Now that I'm down to only a torso left on my solid chocolate Easter bunny, it's time to get cracking.
Hey…gardening is good exercise!! Really!! Just check out the list below. Remember, warm up stretch and then:
Weed
Mow
Aerate the lawn.
Topdress lawn with sand or soil.
Overseed any bare patches.
Mulch garden beds with compost, mushroom or well rotted manure, if you have acid lovers like Rhodo's, Azalea's, ferns or blueberries, then stay away from manure and stick to compost mixed with peat or pine needles.
Mulch around base of trees especially fruit trees. Fruit trees love seaweed and well rotted manures.
Divide up perennials to avoid overcrowding.
Plant out tubers (Dahlias, Begonias) toward the end of the month.
Fertilize perennial beds, shrubs and trees.
Fertilize with Art's Triple 17+Iron Lawn and Hedge fertilizer and mulch hedges.
Fertilize spring flowering bulbs. Deadhead as needed. Don't mess with the leaves…they are storing energy for next years bloom.
Plant new lily bulbs and corms.
Direct sow hardy annual seeds.
Sow salad greens, cauliflowers, peas, beets and kale.
Plant onion sets and potatoes.
Mulch Rhubarb and remove flower heads when you see them.
Planting time for trees, shrubs, perennials and herbs too! Remember - the right plant in the right place will make your life a bit easier and your garden beautiful. Art's has garden coaches and designers on staff to help.
Trim heather once blooms are spent to maintain compact shape.
Watch for emergence of native bees especially the Mason Bee which helps apple pollination. Avoid chemical sprays where possible
If you have kids, or are interested in a bit of a Canadian science project, check out www.pollinationcanada.ca it's a fantastic and informative website.
Still time to move most plants that need moving. Avoid moving something in full bloom though!!
Plan your pots and baskets if you are making them yourself. Purchase desired plants early, but avoid placing them out as we are still getting hard frosts at night. Keep any newly purchased annuals under an overhang or use Remay cloth to protect.
Place support frames around plants that will need them ie, Peony frames. Do it now to avoid snapping off branches trying to stuff them in once they get bigger.
Finally, get out there and smell the flowers!
Once the list is done, you can get back to the comfy chair and the rest of the chocolate bunny, see, wasn't that easy?