Spring Cleaning The Garden

For some garden enthusiasts, spring cleaning the garden is like nails going down a blackboard...so many chores...yet, I really don't mind it at all. In fact, my rubber boots are already carefully placed beside the garage door in anticpation of the first squish on my soupy, wet grass, which by the way is usually covered with a gray winter mould.

Living in the northern hemisphere, a person relishes in the gradual warmth of a March sun. Put a piece of tin foil under the chin and a person could sun tan in the snow!

By April the sun rises by 6:00am and sets at 8:00pm, giving ample hours in the day for all snow to melt and for the natural occuring weeds to rear their ugly heads. Why is it that all other plant species require the warming of the soil to sprout, yet these perennial beasts, with the snow barely melted, are a brilliant shade of green!

April Tasks

Spring Cleaning The Garden

• My gardening tools are safely stored in my back garden shed and prior to storing for the winter I make sure to clean, sharpened, sterilize... whatever is needed to ready the tools for spring cleaning the garden.

  If not completed in the fall, please take the time to do it now prior to using. It's important to start with tools that are clean and not rusted.

• Since I place many garden ornaments, I do a pre-placement check. My ornaments are also kept in my back garden shed. I'm amused of how I can forget, from one season to the next, the many beautiful objects I have collected.

I generally give them a gentle wash down just to get rid of the cobwebs and dust.

• Depending on how wet the soil is, I try and remove the winter mulch that covered some of my plants. All of the wet or dry mulch gets piled into my wheelbarrow and carried out to the compost pile. The removal of the mulch layer will allow the soil to warm up.
• Once the mulch is gone I can attempt to check on the condition of my shrubs. I usually work with the evergreens first. Besides snipping off any brown tips, I always lift up the ends (wearing rubber gloves) and check underneath for over-wintering critters. Now is the time to remove any unwanted nests.

  Next, I take the hose and wash off the dust. It's like giving your shrubs a shower. You will be surprised at how quickly the evergreens will green up.

  After checking the evergreens, I move on to the other shrubs. I find that my Potentilla's require the most attention. They have a tendency to become unruly if not kept in check. I remove any dead branches or cross stems.

• Check your trees. During the strong winds of winter or heavy wet snow, limbs can break. Prior to the trees leafing out, it's a good idea (and for safety) to give them the once over.
• With my rubber boots and my rubber lined garden gloves on, the next task is not my favorite. While I cut down almost all of my perennials in the fall (I hate the spring mush), there are always a few perennials like the the semi evergreen Coral Bells that still require me to tidy up the brown leaves.

This task also applies to my evergreen perennials Rockcress and the Dianthis Arctic Fire. Just remember that this is simply an effort of tidying up the plant. The actual pruning should be done to after the spring blooming.

• If you did not cut down your perennials in the fall...this job is next. Yuck. This can be a messy job. The only plants that I do not cut down are my perennial grasses. I leave them up for winter interest. However, once the snow is gone, I make sure to trim them down to the ground. If you wait too long to do this, you will have a very difficult time when the new blades begin to break ground.
• The final task for spring cleaning the garden flowerbeds is adding nutrients. I always add a layer (4 inches) of a quality 5 way garden soil mix. This mix has the manure, compost, sand, top soil and shredded bark. With my pitch fork, I gently turn the soil. because I complete this task year after year, I really don't have heavy compacted soil.
• My flowerbeds are edged with limestone so I have no need to edge my gardens. If needed, spring is a great time to clean up and sharpen those edges.








May Tasks

Spring Cleaning The Garden

• What about the lawn? Some of us can complete the lawn clean up in late April, but regardless the month, the lawn should be dry prior to raking. If you can rent a power raker, all the better, otherwise use a thatch rake. This helps bring up the mat and allows the lawn to breathe. Just remember not to be too rough on the grass when raking.

  Every second year I aerate (you can rent machines to do this or hire a lawn service). Aeration is where a machine pulls soil plugs from the lawn. While the look is not that attractive (the soil plugs lying all over the lawn), the plugs do break down very quickly and help feed the lawn. Aeration allows the moisture, air and nutrients to reach the roots thus developing strong roots.

  Some gardeners 'dress' their lawns. This is done by spreading a thin layer of top soil mixed with aged manure. Try doing this right after you aerate your lawn. Just think of all the good stuff that will filter down through the holes.

  What about lawn fertilizer? Go organic. It's better for the environment and better for the soil. Naturally the first application can be April/May as you spring cleaning the garden. Three times a season is plenty.

  The next two lawn tasks last all summer long...mowing and watering. Keep the blades sharp and don't cut the grass too short! When watering, use the rule of 1 inch of water per week. I like to water in the morning. This allows the grass to dry during the daylight hours.

• Now is the time to fertilize your roses. I always scratch in some extra bonemeal around the base of the shrub.
• As the plants grow and the shrubs leaf out, please remember to check for the nasty bugs that want to call your plants and shrubs home. The foaming Spittlebug is a frequent visitor in my garden. I nestles itself in my growing Liatris, Coreopsis even on my Bellflower. Just watch for the foam clump on the stems or at the crux of the stem and leaf. The 'bug' survives within the foam.
• Finally, as your perennials peek through the warming soil, offer each of them some extra nutrients. Liquid seaweed, powder bonemeal...there are many great organic fertilizers at your local garden centers.



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Related pages:

Go to 2010 Plants
Go to Natural or Synthetic Fertilizers Page
Go to Mykes Growth Hormone Page
Go to Garden Soil Page





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