9 Essiential Tasks of Spring

Quite frankly, I am tired of all the rain and snow. Every time I want to head outdoors to prune, clean up and amend my soil there's a weather front moving through. Within days roses will leaf out, willows emerge from their wintery slumber, and daffodils come into full bloom. Already I see my perennials emerging from the ground for their spring flush. Ready to begin work on my gardens, I have my spring garden 'to-do' list in hand and thought I would share it with you.

These are things I do every spring to get ready for the growing season, related here in order of importance. My goal is for all tasks to be completed by the end of March, the peak of the spring planting season.

Essential #1 – Finish pruning everything in the yard including roses, fruit trees, and summer blooming shrubs. Then rake up old leaves, cut back dead growth on perennials, and remove leftover annuals and vegetables from gardens and containers.

Essential #2 -- 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.

Essential #3 – Watch for aphids on willows, aspens, and apple trees. These pests are easily eliminated with an application of liquid 'Dormant Oil'. All fruit trees also should be sprayed before their spring bloom. I spray my roses at the same time.

Essential #4 – Feed everything in the landscape by the end of March. I created an all natural 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. I am terribly worried about bark beetles taking down some of my majestic ponderosa and pinion pines, so I even feed my native evergreens. A healthy tree can defend itself better against any pestilence. I also administer an application of 'Soil Sulfur' at the same time. If you’re uncertain about what, when, and how to feed your garden, ask for the handout of my 4-step program for feeding the landscape.

Essential #5 – Top dress flowerbeds, shrub 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 cold nights and the drying effects of spring that lie ahead. This simple act keeps weeds at bay and encourages better root formation.

Essential #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 over seed an old one. For more detailed advice, ask for my handout on starting new lawns.

Essential #7 – Pinion pine scale will start by the end of this month. Watch for signs and treat with 'Systemic Soil Drench' to eliminate this pest for the year 2010. Besides those trees attacked by scale, I definitely recommend feeding stressed trees as well.

Essential # 8 – Add a 2” layer of composted mulch and manure topped with gypsum and my all-natural plant food. Then turn this organic rich material into the garden’s soil to one shovel’s depth.

Essential #9 -- Go ahead and plant early spring flowers and vegetables as soon as the soil is ready. Cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower plants, garlic, and onions already have arrived at the garden center. Pansies, violas, dusty miller, English primroses, poppies, and early spring blooming perennials also are ready to be planted. All of these plants love the warm days and the chilly nights of spring.

That’s my list. Indulge your garden with these minimal maintenance tasks and you’ll find your spring flowers brighter, the evergreens greener, and your spring growth more exciting than ever.

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 a Designer Would 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 in the garden center.

Until next week, I'll see you in the garden center.