The Gardener's To-Do List for April

 

Along with the coming of April come more garden tasks. Here are some suggestions organized by region.

If you didn’t get around to it last month, take a soil sample and send it to your nearest County Extension Service office for testing. It amendments are required, add them.
 

Northeast

Sow cool-season vegetables and flowers.
Divide perennials if they’ve grown too thickly..
Remove some of the mulch that you laid on thickly in fall so new perennial growth can emerge easily, but check your weather forecasts to see if severe cold is coming before doing this.
Begin to harden off cool-season veggies and flowers that you started earlier.
Complete maintenance of your garden tools.


Mid-Atlantic

Prune your roses and shrubs that produce on new wood before it’s too late.
Finish planting trees, shrubs, perennials and fruits if danger before hot weather sets in.
Add compost to your garden.
Plant your flower beds with summer annuals.


Mid- and Lower South

Direct-sow vegetable seeds in your gardens and raised beds.
Plant those vegetable and herb sets.
Add compost to your garden.
Fertilize roses.
Prune azaleas and camellias when they’ve finished blooming.
Spray for citrus scale in southern-most areas.

Midwest

Plant and divide perennials.
Fertilize roses.
Turn your compost pile.
Remove some of the mulch applied last fall so new growth can emerge.
Plant trees, shrubs and vines.

Pacific Northwest

Divide perennials.
Plant summer-blooming bulbs, perennials and perennial vegetables.
Add compost to your garden beds.
Fertilize your roses.
Plant bare-root and container grown shrubs and trees.
Continue pest control in your orchard.


West Coast

Fertilize trees, shrubs and roses.
Plant summer-blooming bulbs, perennial and root vegetables.
Add compost to your garden.
Prune roses and shrubs that bloom on fresh wood.
Remove excess mulch.
Refresh mulch, if necessary.


Southwest

Plant summer-flowering bulbs.
Plant outdoors vegetables and warm season annuals.
Add compost to your garden beds.

Hawaii

Spray for citrus scale.
Fertilize shrubs and trees.
Continue weed control.

Consider the benefits of raised-bed gardening.

What with the current economic situation in the U.S., inflation and supply chain disruptions, we’re thinking more about supplementing our foods with home-grown fruits, vegetables and herbs. Self-sufficiency is not possible for most folks, but container- and raised-bed gardening is well within the reach of the vast majority. Even those with plenty of growing space can benefit from these techniques.

So, what are the benefits of container- and raised-bed gardening? I’m glad you asked.

There are fewer weeds to control. Because raised-bed gardeners usually buy soil and humus or produce their own compost, fewer weeds are imported than if native soil is used. This reduces a whole lot of labor.

Watering and soil management are better controlled. Because plants are grown closer together and every inch of space is used to its best advantage, less water is wasted watering those spaces between the rows one finds in traditional gardens. If you’re not on a private well, this represents a big savings in water bills.

Soil compaction is eliminated since you won’t be walking through your raised beds.

Raised-beds allow for intensive gardening with closer plant spacing, therefore producing higher yields in less space.

The soil in containers and raised-beds warms earlier in the season and stays warm longer resulting in longer growing seasons.

Soil pH is easier to control.

Soil erosion is reduced by the confinement of the containers. Rainfall and irrigation waters stay put.

You can “customize” your garden soil to suit the needs of your crops because the influence of native soil is reduced dramatically or eliminated entirely.

No tilling is required!

You can set up your garden almost anywhere. A few square feet on a balcony or patio can accommodate several containers. Close quarters around buildings in urban settings can be transformed into verdant gardens.

Raised beds are very accessible, so are ideal for senior citizens and disabled persons.

So, if you desire to plant a garden but feel that you don’t have the space or ability to do it, raised-bed gardening might be just right for you.

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Soil Tests – The Why and How

 

No doubt you've learned somewhere that soil tests provide essential guidelines for gardening. Perhaps the "why" and "how" have eluded you. This article might help.

