February 19th, 2009 Preparing For the Gardening Season
Enlarging a garden bed
Suckers to be trimmed.
Spring is just around the corner! Time to spend a few moments thinking about your gardens and what changes are to be made.
Not sure? Here are a few points to help you get started.
- Are there any overgrown shrubs that need to be removed or cut back? For example, that huge juniper in the front of your house that is blocking the windows and overpowering the rest of the plantings.
- Have the perennial borders become cramped? Enlarge them. Even a six inch increase in every direction will help.
- Dividing older perennials is not only good for the plant, it gives you more plants to move to another garden or, give away.
- Look at the trees in your garden. Are there suckers that need to be removed? Doing that while the tree is still dormant, makes it easier to see what needs to be removed. NOTE: don’t trim maples or beeches until the summer.
- Do any of the trees overhang walkways? Can people walk under them without having to duck? No? Then limb up the offending branches.
- How are the walkways? Are there heaved pavers to be replaced? Have the walks become obscured by the plants bordering them? Time to cut those plants back, or remove them.
- Have you been wanting to put in another garden? Stake out the bed now. When the lawn is dry enough to walk on and the soil has thawed, you can begin building your new garden and have it ready in time for the planting season.
- Has the landscape fabric in your shrub borders lifted? Is it still in good shape? If it’s torn or full of holes, it’s time to lift the cloth and replace it with new fabric.
Get the bones of the gardens in shape before the season begins, and the rest of your gardening season can be spent doing the fun things.
