Here we go!
The nurseries will soon bustle with excited gardeners seeking the real presence of spring. They will arrive with huge smiles – sometimes ice cream cones – and grab a cart to gather spring cheer, which will be toted home to share with the rest of the family and sometimes the neighbors. Business as usual this year for the nurseries with one exception, you probably would not notice them missing from this bright and cheery scene if you were not looking for them.
Impatiens wallerina, (the impatiens you find in flats) are infected with Downey Mildew and will not do well in the Northeast Ohio gardens for quite some time, we are talking years. You will find this lovely Impatien missing from the nursery scene. This does NOT affect New Guinea and Sunpatiens. Which I am sure the gardeners will gobble up in lieu of the former. If you do find impatiens wallerina for sale I would not purchase them if I were you.
It is hard to believe this is spring and I would not get the mulch down just yet as you want to give the soil temperatures a chance to rise naturally. I know the minute the sun seems to shine true and the temperatures rise enough for us to venture out with our t-shirts on we think it is time to mulch, it is really better for your plantings to let the soil temperatures raise first. In the long run – that is truly up to you. Remove any debris from the beds and weed them – if you have not already and wait a couple of weeks to mulch. Apply Preen, a weed pre-emergent, now to keep weeds at bay. It is actually better to apply preen before you mulch and precipitation activates preen which then coats the soil.
Quite a few people lately have not had a blossom on their lilacs, forsythia or Hydrangea in years. First question, what time of the year are they being trimmed? The answer is always early spring or late summer. That is the answer my friends. Lilac, Forsythia and Hydrangea all need to be trimmed within a few weeks of them finishing up their bloom – you can include Rhododendron and Azalea to that list as well.. If you trim them too early you cut off the blossom – If you trim them too late you cut off the blossom – they set their bud for the next years bloom shortly after they finish this years burst. When in doubt always trim your flowering shrubs shortly after they finish blooming. This will help you save your blossoms.
Ah, last week we thought another cold burst could hit, and it just might. Though your crabgrass preventer will still keep working if you have applied it this week and if you have not applied it yet – it seems more than safe to do so. Pick up some Greenview Crabgrass Preventer plus fertilizer or grab some Greenview Crabgrass Preventer and Seed Starter if you plan to overseed.
At last your tulips are starting to peak their tiny little heads out of the earth to see if the coast is clear & once they arrive their is no going back. We are not the only ones eagerly awaiting the tulips…. there are hungry eyes everywhere and deer lips just waiting to get their taste buds on your scrumptious tulips. When you’re at the nursery grabbing the Crabgrass Preventer and your Greenview plan you can grab a bottle of Liquid Deer Fence and give your tulips a shout out. Unless you grow them for the deer – in that case – Enjoy!!
If you have a gardening or landscape question feel free to write in or give us a call. Your questions will be answered in the blog or by one of us personally. Your time is precious, why wonder, when you could get the answer A.S.A.P.
Until next week, this is your Landscape Concierge asking you –
Have you enjoyed your garden lately?
