HURRAH!!! Spring is here once more, and nothing provides better proof of this than carpets of bulbs in a kaleidoscope of colour. With warmer weather comes rapid growth for all plant life, so take advantage of this honeymoon period by acting now to stay on top of the increasing workload.
Top Ten Tasks for Spring
1. Assess winter damage
2. Life and divide herbaceous perennials
3. Feed
4. Prune
5. Prepare the soil
6. Weeding, mulching, hoeing
7. Clean up
8. Trim ornamental grasses
9. Staking and tying in
10. Slug Bait
HOLD FIRE!!! Don’t prune your apples and pears now. You’ve missed the boat – just let them grow. What you can prune in spring is fruits that contain a stone – apricots, cherries and plums.
DID YOU KNOW?
Many gardeners cut down the long-lived leaves of Daffodils soon after flowering, or tie them up in a neat bunch with string. Don’t do this! Yes, left alone they do look a scruffy mess, but they need as long as 12 weeks to absorb sunlight to guarantee excellent flowering next year.
Lawn Problems - Not Pretty in Pink!
This winter your lawn will have suffered from lower than usual temperatures and long periods covered in a blanket of snow. What you may see now is unsightly patches.
Patches can appear pink or white in colour, and gardeners may not have seen these symptoms for a few years due to a string of mild winters.
The cause is a disease called Fusarium, commonly referred to as “snow mould” or “pink patch”.
The good news is that Fusarium, albeit unsightly, is not serious.
In warmer weather the soil will dry out, and the mould will disappear as the grass will grow back. The fungus can be stopped in its tracks with a fungicide treatment. Aeration, even by spiking with a garden fork, will allow the soil to breathe.
Article written by David Salisbury
