MARCH 19, 1999
"Nothing is so beautiful as spring..."
- Gerard Manley Hopkins
"The world's favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible..."
- Edwin Way Teale
I&Mac226;ve been waiting for winter to make one final appearance. I fully expected this last week&Mac226;s storm to bring heavy rain, wind and cold temperatures. Fortunately, it wasn't particularly ferocious, and with each passing day, the odds of additional, Oregon-like weather are decreasing rapidly... Spring Marches in..
The prospect of sunny and idyllic days continues... Saturday or Sunday (depending on your calendar) marks the first day of spring. We should do a little stretching (see last week&Mac226;s column) and take a look at what's happened to your garden during the winter. Even if you have neglected it since last year&Mac226;s holidays, it's still possible to get your garden in shape for upcoming Easter festivities with the relatives.
Catharine, who has reluctantly dedicated some weekends to commerce, still found time to plant a few of her favorite spring bulbs and is preparing containers for Early Girl tomatoes. Her friend, Kim, has already planted spring color and readied the sprinkler system for the anticipated dry period to come.
Most of us balance our time between family, work, gardening and the NCAA&Mac226;s. We appreciate the beauty and complexity of gardens and gardening... but we wish to be in our gardens to relax. We do, however, want our gardens to look nice, particularly with outdoors weather arriving. Our biggest dilemma is whether the garden has gradually changed from a refuge of quiet repose to a demanding work site.
The first step toward garden improvement requires observation. Begin by examining your garden from a distance and note its general condition. Do the trees and shrubs need to be pruned off the house? Are the shrubs healthy looking? Why is there a large hole in the grass? If you have a specific question about a "sick" plant, contact your favorite nurseryperson.
Begin your spring cleanup with the trees and your tallest shrubs. They are the largest component of your landscape and may pose the most problems. An unpruned or improperly pruned tree is a likely candidate to be damaged during winds, with the potential for property damage increasing with tree size.
Pruning out deadwood, weak or diseased branches, and keeping the height of your trees under control will allow you to maintain a healthy tree. A residual benefit is the preservation of views for not only yourself, but for your neighbors. If your trees are too tall to safely reach with your pruning equipment, contact a qualified tree service.
How do your planting beds look? Do they reflect your good design sense? Or have they become the killing fields for helpless flowers? Poor performance by plantings directly under trees, can often be attributed to lack of sunlight, poor air circulation, smothering and/or poisoning from leaf drop and berries or competition from tree roots. Open up your trees and let the sunshine in!
Foundation shrubs, flowering plants and vines also need attention during these warming months. If a plant is doing poorly in a particular location, try moving it. Place it in a spot more favorable to its cultural requirements. For example, don't plant a shade fern in the hottest spot in your garden or a sun loving plant in deep shade. Prune carefully to remove damaged or weak stems and branches, dead flower or seed parts, and branches that have overgrown the original intended space. Don't be afraid to prune or pinch, the plant will grow back!
You may be surprised by the number of garden pests you'll discover during your initial inspection. Aphids, snails and slugs and giant white fly are just a few of the pests that can be identified by either visual sighting or by the damage they cause. Holes in leaves, deformed flowers, sticky residue on plants, insect doo doo or slime trails are strong signs that something bad is happening in your garden. Many pests and diseases can be managed by sensible and safe alternatives from strong pesticides and are available from your local nursery.
Now that you're finished with the clean-up process, it&Mac226;s time to make your garden "plant friendly." Fertilize and mulch everything, including new planting beds. Spring is the most important season to provide nutrition for all plants. Be sure to check the sprinkler system for leaks and coverage before you need to use it again during periods of warm weather or vacation away from home.
Resist the temptation to horticulturally keep up with a garden fanatic, unless you have the time and inclination. It is o.k. to glance enviously at their perfect irises, freesias and croci this month... you meant to plant bulbs this past winter, but you were busy at your son&Mac226;s basketball games. Buy a dozen tulips from the Greenhouse and pretend they are from your garden. Trust me, you'll feel better. See you next time.
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