You’ve probably noticed that different types of plants grow in different places. That’s because they are either native or adapted to distinct habitats. Drive through the countryside and you’ll see what I mean. On one side of a hill you might find a hardwood forest. The other side might be predominantly native pine. In another place there will be a grassy meadow. Farther along you might see a bog with sedges and alders. Each area has its own soil type, nutrient levels, drainage and chemistry. The lesson here is that plants thrive in locations and conditions that meet their needs.

Garden spaces are sometimes not so easy to judge. Further inspection and discovery will probably be necessary. Follow a similar exercise to your drive in the country when garden planning. Walk around your landscape taking note of drainage, sun exposure, slope and the plants that are thriving. Even moss and weeds can tell a story, but we'll delve into that some other time.

There are a couple of ways to determine your soil type, chemistry and condition. The first is to take a soil sample for testing. The second is to utilize the USDA Web Soil Survey tool. Taking a soil sample is easy enough. Using the USDA Web Soil Survey tool? Not so much.

A basic soil test will tell you three things: the soil pH (acidity or alkalinity), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Nitrogen (N) is not so easy to determine, so test results probably won’t show it. Advanced soil tests can reveal organic content and some minor element content. Keep in mind that a single soil test only provides a “snapshot” in time. Some of the element levels can change over the seasons.

Obtain a soil sample bag or bags from your local Cooperative Extension Service office. Fill in the blanks with your name, address and contact information. Check off the tests you want performed. Collect soil samples from various comparable places around your garden or landscape to provide a soil “profile.” Before taking samples, remove leaves and other debris from the immediate site. Scrape down to the actual soil. Mix the samples thoroughly in a clean plastic bucket. Transfer the mix to the soil sample bag, and return it to the office. A report should be mailed to you.

Using the USDA Web Soil Survey tool is another matter. You might find it here:

https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/

I can’t walk you through the steps. It wasn’t intuitive for me. You’ll just have to play around with the website until you figure it out for yourself. Nearly every square foot of the United States is included in the survey. No doubt you’ll find your square feet.

Here’s an example. Zeroing in to a delineated area on my property shows that it consists of two soil types: Pelham loamy sand (5.4% of the area) and Tifton loamy sand (94.6% of the area). What does that mean? According to the USDA, “The Pelham series consists of very deep, poorly drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in unconsolidated Coastal Plain sediments. These soils are on nearly level broad flats, toe slopes, depressions and drainageways.” “The Tifton series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in loamy marine sediments. Tifton soils are on interfluves. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent.” Understanding these characteristics helps me figure out what to plant and where, especially if drainage is important.

With such facts in mind, the gardener can choose suitable crops and where to plant them. Obviously, this isn’t so vital if one is planting in containers or raised beds. However, when the homeowner is planning landscape plantings of trees, shrubs, perennials and vines, they are essential considerations.

You might have some particular plants in mind. If so, read the plant descriptions and learn about their soil requirements. Choose those that seem most compatible with your conditions.

If soil test reports indicate that amendments are necessary, make them weeks or months ahead of planting time to allow them to be incorporated into the soil and take effect.

It’s far easier to select plants appropriate to your situation than it is to dramatically change or amend your native soil to accommodate unsuitable plants of your choosing. Be realistic. Make it easy on yourself. Work with nature, not against it.

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How To Plant Perennials From 2-1/2” or 3-1/2” Pots

 

It's not uncommon for folks to visit their garden shops at the first breath of spring, buy a few plants, then wander about the yard looking for some place to put them. That's not the way to go about it.

Before you purchase your plants choose them with your site conditions in mind. Site conditions include your USDA climate zone, sun exposure, soil moisture, soil texture, soil chemistry (soil pH) and those constraints that limit the types of plants you can grow.

Ideally, you should’ve begun preparing the planting bed before your plants arrived. If you haven’t begun preparations yet, set your plants aside out of the sun, wind, extreme heat or cold. Get started.

Have a soil sample tested. Drop by your nearest Cooperative Extension Office for some soil sample bags. Follow instructions on the bag. Your report should arrive in a few days. Follow instructions in the report. Plant your perennials with other plants having similar cultural requirements.

Prepare the planting bed by cultivating at least 8" deep, removing all traces of weeds. Compacted soil should be cultivated to 12" deep.  Amend the soil according to the Cooperative Extension Service report.

