weather system hits. This granular seed killer
will keep the worst of the early spring foxtails, dandelions,
and horehound from emerging in rock lawns and flowerbeds. Preventer
must be applied before the weeds emerge or it will be too late
to be effective.
Easy Step #2 – Finish pruning everything in the yard
including roses, fruit trees, summer blooming shrubs, and grasses.
Rake up old leaves, cut back dead growth on perennials, and
remove any leftover annuals and vegetables from gardens and
containers.
Note: My plan this year is to record some of my pruning and
cleanup then post the videos on my Facebook page. I should have
this finished by the end of next week. If you are a “visual
person”, the 2-3 minute videos should prove helpful. Become
a fan by hitting the 'LIKE' button on my page and you will see
when these local tutorials are posted. Find my page at www.facebook.com/WattersGardenCenter
where just last week 100 new fans joined the garden page.
Easy Step #3 – Watch for aphids on willows, aspens, and
apple trees. These pests are easily eliminated with an application
of the liquid 'All Season Spray Oil'. All fruit trees also should
be sprayed before their spring bloom. I spray my roses and aspens
at the same time.
Easy Step #4 – Feed everything in the landscape by the
end of March. I created an all-natural plant food especially
for the mountain gardens of Arizona, and it really works. Use
my 'All Purpose Plant Food' on lawns, flowerbeds, shrubs, trees,
and all garden soils you will use for planting. Because of our
exceptionally low temps this year, this is an opportune time
to help natives like ponderosa and pinion pines recover from
such a harsh winter. Fortunately, the extreme cold has thinned
pests and with a little food now the trees can push more growth
this spring. I also administer an application of 'Soil Sulfur'
at the same time. If you’re uncertain about what, when,
and how to feed your gardens, ask for my free handout 'Plant
Food in 4 Easy Steps'.
Easy Step #5 – Top dress flowerbeds, shrubs, and tree
roots with a 2” layer of shredded bark. This new layer
of bark or, if you prefer, composted mulch, will insulate the
roots from the combination of cold nights and drying effects
of spring that lie ahead.
Easy Step #6 – Feeding with my 'All Purpose Plant Food'
will nudge old lawns awake and jump start new seedlings. This
is the best month to start a new lawn and to overseed an old
one. I never dethatch my lawn because when I fertilize I use
'Soil Activator' at the same time; it eats up the dead matted
layer and encourages deeper lawn roots. A very effective technique!
Easy Step #7 – The first customers with scale on their
pinion pines appeared at the garden center this week. If you
see signs of scale, treat it with 'Annual Tree & Shrub Insect
Control'; it will eliminate this pest for the rest of 2011.
Easy Step # 8 – Add a 2” layer of composted mulch
and manure topped with 'Gypsum' and my 'All Purpose Plant Food'
over vegetable gardens. Turn this organic rich material into
the garden’s soil to one shovel’s depth and you
are ready to plant.
Easy Step #9 -- The first early spring vegetables, cabbage,
broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, garlic, and onions are all
ready to plant so go ahead and get them in the ground this month.
Warm days and freezing nights encourage better flavor out of
our spring gardens.
That’s my list. Indulge your garden with these minimal
maintenance tasks and you’ll find your spring flowers
brighter, the evergreens greener, and all spring growth especially
impressive.
I host free gardening classes at 9:30 a.m. every Saturday.
This week our class topic is ‘Lawns to Beautiful’,
March 13 is ‘Container Gardens Designers Love’,
and March 20 I teach ‘Growing Fresh Herbs in the Landscape’.
Join the fun and learn gardening tips that are guaranteed to
make your plants fall in love with you.
Until next week, I'll see you at the garden center.
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