From The Gardens

The days are growing longer and soon we will be out in the garden, cleaning up debris, scratching at the lawn, and looking for any winter damage.  Here are some tips to get ready for spring. It will be a while before the weather settles down and we can actually work outside, but these projects and activities will help to prepare those of us who cannot wait to get going.

Get Ready for Spring by Get ting In Shape
This is so important.  After being sedentary all winter, muscles don’t always want to react the way you expect them to on the first warm spring day,  Walking is great. Do it outside when possible, and inside at the mall when the weather is inclement.  If you haven’t tried mall-walking you have no idea how many people are there walking, talking and meeting their neighbors.  In addition, a few exercises to strengthen abdominal and back muscles will protect you from pain and frustration when you try to dig that first spade full of earth.  Turn on HGTV or put in a favorite gardening tape while you do your crunches.

Recondition Tools
March days are a perfect time to check spades, hoes, forks, pruners and trowels for rust.  A little sand paper on rusty metal, and a can of spray paint for handles should do the trick.  Pruners and lopers may just need a rubdown with oil.

Buy A Notebook
Book stores sell fancy garden journals which are very nice, but not necessary.  I prefer a loose-leaf notebook so I can move things around if  need be. In this notebook I list projects that need attention (it’s very satisfying to check them off when they are done),  record new plants; when and where purchased and more importantly where I’ve put them in the garden so I’ll know where and what that plant is next spring.  Once a week or so during the gardening season I jot down the plants that are blooming at that particular time.  This gives me  a sense of what might be a  “down” time  in the  garden.  A list of plants I’ve seen and want to purchase is also in there, as well as notes of plants that are in the wrong place so that I’ll remember to transplant them in September when weather conditions are favorable.  Maps, clippings from magazines and newspapers, and notes on unusual weather conditions all have a place in my trusty notebook. I’d be lost without it.

Pruning
March is a good month to prune  fruit trees and grapevines.  Whole  chapters and books have been written on this subject.  In general, cut out dead branches, and any branches you find that detract from the beauty of the tree.  Do the pruning before the buds begin to swell. Maple, birch and black walnut must be pruned in the fall.

Plan and Dream
March is the ultimate spring planing month.  Even if you never execute the plan, have a lot of fun thinking and dreaming about your beautiful garden for the coming year.