Spring Gardening

Spring gardening has far more proponents than perhaps all of the other seasons combined. There’s something about a long hard winter that brings out the gardener in all of us.

Even though fall is a better time to install many plant varieties spring is probably when you will have the best selection at your local garden center.

Yes that’s correct. I did say garden center or another professional plant supplier. These are the people that know plants and will be able to advise you in their proper planting and care.

Whereas spring gardening plants are simply just a sideline for the chain stores and I challenge you to find an employee in one of these operations that can supply you with factual information.

The sprinkling system requires a good checking over to be sure that it has not developed leaks and inspect and adjust if necessary all heads for proper coverage.

This is the time to plant all of the spring bulbs which are the varieties that flower during the summer months. Just a few of the spring bulbs and other plant materials that can be planted at this time are as follows:

• Cannas
• Gladiolus
• Callas
• Elephant Ears
• Fancy Leaf Caladiums
• Dahlias
• Tuberoses
• Numerous other bulbs
• Most of the various lily family members
• Perennials
• Annuals
• Vegetables
• Trees
• Shrubs

I would suggest that you hold off over seeding any of the cool season grasses such as Fescue, Perennial Rye and Blue Grass until nature's own natural sowing time, which is fall.

The reason is quite simple. A spring planting just does not allow enough time for the grass plants to develop an adequate root size to carry it through the summer’s heat.

If you did not find time in the fall for a good cleaning of your landscape beds then this is the time to get it done.

Be sure that the mulch layer is three to four inches thick as protection from heat is just as important as protection from the cold temperatures of winter.

This is probably as good a place as any to explain how mulch aids plant material during the winter and summer months. During the winter the soil is insulated so that rapid thawing and freezing does not occur in the root zone whereas temperatures do not go through rapid changes during the heat of summer.

So if it is spring when you are reading this we are sure that the season is urging you to get started outside so good gardening to one and all.