Some jobs will make gardening easier in spring

 In News

As the days grow shorter and cooler, amateur gardeners all over the area are frantically trying to whip things into shape before the snow flies. Gardening pro Katie Dawson says, “Relax! There is nothing that needs to be done right now.”
Dawson and her husband Chris Martin have run Glencairn-based Complete Outdoor Services since 1988 and Cut and Dried Flower Farm since 1993. While there are no “must-do” tasks for this time of year, she says there are some things that can be done to make your life simpler in the spring.
First on the list is weeding. Dawson says a thorough weeding now, digging up roots of nuisance plants like dandelion, thistle and bindweed will give gardeners a big leg up. Weeds grow fastest in the spring so dealing with them now means less weeding next year. This is also a great time to improve soil with compost or manure, and to spread a fresh layer of mulch. The mulch will help retain moisture and suppress weed growth in the spring, and can provide winter protection for tender shrubs and roses when mounded around the base of plants. Dawson does recommend pulling out all annuals in the fall and cutting back plants like hostas and daylilies which turn to sludge once frozen and are less pleasant to deal with in the spring.
As a landscaping professional, Dawson has less time in the spring, so she likes to deal with tasks like cutting back perennials now. However, she says, some gardeners prefer to leave plants like ornamental grasses and sturdy perennials like echinacea and rudbeckia (two types of coneflower) for winter interest.
There is still plenty of time to divide plants like iris, hostas, peonies and day lilies. If the plants appear to be dying in the centre when they are cut back it is time to divide them. Otherwise it’s a matter of choice as you rethink your garden for next year. If you are dividing plants, Dawson recommends replanting a bit deeper than normal to reduce the risk of frost heaving them out of the ground. She suggests taking pictures of the garden before you cut things down to help decide where to move things or perhaps add new plants next year. Now is a good time to plant a few more bulbs for spring colour. Pruning shrubs after the leaves drop makes it easier to see the structure of the plant.
Once the fall cleanup is complete, most of us can hang up our gardening gloves for the year. Not so for Dawson and Martin. They will continue to work outside in some of the more than 50 local gardens they maintain until late November, and they are already planning, organizing and ordering seeds and plants for next year. Greenhouse production will begin the last week of February and after 8 to 10 weeks of hands on planting and growing they will throw open their doors to the gardening public for another year in late April.

 

 

Recent Posts

Leave a Comment

0