Weather New England is always unpredictable in the first weeks of spring, with a roller coaster of ups and downs, often long and cold and wet, due to a similar summer time. A few hot and dry days are usually all that is needed to ignite an overwhelming attack of spring fever and a sense that the lawn, garden and the entire landscape must be perfectly groomed all at once.
Experienced gardeners know that many factors influence the greening of the landscape and the expected spring signs. Spring flowers can vary for weeks, depending on the snowpack, precipitation, temperature, sun, and severity of the past winter. For that reason, experienced gardeners often rely on flowering periods to dictate a variety of gardening activities rather than viewing a traditional calendar. Flowering forsythia is the main indicator for various spring tasks. It is said that roses are pruned when the yellow flowers of the forsythia blossom and the controls of the grass are applied when the flowers of this popular shrub begin to fade.
Cutting and raking my perennial edges is now my top priority as light bulbs and perennials pop up quickly. Shady gardens are usually the first on my list because many shade-loving plants appear early in the season and like to blossom before the trees enjoy the light of spring. Damaged and damaged by the winter hellebores and Christmas fern leaves, beige Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa) has tinted cut and evergreen sedges (Carex) slightly cut back to remove brown tips. The early rake of the shady gardens minimizes the crushing of the nose of the emergent hostas and the fleshy and bleeding hearts as it discovers other hidden treasures.
Lawn care stays high on most owners' spring programs. The occasional rainfall and the heat and intensity of the April sun, when she succeeds in penetrating the dark cloud layer, gradually turns our tired winter grass green. Although a thin layer of straw (an entangled layer of dead weeds) is generally considered beneficial in reducing the germination of weed seeds and moisture binding, a dense accumulation of ¾ inch or less often promotes the ability to survive herbaceous plants To ensure moisture and nutrients. Raking the areas with more straw this spring may be enough to prepare for the use of lime and fertilizer.
After removing the dead grass occasional lawns can be punched over. A starter fertilizer provides the newly sown areas with beneficial nutrients to quickly establish a strong root system. The removal of stubble and the complete renewal of the lawn are usually best done in the fall. Annual lime applications are often recommended in spring or autumn and should be used during days with dry grass, but soil surveys should be done on different lawns to check the pH of the soil.
The fertilization of our lawn is a standard spring ritual. Many traditional chemical fertilizers that are rich in nitrogen produce a fast greening of the lawn, but also excessive overgrowth, which requires continuous mowing. Slow Food and Organic Turf provide nutrients for a specific period of time and require fewer uses, do not burn the lawn, do not cut and do not promote side shoots that give a thicker turf.
If herbaceous grass was a problem last year, a pre-emergence check of chickpea grass can be used while the forest forages are in full bloom. Crabgrass seeds germinate in spring in response to warm soil temperatures, and if used early they can be less effective. Most lawns only have irregular areas of herb grass on the driest and most compact soils along sidewalks, paths or roads, and controls should only be in problem areas. A thick, healthy lawn is one of the best ways to minimize the presence of weeds. Be sure to use the controls after raking and cutting. Most controls to prevent crabgrass germination of all types of seeds, and we have to choose between seeding or preventing crabgrass, although several inches of soil on the treated lawn before the germ generally allows the planting to succeed
While the lush flowers of early spring gradually paint our landscapes with a happy devotion, take the time to enjoy the sweet flavors, sights and sounds of nature's rebirth.
Suzanne Mahler is a passionate gardener, photographer and speaker. She is a member of a local garden club and works in a garden center.
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