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Gardening
Tips >> Spring Garden Prep
It's a new year and you've resolved this is your year to have a
beautiful garden-the kind you don't need to apologize to your neighbours
for! Every good garden needs a good foundation or framework. All
the effort you put into to your garden could be for not if the final
result appears haphazard or messy. Attractive landscaping begins
with a piece of paper, a pencil and a plan. Consider the basic set
up of your garden. Decide if certain plants are growing well in
shaded or sunny areas. Are they too large? Do some areas need more
colour? You might also want to revamp their placement. You may want
to add raised beds or stone walkways. These are some of the major
jobs you may want to work on before you begin spring planting. This
series of essential projects to prepare your garden for summer offers
tried and true methods to minimize your efforts and maximize your
rewards.
- Project #1 Drip Irrigation
- Drip irrigation is a great way to save precious summertime
hours spent watering. It also reduces the likelihood of plant
diseases. Conventional watering with a sprinkler sends a spray
of water into the air. On its way earthward, a significant
amount evaporates on hot days or drifts away on windy days.
Much of the remaining water will fall on plant leaves before
reaching the soil and ultimately the roots. Wet leaves are
the prone to fungus growth-a common form is black spot on
roses.
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- Drip irrigation delivers a steady supply of water at soil
level. The other main advantages of drip irrigation over spray
watering are reduced soil erosion and the ability to direct
the supply of water so that weeds don't get their thirst quenched!
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- You have two options for your drip irrigation system:
- Soaker hoses
- These resemble standard garden hoses but instead of delivering
water out one end, the water leaches out through uniform perforations
along the length of the hose. Wind a trail of hose through
your garden in a pattern which will ensure all your plants
get sufficient water. These hoses are available in very long
lengths. If that you find it is not long enough, some brands
allow you to remove the plug at the end to form a connection
to another soaker hose. Typically these hoses are very flexible
(you won't get those annoying kinks) so that you can customise
them for irregularly shaped beds.
- Another great feature of the soaker hose is that it can
be lightly covered with mulch so it's invisible. As long as
the mulch is loose and there's room for the water to leach
out, you'll have a carefree watering system. If you add a
timer, the only effort you'll have to make is stopping to
smell the flowers!
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- Emitter hoses
- These hoses are good for customising water flow for different
parts of your garden. You may not want a steady trail of water
that a soaker hose would provide. Emitter hoses are made of
soft polyethylene tubing with connections inserted along its
length. Emitter connections are inserted in the main hose
then smaller pieces of hose are cut to any desired length
then fitted to the connections.
- The benefits of this system are that with the exception
of the emitter connections you can bury the hose. You can
even lay the main hose under a walkway. Some types come with
adjustable flow mechanisms as well as variations on the emitter
type: drip, mist, fog, sprinkler etc.
- The drawbacks of this system are that the hose is fairly
inflexible and works best in areas where the hose can be laid
out in straight lines. Also if you chose to bury the hose
it can be a large chore to move the hose if you change your
garden layout. (The benefits of having the hose out of sight
may outweigh this drawback depending on your preference.)
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- Whichever system you chose you will need to design your
irrigation "strategy"
- Test the water pressure from your outdoor taps to ensure
the water will flow through your drip irrigation hoses
- Draw a plan for laying tubing keeping in mind the location
of your water source
- Lay a string down on that path then measure the string
against the hose to ensure you have an adequate length
of hose.
- If you are using the emitter type which allows you
to control the flow into different areas, determine the
water needs of your plants. Place emitter hoses as needed.
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- Project #2- Improving the Soil
- Some scientists estimate there are more species of organisms
in one cubic foot of soil than there are species of mammals
ranging over our entire planet. Soil is alive with beetles,
worms, bacteria, and a host of other visible and microscopic
creatures which enhance the soil. It becomes a living medium
rich in nutrients for plant life. Decomposing plant life then
feeds this vast number of organisms. This cycle, repeated
over millions of years, has formed a deep layer of topsoil
on a planet which began as water and rock. The healthiest
gardens are rooted in a good mix of organic and inorganic
material and a respect for the life that fuels this ancient
cycle.
- How can you tell if your soil is healthy?
- Pick up a handful of soil and rub it between your fingers.
If it turns to powder it lacks organic materials, such as
decomposed plant life, which hold moisture. If the soil is
gritty and yellowish it may be too sandy. Slippery, sticky
soil contains too much clay. Beware of black soil particularly
if it has a sour odour-it may be too acidic for plants. If
it is dark brown and crumbles into fairly large moist pieces
it is rich in organic matter which is exactly what you want.
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- Also look at the health of your plants. If your plants
are spindly they may be having difficulty establishing a good
root system in hard-packed soil low in organic material. If
puddles of water linger long after the rain and your plants
are waterlogged, your soil may contain too much clay or the
slope of your lawn is preventing drainage.
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- Five ways to improve your soil:
- Good soil is a balanced mixture of sand, clay, silt and
organic matter. Sand provides drainage; silt and clay are
the "glue" that holds your soil together and keeps nutrients
from washing away; organic matter (material which was once
alive) fosters the growth of micro-organisms which aerate
the soil and provides nutrients. Creating a balance between
these elements will ensure a healthy crop.
