"Clippings"
Spring is the season to start over to put the new plans that you
have been dreaming about all winter. I probably have moved every
plant at least once if not twice through the years. I think for me
it is the process that I enjoy as much as the end result. This year
my husband and I have started to build a small arbor for the
grapevine, building more raised boxes for my vegetable garden... You
probably have a list just as long.
However long your spring wish list becomes, make sure to take
time to relax in your garden throughout the season. Happy gardening.
Mulching to improve the Soil
Mulch is a layer of organic or inorganic material spread over
the soil that can help with several functions. Mulch discourages
weeds, which compete with moisture and nutrients offering the
ultimate in soil enrichment. Mulch can control soil temperature by
several degrees. The best time to mulch is after your flowers have
had a chance to get started.
There are all sorts of mulches, such as decorative gravel and
colored plastic, but the best mulches are organic plant material
that eventually decompose and improve the soil.
- Top your beds with shredded bark, leaves, or grass clippings.
This process will save you money as well as being biodegradable.
- Use a thick layer of newspaper instead of black plastic for
pathways and then top the paper with at least 3 inches of shredded
bark. This will keep down the weeds.
- Straw is ideal mulch for vegetable gardens where appearance is
not critical.
- Use leaf mold as mulch around acid loving plants like
blueberries, rhododendrons, and azaleas.
- Shredded bark gives a neat, finished look around landscape
plantings. Comes in different colors to complement your garden,
but has little nutrients and robs the soil of nitrogen. When
buying this at your garden center, be sure it has not treated with
chemicals. Do not incorporate into the soil.
Planning Your Organic Gardening Year
Early Spring
Check out this garden planner that shows you at a glance what
jobs need to be done and when. This is the beginning of the
gardening year and is a busy period for a lot of us gardeners. There
are a few home solutions to try for those pesky weeds...
Garden Wisdom
Why do we make slanting cuts when pruning?
Slanting cut - slashes disease risk. Make your pruning cuts
at a gentle angle about one-quarter inch above a bud. This will let
the water slide off the cut. A cut made straight across allows water
to collect on top. This could carry fungi and other disease-causing
organisms.
