Well, garden friends, according to the calendar it’s officially spring—although Mother Nature will surely beg to differ.
Here at the farm, tulips are in bloom, ornamental trees are showing color and camellias are starting to unfold. We celebrate spring with every new flower that opens.
However, we expect the weather to change as we garden throughout the coming month. Depending on your USDA Hardiness Zone, there will likely be a frost and possibly a freeze or two. So, let’s tread lightly and keep the planting of tender annuals to a minimum.
To help guide your decisions about when to plant, be sure to know the last predicted frost date for your area. You can find this information by browsing the Internet with the search term “USDA Hardiness Zone Frost Dates” or visiting the Almanac online. Knowing the last frost date will save you time, money and disappointment. To be extra cautious, add five to seven days to the last frost date. I do that myself because, well, Mother Nature likes to throw us gardeners an occasional curveball.
In the meantime, go ahead and prep the soil, working it steadily and systematically. A beautiful garden doesn’t just happen by dreaming about it—we have to get our hands in the dirt.
As the ground thaws, take strolls through your gardens and fields, inspecting perennials for frost heaving. Daylilies and irises seem prone to this. If the base of any perennial has been forced upwards over the winter, simply press its root system back into the soil. Sometimes, you may need to add fresh soil around the base after you’ve placed the roots back into the ground.
The start of spring comes with other garden duties, too. It’s time to plant trees and shrubs and to fertilize recent and established plantings. If you got roses last month, now’s the time to prune them—the sooner the better. And if your hedgerows are overgrown, give them a good shearing. Oh my! So many things to do in the spring—but it’s all a part of gardening, right?
Spring is finally here, bringing new life and color to the garden and growing fields of a flower farmer!
Happy Gardening!
Pamela Anthony
Beehind Thyme Farm & Garden