Prepare for Spring and your Garden will Thank you

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As I start to see a snowdrop popping out from anyone’s garden and even on boulevards, I know that spring time will be here soon. Living in Victoria, British Columbia has its rewards. While the rest of the prairies and the maritime areas continue to wallow in chilly winter weather, around here rhododendrons and pansies are already showing off their pretty colors. Although spring is starting to release its blessings over the garden, there is still much to do before anyone is fully ready to welcome spring in the garden.

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When all the snow has melted, this is actually the perfect time when you can see the whole outline of your garden since there are areas that are almost devoid of plants. This is the right time to remodel your patio or maybe brighten up one small corner in the yard.

Some people dig through their garden tools and equipment and check on every piece which needed to be polished or sharpened. In wintertime metal tools can collect dust and rust rendering it inefficient when being used for gardening. One can maintain the sharpness and the polished look of his tools by mixing any motor oil with equal parts of builder’s sand. Rub this on the tools and then wipe it with a dry cloth. It’s that easy.

Lawnmowers also benefit from regular upkeep like inspection of its oil level and the sharpness and overall condition of its blades. Also check your irrigation systems (garden hose, fountains etcetera) for they may contain any insects inside which sought shelter from the cold. Check if there are holes that might cause leakages in the future which results to an increase in your water bill.

Once all signs of winter are gone, you can now till the soil and perform amendments to enrich it. Cultivating the soil enables air to go into it and circulate it around the plants’ roots which is beneficial for their growth. Fertilize your shrubs and trees with slow-release fertilizers. As the ground further warms up, the fertilizers will also continue to provide food for your plants for a bountiful blooming season in spring.

Adding compost to the garden is even a clever idea. It fattens up the soil with already dead organic matter making the garden more rich and further promotes plants’ health.

Grab your handy shears and cut back on any dead branches and leaves present in your plants. Be careful not to cut all the plant parts, stem, roots and everything especially if you are in doubt if the one plant you are cutting is a perennial or annual. You might end up losing one of your prized flowers!

Rake up any spent leaves and other debris collected during the winter months and do some weeding. Keep in mind that weeding is not a one-time task but doing it when the ground is bare will easily help you spot the weeds from the plants. Weeding this early will also make your lawn and gardens alive with healthy plants and soil.

Unless there are many dead stems and damaged branches because of the previous frost, it is not advisable to prune certain shrubs and trees as this may affect their blooming or fruiting come middle of spring to summer. Most fruit trees usually need pruning before any new shoot emerges.

As your garden slowly awakens from its winter slumber, check for obvious bleak spaces that need filling up with colorful annuals or hardy fall bulbs to spark things up the coming year.

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