Do it now, save time (for golf ) later
First a howling blizzard woke us, Then the rain came down to soak us, And now before the eye can focus — Crocus.
— Poet Lilja Rogers
It is spring. More to the point it’s mid-april and time to get serious about the yard and garden.
No doubt this is foremost on your mind, unless you are a golfer or sailor, in which case I am here to save you from yourself: practicing your swing and scrubbing the hull may be what gets you up on a Saturday morning, but some time invested in the garden today will save you time later on and might even give your marriage a lift. Who knows?
While it is difficult to know where to start where garden chores are concerned, I am about to provide clarity and eliminate that excuse for ignoring the topic.
Here is precisely where you should start.
NO. 1: HOSE THE PLACE DOWN
I am not in favour of the indiscriminate use of tap water. Hosing down the driveway is not on this list, not when a stiff broom does the job very nicely (will someone please tell all of those landscape contractors that insist on using leaf blowers for this job that a broom works quite well . . . really).
I suggest that you dilute the invisible salt spray on the plants next to the street by giving them a soaking with a stiff stream of water delivered from the end of the hose — a great use for your “firefighter” hose nozzle.
Also, soak down the plants along the walk leading up to the house and anything else that may have been exposed to the damaging effects of salt.
NO. 2: LAWN REQUIRES ATTENTION
Wear flat-soled shoes and using a broad leaf rake (not a hard garden rake) remove the winter debris that sits loosely on the lawn and get the grass blades to stand up on end. This will open up the crowns of the grass plants and increase the circulation of fresh air. The result will be less snow mould and powdery mildew, and a faster, more vigorous green up.
NO. 3: FERTILIZE YOUR LAWN
Give your lawn a feeing with a quality product that contains slow- release nitrogen (SCU). It’s true that cheap lawn food is out there, just as there is cheap “ice cream” that does not contain milk or cream. You get what you pay for, and where lawn fertilizer is concerned, a quality product will provide benefits for up to 10 weeks, versus three or four weeks with many bargain brands. An early application helps to reduce your work later on by thickening your lawn, which will shade out weeds before they germinate and put down an aggressive root. The answer to the question, “how do I kill lawn weeds?” is best answered with “You don’t. You prevent them by growing strong, healthy grass.”
NO. 4: OVERSEED YOUR LAWN
Thicken your lawn with a three-centimetre layer of triple mix (equal parts peat/loam/compost) and spread quality grass seed over the triple mix at the rate of one kilo per 100 square metres. Overseeding your lawn is an important part of your weed control tool box. Thickening your lawn is the equivalent of pulling the weed bar over your lawn a generation ago. Both exercises are done to eliminate weeds. The weed bar killed them; the new grass seed will squeeze them out before they germinate.
You can overseed and fertilize your lawn on the same day providing that the fertilizer contains the slow-release nitrogen.
It is worth noting here that you should remember to cut your lawn seven to eight centimetres high as this too will squeeze weeds out of existence. Your taller, healthier lawn will shade out young weed seedlings and your lawn will be more drought-tolerant come summer. (Note: Reflect on the added hours that you will have playing golf and sailing this summer because you took this advice now.)
NO. 5: SPRING FLOWERING BULBS
Your narcissus, daffodils and tulips are in bloom, but the ones that grow on the south and west side of the house may be finished. This always begs the question, “What do I do with them when/if it gets cold?” The answer is nothing. These bulbs are very winter hardy and have their own built-in anti-freeze. When the narcissus blooms, be sure to cut some of them and enjoy them indoors.
It is possible to cheat and buy your bulbs in bud or bloom in pots rather than planting them in autumn like the rest of us. Just slip the flowering plants out of the pot and plant in good soil. Mother Nature will take care of the rest — water and sunlight are all that is required to put on quite a show.
And cheating or not, there is great satisfaction in getting in on a great thing, even though all of your neighbours tell you that you are too late to plant bulbs. It would be fun to take a picture of the look on their faces as they gaze at your garden full flowers that miraculously sprouted up over night.
NO. 6: PERENNIALS AND SHRUBS
We generally have this notion that we can only plant when it is nice and warm. Many people, if not most, wait until the air temperature is so warm that they are out in shorts and shirt sleeves toiling away with a shovel and bags of soil while sweat runs down their face.
This is not necessary. Not when you can plant trees, flowering shrubs, roses and even perennials that have not been forced in the greenhouse (they are too soft for the cold night temperatures). These are winter-hardy plants that tolerate the cold quite nicely. Think about that: planting a lilac in April when temperatures may drop as low as minus 5C can hardly hurt a plant that is wired to thrive north of Edmonton in minus 40C.
The last couple of weeks of April are perfect for hauling in fresh soil to top up your garden for the season. I add two to three centimetres of triple mix to my entire garden each spring to rejuvenate the soil, which in turn feeds the plants.
The other reason that you will want to visit your favourite retailer this time of year is selection. You will get the pick of the crop of many wonderful plants, many in bud or near bloom, so you can enjoy the colour they provide now. Examples include magnolia, forsythia, Canada redbud, rhododendron and hardy azaleas. Wait until May to buy and you will wait until next year for the show.
If you are not the sailor or golfer in the family you may want to put this article under the nose of the person in your household that is. Keep in mind that I recommend this with the very best of intentions where relationship-building is concerned.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Q: I saw you on TV last night but I missed which type of fertilizer you were recommending. A: The Mark Cullen edition of Golfgreen Lawn Fertilizer is available exclusively at Home Hardware. If you buy a 12-kilo bag (or two of the six-kilo bags) you will receive a complimentary copy of my new book, Canadian Lawn & Garden Secrets. Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author and broadcaster. You can sign up for his free monthly newsletter at markcullen.com, and watch him on CTV Canada AM every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. You can reach Mark through the “contact” button on his website and follow him on Twitter @Markcullen4 and on Facebook. Mark’s latest book, Canadian Lawn & Garden Secrets, is available at Home Hardware and all major bookstores.