Features

The Relaxed Gardener

Posted on: May 24, 2007

Happy summer -Barbara Orr

I enjoy gardening and I love being outdoors on a pleasant day doing anything. As with all things, there’s a hard way and an easy way. Personally I find life hard enough, so I always opt for the easy way. I’ve been gardening for 10 years and I wanted to share these easy tips with you hoping it will give you more flowers, prettier grass and more time to enjoy it.

Lawns; Lawns need lawn food 4 times a year, the difference between that thin patchy weed infested grass and the lush barefoot green carpet is 4 feedings of any type of weed and feed. The fall feeding is the m most important. I always buy whatever is on sale, they all work about the same. You can use a broadcast spreader of any type, but broadcasting by hand works just as well, just use a consistent pattern and wash well when you are done. Using gloves is also a good idea when you are handling any type of lawn products.

Stubborn weeds: The best time to get them is early spring, use pre-emergent products such as “Preen” in areas you’ve dug up to prevent the weed seeds from sprouting that have been buried for 500 years. This will prevent 90% of weeds and give new gardens or grass a chance. For stubborn weed areas, cracks in sidewalks and weeds that don’t surrender to weed and feed, use round up or similar products, early in the spring and as needed. Don’t ever let weeds get big, it’s best to get them early. If you have a weed in your lawn such as wild violet or morning glory that won’t succumb to regular weed and
feed, use the round up carefully and touch the leaves of these vining plants, it will kill the grass where the roots are entwined, but it will take care of the problem.

For Garden areas, use mulch, it saves on water and prevents the need to weed. A good three inch layer of any mulch will keep your plants happy. The more natural the mulch, the better. An easy way to get good mulch is to rake all leaves in the fall and keep all of the summer grass clippings. Mix and place on your flower beds and garden area a foot thick. By spring it will be three inches the winter will do the work for you and it will protect your plants all winter. It’s also the best base for a vegetable garden, it gives protection to the tender vegetables, especially tomatoes. Just pile it on, year after year; it also saves you from having to dispose of the leaves. Leave the plants uncovered and surround them with the mulch.

Flowers: I’ve always enjoyed flowers – lots of them, any type. The first rule is to buy good plants and seeds that have been well cared for. No amount of care will make up for a mistreated, stunted or misbred plant. If you have a plant in your garden which doesn’t do well, try another spot, if it still doesn’t do well, be ruthless, rip it out. It may be diseased, and prevention is always best. Buy perennials and divide them every three years for more plants, and fill in with annuals for the easiest flower garden. In this area Pansies can be planted in early April, and Petunias and Assilyum (those small white and purple flowers) and geraniums all do well. I put Pansies in Pots early, and then I move them into the shade when the weather gets hot, they prefer cooler temperatures.

Watering: The main thing is to be consistent. Deep watering once a week, sometimes twice a week in very hot weather is all that is needed. Digging trenches along vegetable
And flower gardens so you can toss the hose in the trench to water is a very effective
Way to deep water in our climate. Lawns must be sprinkled, but if you don’t have a
Sprinkler system , buy a sprinkler with the same size and shape pattern as your lawn, that way you won’t have to move it and you can be consistent.

Trees: Trees are a great benefit in our area for shade and fresh air; they don’t need a lot of
Care, but regular pruning of rubbing or touching branches and for shape is a good idea. Trees benefit from yearly feeding and from watering during the dry season. Always water
Your trees in October in Indian summer, just before it gets really cold. The deep watering
In fall will prevent trees from being killed by winter. This is especially important for Birch trees and fruit trees in our climate.

Once your gardens are planted and mulched, except for once a week mowing and watering, picking fruit and flowers, you can pretty much relax in the hammock or on the deck and watch your garden grow.

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