In Your Garden: Spring Checklist

What’s up spring? Even though we had two snow events last week, the calendar says April and I want to garden! After what seems like the longest, coldest and snowiest winter in years, I’m sure you’re as anxious as I am for warmer weather. And, indeed, there are already some small clues that the season has actually begun. Forsythias and lilacs are bursting with nice fat buds, tulips are leafing out and crocuses are already in bloom.

And while it’s a little early to start planting and pruning in earnest (more on that next month), there are some tasks that you can start tending to in your garden and planters – when that warm weather finally arrives, you’ll be ready!

· Clean up – Remove all debris from your beds and cut down any perennials that were left up over the winter. Then break up and rake out the old mulch. Do the same for your planters and window boxes – it’s time to get rid of those holiday holly branches and dead leaves that have been there since December.

· Amend – Organic matter such as manure or compost, generously worked in to your beds, enriches the soil and provides an optimum growing environment.

· Mulch – Mulch offers numerous benefits to your garden – it helps retain moisture, suppresses weeds and adds organic matter to the garden. It also provides a neat and finished appearance to your beds and planters.

· Plant – Easter and Passover will be here in a few weeks, so you’ll want to spruce up your planters and window boxes. But our area can still experience a frost overnight, so be sure to plant annuals that can tolerate a sudden dip in temperature. The easiest way to know what plants are “safe” to plant now is to ask the nursery. If they are not taking the plants in at night then you can assume that they are sufficiently hardened off. My favorite annuals to use right now are pansies, Johnny jump-ups and alyssums. I add some to my garden beds as well, to provide a burst of color to keep me going till the weather catches up with the calendar. H Carlson Florist is my favorite source for annuals – in all seasons. The staff is beyond helpful and knowledgeable, and the quality of their plants is unsurpassed.

Happy planting!

Sheri Silver owns fiori garden design (www.fiorigarden.com). She also writes the blog Donuts, Dresses and Dirt (www.sherisilver.com ).