As a general rule, though, compost may be incorporated into the soil.  Incorporate 5-10-15 fertilizer at a rate of no more 2 lbs. per 100 square feet into the top 4" to.  6" of soil. Avoid synthetic fertilizers contacting any part of your plants.

Space plants in 3-1/2” pots about 12" to 18" apart. Space plants in 2-1/2” pots about 8” to 12” apart. Plant spacing is not an exact science. Sure, you must consider the mature sizes and growth rates of your plants, but spacing is as much a matter of your budget and patience.

Dig planting holes into the cultivated soil a little less deep than the depth of the growing container. Place the plants into the holes and back-fill, watering as you go. Press soil around the root balls. Do not cover entirely the root balls with soil. The tops should be slightly exposed. Add a top-dressing of mulch around the plants, not on top of them, about 1" deep.

Fertilize sparingly and allow soil to dry slightly between watering.  Few plants like to be waterlogged, though there are exceptions – particularly those that thrive in bogs and along water features.

Having done that, periodically remove weeds from the planting bed. Fertilize your plants as required.

What’s next? Enjoy the results of your labor!

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The Gardener’s To-Do List for March

Can you believe it? The month of March is here already. With it comes a lot to do in the garden. Here are some suggestions organized by region.

No matter where you live, take a soil sample and send it to your nearest County Extension Service office for testing. If amendments are required, now’s the time to add them.

Northeast

The weather is still unpredictable, so you’ll have to take your weather forecasts into account. But, generally speaking, you should proceed with the following:

Shrubs that bloom on new wood should be pruned.
Clean debris from your flower beds.
Spray your fruit trees with dormant oil.
Cut ornamental grasses nearly to the ground to make room for new growth.
Protective winter structures can be removed from evergreen shrubs.
Check your garden mulch. If you applied a heavy layer in fall to protect perennials and bulbs, it might be time to remove some of it to allow for new growth. Check your weather forecasts to see if severe cold is coming before doing this.

Mid-Atlantic

It might feel like spring, but it might not be totally sprung. Keep an eye on the weatherman.
Prune your roses and shrubs that produce on new wood.
Commence planting trees, shrubs, perennials and fruits if danger of frost is past and the soil is workable.
Add compost to your garden.
Plant perennial vegetables such as asparagus and rhubarb.
Freshen your flower beds with pansies and snapdragons.

Mid-South

If you haven’t gotten around to it yet, get with it. You’re late doing those tasks that gardeners in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions are just beginning. See above.

Lower South

It’s time to break out the antihistamine. Pollen clouds are wafting across the landscape.
Prune your roses and shrubs that flower on new wood. Better now than never.
Plant those trees and shrubs, perennials and summer-blooming bulbs.
Direct-sow vegetable seeds in your gardens and raised beds.
Plant those vegetable and herb sets.
Add compost to your garden.
Start pest and weed control measures.
Clean off your power tools and test to see if they work. Better get them to the repair shop now before the lines form and the waits grow longer.

Midwest

The weather is unpredictable. Cold weather is very  possible.
Follow the suggestions for the Northeast.

Pacific Northwest

Your busy season has begun.
Plant summer-blooming bulbs, perennials and perennial vegetables.
Add compost to your garden beds.
Prune and fertilize your roses.
Plant shrubs and trees.
Begin a pest control regimen in your orchard.

Alaska

“When it’s springtime in Alaska, it’s 40 below.” - Johnny Horton. Nuff said.

West Coast

In the northern reaches, fertilize trees, shrubs and roses.
Plant summer-blooming bulbs, perennial and root vegetables.
Add compost to your garden.
Prune roses and shrubs that bloom on fresh wood.

In the southern zones, follow the suggestions for the northern areas, AND...
Start best pest control practices.
Divide perennials and replant them.

Southwest

Plant summer-flowering bulbs.
Plant outdoors root vegetables and those leafy plants that tolerate some cool temperatures
Cold-sensitive vegetables can be started indoors.
Add compost to your garden beds.
Remove old mulch.

Hawaii

Just keep doing what you’ve been doing all year long.
Fertilize shrubs and trees.
Control weeds.

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