Spring is here! So it’s time to get down and dirty in our gardens so that they’re blooming and beautiful for the summer.
Where to start? Our resident gardening expert Frankie Flowers knows — here are the items on his spring gardening checklist!
1. Get rid of the dead stuff. Clean up the spent flowers, shrivelled up plants, and anything that’s diseased, and dispose of it in a leaf bag. That will allow the perennials more space to breathe and grow.
2. Pick up a dormant spray kit for your fruit trees. That will rid your deciduous trees of overwintering disease and insects. That will help your plants and trees start off clean.
3. You need a good foundation, aka, amending and improving your soil. If you have a clay-based soil, Frankie recommends a raised bed. Find an organic mix (Frankie likes Pro-Mix with Mycorrhizae) to help fill out your current soil.
4. Improve your lawn with grass seed. Grass seed shouldn’t go down too early or it won’t germinate. The best way to do this is when the temperature is about 15C.
5. Look for a lawn fertilizer with a high first number (eg. 22-0-6) — that stands for nitrogen, and will help give you a thick, green lawn.
6. Conquer and divide your perennials. This will help to prevent your perennials from taking over your garden. Either give them to your friends or place the divided plants elsewhere in your garden.
7. The right plant for the right place. For example, some potted hydrangeas are specifically tailored for pots — they’re not right for a garden. Look for a variety like little lamb hydrangea that can be planted in your garden and will come back year after year.
For more spring gardening tips from Frankie Flowers, watch the clip below.
Do you have a gardening question for Frankie Flowers? Post it in the comments below or send it to submissions@cityline.ca.