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 13
Best Gardening Tools
To
anyone starting a first garden,
buying all the tools can be pretty
intimidating. This list covers the
basics that you'll need to get
started.
Trowel
Spade
(for digging and transplanting)
Shovel
(for moving earth and mulch,
flipping compost, etc.)
Hoe
Pruning
shears
Sharp
knife
Narrow
digging tool
5-gallon
bucket
Cart or
wheelbarrow
Hose
Watering
can
Hat (for
sun protection)
Gloves
Spring Gardening Checklist:
Early
Spring
Check
for signs of growth. Did you
remember to plant snow crocus last
fall? If not, cut forsythia or
magnolia branches to bring inside
for forcing.
Prep the
beds. Remove winter mulch or, if
well composted, work into the top
layer of the soil. Work in some leaf
mold or well-rooted manure, too.
Prune.
Now is the time to trim fruit trees
if you didn't prune in winter. Prune
before buds begin to break into
bloom or you'll stress the tree and
get a tiny crop (or possibly none).
Perform
basic maintenance. Check stonework
for frost heaves. Check and clean
the deck now so you don't have to do
it later; make any repairs.
Start
seeds indoors. You've spent the
winter reading seed and plant
catalogs, so try some.
Plant
veggies. Hardy vegetables, such as
onions, potatoes, artichokes, and
some lettuces, should be planted
now.
Divide
perennials. Before plants have begun
spring growth is a good time to
divide many perennials. Share some
divisions with your friends this
year.
Mid-Spring
Build
new beds. Every gardener needs more
beds. This year, put in a flowering
shrub bed supplemented with
perennials and annuals.
Enjoy
the spring show. Resolve to plant
more spring-flowering bulbs next
fall.
Plant
hardy annuals. Sow seeds outdoors or
transplant seedlings.
Apply
mulch and more mulch. If you mulch
now, you'll have next to no weeding
come summer.
Late
Spring
Deadhead
bulbs. Remove spent blossoms from
spring-flowering bulbs; let foliage
die back without removing it.
Go
shopping. Pick out flats of your
favorite bedding plants; remember to
pick ones not yet in bloom for
stronger plants.
Prune
spring-flowering shrubs. Trim away
spent blooms, and thin too-thick
branches to rejuvenate older
plants.
How to
Care for Spring Bulbs
Care for
your spring bulbs with these
suggestions.
Even
when they're not blooming, bulbs
need a little TLC so that they'll
flavor better next time around.
Remove
spent flowers of large-flowered
bulbs, such as tulips and daffodils,
as soon as they fade. The plants'
energy is then channeled into
forming large bulbs and offsets
rather than into setting seeds.
Allow smaller bulbs to set seed, so
they self-sow and form ever-larger
drifts.
Whatever
else you do or don't do, resist the
temptation to remove bulb foliage
while it is green; the green leaves
nourish the bulb and next year's
flower buds, which form during
summer. Cut or pull off leaves only
after they yellow. Also, don't braid
leaves to get them out of the way.
Braiding reduces the amount of
sunlight the leaves get and hinders
growth. It is safe to mow the green
leaves of crocuses and snowdrops
naturalized in a lawn if you wait at
least six weeks after blooming.
Major
bulbs need fertilizer, but at the
proper times. Work a high-phosphorus
plant food, such as rock phosphate
or superphosphate, into the bottom
of the holes when you plant. Do not
apply bonemeal where digging animals
are a problem; its scent attracts
animals. Thereafter the bulbs need
nitrogen. Fertilize with a balanced
fertilizer in early spring when the
shoots emerge and again after
flowering to fuel foliage and bulb
growth for next year's flowers. Or,
apply bulb booster (a slow-release
formula) to plantings in fall.
Bulb
leaves may suddenly poke above
ground during warm winter spells,
causing gardeners to worry
unnecessarily that later snow or
freezing temperatures will kill the
bulbs or destroy the flowers.
Foliage and flower bulbs usually can
withstand freezing temperatures
without harm. The flowers suffer
injury only if the brittle stems are
broken or if the temperature changes
are too abrupt.
Smart
Pruning
When
to Prune
Trees
that have just leafed out in spring
could be weakened by pruning too
early. Pruning in late summer will
prevent weakening.
Pruning
for structure and form is best left
until the leaves fall and the
branches can be seen clearly.
Remove
dead wood in the summer when
leafless branches are easily
spotted.
Major
pruning should not be initiated
during "maple sugar time" (January
through early March in most areas).
Beetles
that infect oak trees are active
from late spring through midsummer.
If oak wilt is present in your
region, do not prune your oaks
during this period.
Pruning
for clearance should be done when
branches are sagging to their lowest
point.
Source:
http://www.bhg.com
Perennial Planting Tips
Perennials
are plants that live for more than two
years. Examples of these include hosta,
daylilies and peonies. Perennials
are much more low-maintenance than
annuals or biennials because once you
plant them they keep blooming year after
year. They also require less
watering and fertilizing because their
roots grow deeper and are more durable
than annuals. Many perennials will
spread on their own adding more color to
your garden every year.
Although perennials have less upkeep
there are still some helpful tips you
should take into consideration when
beginning your perennial gardening.
Pay
attention to the bloom period of each
perennial. Bloom periods can last
anywhere from one week to a month or
more. Even continuous bloomers
have a peak blooming period.
Try to pick
a planting spot that gets partial to
full sun. Some perennials are able
to grow in full shade, but you will have
a wider plant selection if you choose a
sunny area.
Check the
USDA zone rating to find the right
plants for your growing region.
This can be found at:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
 Follow the
planting instructions that come with
your perennials. Once planted,
make sure they get plenty of water in
the beginning growing stages.
A deep
watering once a week works better than a
daily sprinkle. Also, be sure not to
water your plants too much.
Drowning your plants will deprive them
of oxygen, causing the plant to wilt.
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