- 1) 1) Add "black gold". This can be in the form of backyard
compost or you can purchase well-aged animal manure. If you
are applying manure in the spring, you must be careful that
the manure is at least six months old otherwise you may burn
young plants. It is the nitrogen in manure that makes it "hot".
Note that chicken manure is very high in nitrogen and should
be used sparingly.
- 2) Start a compost. Having
a steady supply of pesticide- and heavy metal-free compost
is the best thing you can do for your garden. This is especially
important if you are growing edible plants. You can purchase
a compost container, dig a hole for compost material or build
a makeshift compost. . Compost is a great way to recycle lawn
cuttings, leaves and vegetable peelings.
- 3) Acidity is an important consideration. If you have pine
trees near your garden you most likely have acidic soil. As
well, some regions are naturally more alkaline or acidic.
Either extreme will inhibit plant growth. Home pH test kits
are available at some garden stores. Lime is one addition
to correct acidity.
- 4) Move your garden. After years in the same location, a
garden can become exhausted of its nutrients. Certain plants
have a large appetite for nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium
(the basic ingredients of most fertilzers). Repeatedly planting
the same annuals can cause a serious deficiency in a nutrient.
Pick a new area of lawn or an area which has been laying fallow
for at least a few years. Microbes need time to re-establish
themselves and improve the quality of the soil.
- 5) Salt contamination. Salt works wonders on snow but the
aftereffects can be terrible for your garden. Plants growing
near sidewalks and paths might develop dead crispy brown edges.
The only solutions are to avoid salting in winter (try sand)
and waiting for weeks of rain to dilute the contamination.
Salt resistant plants include blueberry, juniper, bayberry,
white oak and eastern red cedar
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- Take a close look at your soil to decide if it is suffering
from any deficiency or contamination. Remember that it's hard
to go wrong by adding compost. Healthy soil will reward you
with lush flowers, fruits and vegetables all summer!
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- Project #3- Spring Bulbs
- Bulbs remain underground, half-forgotten and untended until
they burst into flower in the bask of spring's first warm
rays. Long before the rest of the garden seems to be growing,
daffodils and tulips emerge with brilliant blooms.
- How can you tell if your soil is healthy?
- The secret to their early flowering is in the bulb-the
powerhouse of stored plant energy. This food energy, in the
form of carbohydrate, powers the rapid growth of the leaves
and flowers in early spring. Once the leaves are mature they
will begin converting sunlight, oxygen and water into energy
which will be stored in the bulb to fuel next season's growth.
This is why it's important to not cut off the foliage when
you cut off dead flowers.
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- Bulbs reproduce not through seeds but by forming additional
bulbs. If you dig up a bulb which has been left undisturbed
for a few years you'll notice new bulbs growing in a congested
clump around the original bulb. These offshoots can be carefully
sliced off and replanted in an area where they will have room
to reach full size.
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- Buying Healthy Bulbs
- Look for bulbs that are large, fat and firm. Mushy or unusually
lightweight bulbs may be old or diseased. Some bulbs come
with 'baby bulbs' attached and these are a good way to get
two for the price of one. You may want to plant them as you
bought them and then separate the bulbs at the end of the
first growing season so all are of adequate size. Avoid bulbs
that show signs of fungal disease-they may be soft, brown
or smelly. *Note: Bulbs are often dusted with fungicide powder.
Always wash your hands after handling bulbs.
- Good Varieties
- Bluebells- Despite the name, bluebells are available
in white, pink and of course blue. The delicate drooping
flowers are a great addition to borders or under trees
since they are more shade-tolerant than other bulbs.
- Daffodils- These flowers salute spring with vibrant
shades of yellow and orange although you can find many
colours (and shapes) of daffodils. This bulb is inexpensive
and virtually indestructible.
- Freesias- Freesias are some of the most fragrant
flowers you'll find. Usually the old-fashioned white and
cream coloured varieties are more fragrant than the reds
and pinks. The bulbs are not very cold hardy and must
be dug up in the fall, stored in a cool, dry place (sawdust
in a box in a dry garage is good), then replanted in the
spring.
- Hyacinths- If you want fragrant, long lasting
blooms this plant is ideal. This is one of the rare bulbs
which do better in a large pot than in the garden. Hyacinths
are available in white, pink, or lavender.
- Tulips- Tulips come in a vast array of colours,
sizes, shapes and blooming times. They are well suited
to the Canadian climate-in winter the bulbs are far enough
below ground to be protected from frostbite and in summer
the soil remains cool enough to discourage the fungus
which plagues tulips in warmer regions. Check planting
instructions for selected varieties-some should be planted
in fall while others can be planted in March and April.
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- Planting Basics You can either disperse the bulbs throughout
your garden or do a mass planting to create an attractive
border or add a focal point. For single plantings, dig a hole
about twice as wide as the bulb and to a depth of 15 to 20
cm (6-8 inches) depending on the variety (most packages come
with specific instructions). Add a small handful of a bone
meal/bulb fertilizer mixture. Make sure the bulb is upright
with the hairy root-like side down and the peak pointing upwards.
Carefully cover with soil. For mass plantings, dig a bed to
the depths described above but ensure the width allows at
least 15 cm (6 inches) between each bulb.
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- Bulbs can be a great trouble-free and pest-free addition
to your garden. In just one afternoon you can plant enough
bulbs for a beautiful summer garden. Start digging!
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