Spring 1997
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So many things to do.
First, de-mulch the plants you heavily mulched in the Fall. This lets warmth back into the cold ground, wakes-up the plants' root systems, and lets in air, water and fertilizers more easily. Also, the new shoots have an easier time of surfacing and growing. De-mulch all of the tree trunks, if you did extra mulch them last Fall.
Hopefully, you didn't burlap or wrap any shrubs. If you did, the shrub should be living further south.
Use a Premium Dark Bark Mulch to a depth of 2", just to dress-off the existing and new plants. Remember, there's still plenty of old mulch rotting down and improving the soils below; no need to pile it on too heavily. And 2" more in the Fall will complete the cycle.
Any of last year's compost available? Use it now around plants. It's free and a perfect 1-1-1 fertilizer.
Fertilize? In our terrible soils? Certainly. Read on, McDuff. There are two other short articles in here on doing just that.
Time to choose and plant. Make sure all danger of frost is past (April 17th or so) and have at it for another Gardening Season.
Happy Gardening in 1996!
Early Season Bloomers
There are many.
I like fragrant, flowering shrubs such as the Viburnums, Aronia, Daphne, Exbury Azaleas and a few of the many varieties of Laurel. Actually, anything that flowers after a dreary Winter like we just had is most welcomed. Wisteria, Styrax Obassia (Fragrant Japanese Snowbell), Halesia Carolinia (Carolina Snowbell), Kwanzan, Okame and Yoshino Cherries, Thunderclould Plum, Stewartia... you get the idea.
Of course, all the zillions of boring annuals are ready and waiting.
It actually makes more sense to take 2-3 years worth of the money you would use to purchase annuals, and use it to buy 1 years worth of perennials. Instead of planting annuals every year, try planting perennials once and occasionally adding to the collection. There's more bloom for the dollar with perennials; economic recovery aplenty. Choose equally from Spring-Summer- Fall bloomers and you'll have something going on all year, like we do here. There is always color in these Display Gardens, all done with perennials. No annuals. Each year we add-in several dozen new varieties of perennials for evaluation and testing, and to replace losses. But no annuals.
Just ask. We'll help you do it too.
Page1:
Getting The Garden Ready
Early Season Bloomers
Page2:Alpine Trough Gardens
Little Gems.
Page3:Wildflowers - Do It Now
Garden Center Is Available For Meetings & Tours
Page4:Healthy Ponds.
Page5:Healthy Ponds...continued
Page6:CATV The Weather Channel - Smart Viewing
1997 Workshop Schedule
Page7:1997 Workshop Schedule...continued
Page8:1997 Workshop Schedule...continued
Page9:Water Gardens - New Products Update
Clear Ponds.
Page10:Clear Ponds...continued
Page11:Fertilizing Evergreens & Conifers
Fertilizing Gardens
Page12:Year 'Round Container Herb Gardens
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