February 13, 2011
While the Garden Sleeps…
In Midwinter – What can you do to support your Garden for the Spring ?
Gardeners love nothing more than looking through plant catalogs while curled up in front of the fire. It seems as though spring is ages away, but there are several winter garden tasks that you should attend to now in preparation for the first thaw.
• Gently brush snow away from evergreen shrubs and trees to keep the extra weight from breaking limbs. Broken branches are more susceptible to disease.
• Be sure to use non-salt de-icers on paths and driveways. Traditional rock salt accumulates in the soil and prevents plants from absorbing water. Try calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), which won’t damage plants and is biodegradable. It’s also gentler on pet paws.
• Fill your birdfeeder. Birds are natural predators of beetles, caterpillars and other harmful insects that devour our plants, so establish a habitat in your yard now and control those pests organically.
• Avoid walking on frozen or snow-covered lawns.
• Winter sun and wind can be hard on evergreens and less hardy plants. If foliage appears to be browning in exposed areas, screen plants with burlap or pine boughs. Wait until midspring to prune out injured foliage, though.
Spring is in the Air
Lastly, start planning. Order vegetable seeds, make a note of new plants and flowers you’d like, and gather and clean your tools. You’ll be ready to go when the garden starts to wake up and you’ll have the garden of your dreams.
Some links for seeding tips:
http://www.almanac.com/content/ordering-garden-seeds
http://eartheasy.com/blog/2011/01/vegetable-garden-seed-ordering-tips/
http://reneesgardenseeds.blogspot.com/
Do you do any prep in your yard for the Spring? Tell us about it.
Sigrid Morgan is a licensed landscape architect practicing residential design in the tri-state New Jersey area. She holds a Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Virginia, and has designed public parks, botanic gardens, and numerous private residences in the northeast. To visit Sigrid, click here.
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Great tips! I can’t wait for Spring!
Great tips. never thought to get frozen snow off my plants.
With all the snow I got this year, it definitely pulled down my bushes in my yard. When I took off the snow, the trees bounced right up! I think it made a difference for them.