It looks like spring weather is finally here and we can get busy in the yard. My first day outside was this past weekend, cleaning up from the winter, putting down weed control in the flower beds and starting to mulch. I can remember one year we had the yard clean-up finished and mulch in place before the end of the March and this might be another year like that. So if you just thinking about getting out in the yard it is time to get into high gear. The exercise is good but if you have not been too active during the winter months, like me, start off slow and don’t overdo it. It’s time to plant those colorful, cheerful pansies to welcome spring and get some color in the garden. Plant early blooming perennials like English Daisy’s, Prim Rose, Bleeding Hearts and Hellebores now for years of beauty.

 Soil Preparation- One of the things most of us want to do, as soon as we can, is roto-tilling the flower beds and vegetable garden area so we will be ready to plant when the time is right. But remember, do not “work” the soil when it is too wet. You can determine if the soil is ready for tilling in your yard by taking a handful of soil and squeezing it into a ball, if the ball doesn’t crumble when applying slight pressure with your finger it is too wet to work. There will be an “opening” in the weather and we want to be ready when this time comes. It was almost here last week when I saw some farmers, who were in the fields, preparing the soil for planting and then the rain came. There will be another chance to get the tilling done very soon, be ready.

 Insect Control- One of the most environmentally friendly ways to control some of the most damaging insects in the landscape and on your fruit trees is the use of an oil spray. Now is the time to apply dormant oil spray, before the plants begin to grow. Follow the instructions on the label. This spray is not toxic to bees or animals and acts as a sufficant for harmful insect eggs. Dormant Oil is also an excellent control for scales and spider mites that are both prevalent in our yards and can cause irreparable damage to our plants. I battle Oystershell Scale on my Mugho Pine and Euonymus and anyone with Alberta Spruce will have problems with spider mites, eventually. An application of dormant oil spray is one of the most effective controls for these critters. Ferti-lome’s Horticultural Oil spray is one of the best. For about $10 you can spray the average yard for possibly 2 or more years. Avoid spraying Blue Spruce as this spray may cause the blue to be diminished. Follow label instructions for other important details. If new growth starts before you can apply the “dormant” spray follow the “growing season or summer” reduced rates for mixing.

 Lawns- If you have some bare spots in your lawn and you plan to do some reseeding this should be done without delay. It is critical to have good seed contact with the soil. Just keep in mind that late summer/early fall is the best time to establish a lawn but some patching can be done in early spring if completed before the end of April. Weeds will take over the spring seeded areas if there is poor soil contact with the seed or if seeding is too late in the spring. The 2 most important fertilizer applications annually are sometime in March/April and then in September/October periods.

 Enjoy the warmer weather and let’s get the yard in shape in the next week or so. You can send any questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 32 Years of Local Growing….Great Plants

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