Spring Clean Your Garden Beds & Prepare Your Soil

• Start by removing all the winter mulch, fallen leaves, branches and other debris, and replace with fresh spring mulch (this will also help the growth and spread of weeds before your plants have a chance to sprout).
• Test your soil to ensure that the proper nutrients and PH levels are present to grow your plants.  Invest in an inexpensive soil testing kit at the garden store, to see what nutrients you need to add before tilling the soil.
• Once you determine if any fertilizer or PH balancing agents need to be added, you need to test if the soil is ready to be tilled.  According to gardening expert Dr. Leonard Perry, “if the soil is still sticky and clumps together, then tilling may cause soil compaction, drainage, and aeration problems later on in the season.  If the soil crumbles when you work it around in your hands, then it’s okay to till’.

Finish Pruning Woody Plants

• Most woody plants should be pruned when they are still dormant from the winter. In many areas, early April is the last chance for gardeners to prune things back before flowers and leaves begin to bloom. Remove any winter damaged branches, but save major shaping for later in the season unless the plants are badly overgrown. Remember: pruning too much can inhibit flowering on woody ornamentals- so be careful not to trim away the buds!

TIPS FROM FAIRYGARDENS.COM!

Shrubs & Tress

• Plant and transplant, shrubs or trees. However, complete all transplanting of large trees and shrubs by mid month!
• Prune your evergreens. Remove all dead, diseased, and undesirable wood. However, do not prune back into the bare wood part of the plant.
• Prune your Forsythia after it finishes flowering.

by Brandi Savitt – March 24, 2010

11 Fab & Fru Tips to Get Your Garden Ready For Spring

For most of us who have endured a long winter, seeing the burst of purple and yellow crocuses sprout out of the lifeless earth is a thrilling event! Virtually any sign of spring gets me excited to open up my garden.  However, March weather is still way too unpredictable in most of the country to risk going full steam ahead with your planting schedule.  So, what should you do now to get your garden ready for planting season? Don’t worry, there’s LOTS to do.  I consulted a few master gardeners and threw in some tips in of my own, so you can roll up your sleeves and start beautifying your outdoor space today!

Plan What You’re Going to Plant

Now is the time to walk around your garden and decide what you would like to add or remove from it this year.  March is the perfect time to research plants and order seedlings from a flower farm or nursery.

Get Rid of Weeds Now

Pull little weeds out now before their roots have time to spread. Pouring vinegar or boiling water over weedy areas are two cheap organic solutions to help control future problems.  Avoid using salt, because it will ruin the soil.

Deal with Pests Now

Use an organic lime sulfur spray on plants and mix into the soil to help protect against scales, mites, and borers on fruit trees, roses, and shrubs as well as black spot and powdery mildew. It’s a dormant spray, so apply before the middle of the month when many plants begin to bud out. (Always follow the instructions on the box or bottle!  Avoid spraying your house with this mixture.  It can leave spots on brick, stucco, and paint.)

Slowly Remove Burlap Coverings & Winter Mulch

As plants start to show signs of growth, slowly begin to remove any burlap covering and any protective winter mulches in your flower-beds.  However, err on the side of caution.  Temperatures may still drop below the freezing point, and the purpose of winter mulch is to act as a protector from sudden changes of temperature and chilling wind.

Prune & Feed Your Roses

March is a great time to prune your rose bushes.  More extreme pruning should result in longer stemmed flowers and more compact bushes.  After pruning, use an organic rose fertilizer like bone meal to feed the plants.

Divide & Transplant Perennials

Early spring is the best time to divide and transplant summer blooming perennials and fertilize established ones as soon as new growth appears.

Start Planting Tender Bulbs

This is the time to plant bulbs and tubers like lilies, gladiola and dahlias. To ensure continuous blooms through early summer, continue planting additional bulbs every two weeks until mid June.

Fertilize Bulbs After They Have Already Bloomed

After early Spring bulbs finish blooming, remove all dead blooms and fertilize the plants with bone meal or bulb booster.

Prepare Soil for the Vegetable Garden

Adding well-rotted manure, peat moss or compost into to your veggie garden soil now will help produce better results as the season progresses.

Plant These Veggies Now

Most experts say that it’s safe to plant peas and sweet peas as well as perennial vegetables like Asparagus, Rhubarb, Horseradish and artichokes, but always check with an expert in your region to be sure!

Time to Plant Seeds (Indoors)

If you’re planting veggies from seed and you haven’t started already, now is a good time to start your tomatoes, lettuces, and many other vegetables.  (Check the back of seed packages for full instructions)

We hope these Fab & Fru tips will help you ring in spring and get back to nature – even if your garden consists of just one potted plant on your fire escape!

Resources: Renee Abel-Collinge of Botanica, www.fairygardens.com, www.demesne.info.

Put The Green Back In Your Pocket

Green is the New Black!

Spring has sprung and the home gardening community is planting seeds across the country.  Whether you have a big backyard or live in a studio apartment, everyone can try their hand at “Recession Gardening”!  I myself am an urban gardener and have been growing herbs, berries, tomatoes, and flowers on my Brooklyn rooftop for the past six years.  So, when I heard that The National Gardening Association predicts a 19 percent increase in home gardening in 2009, I said– It’s about thyme!

Whether the increased interest in gardening is due to Michelle Obama’s White House vegetable garden, people trying to reduce their grocery bills, folks wanting a greener lifestyle, or for those who just want to beautify their life with this fantastic hobby, it doesn’t matter.  Whatever the reason, gardening is totally Fab & Fru!

The Recession Garden

Derived from the concept behind the popular World War II Victory Gardens, Recession Gardens can help you supplement your grocery bills while having fresh produce right at your fingertips! Not everyone is born with a green thumb, but with a little practice you too will be making rosemary chicken with fresh herbs plucked right from your window box! And although start up costs can be kept to a minimum, you must factor in tools, seeds, and all other expenses when planning your budget and potential return.

Renee Abel-Collinge, Master Gardener and Proprietor of the garden design company Botanica LLC, gave us tips to help us plant our very own gardens this Spring.  Here’s what she had to say!

Figure Out Your Grow Zone

Check online or with a local nursery to determine which climate/grow zone you live in.  This is important to learn before you get started so you know when it is safe to plant outside and what grows well in your area.  

Sunlight For Your Sage

You must pick an area with the proper light for what you plan to grow and make sure it is close to a water source.  The back of most seed packages and the label sticks in seedling pots will list how much sun each plant requires.

Container Gardens

Potted gardens are fabulous because they are both decorative and practical at the same time.  Remember, no container garden is too small.  Potted arrangements add instant excitement to any windowsill, balcony, or front stoop.

Things To Consider:

Size of Containers: If you’

re going to plant veggies in a container, make sure that the pots are large enough to promote proper rooting and growth (5 gallon pots at least).  However herbs can grow anywhere and are a great choice for small spaces.  Keep in mind — the bigger the pot; the bigger the plant can grow.

Watering: Container plants need to be watered more often than plants in the ground.  If you stick your finger into the dirt, it should always be moist 1’’-2’’

down.  It is crucial that there is enough drainage in your pots.  Buy containers with holes in the bottom and add rocks to the bottom of your pots to encourage drainage.

Flowers & Design

When planting a flower garden, the same climate zone and lighting rules apply.  Always check to see what has the best chance to thrive in your garden!