Professional gardener Jamie McMurray explains how to make a month-by-month gardening calendar.
March
- This is the time to clear debris from the garden and prepare the soil. Clearing away leaves and debris reduces the possibility of fungi or diseases.
- Break up the hard soil surface with a pitchfork or shovel. Enrich the soil by premixing compost, fresh soil and fertilizer and spreading it throughout your planting area.
April
- Now that the soil has softened some, it's time to address the lawn. Begin by raking the lawn gently and ridding it of sticks, dead plants and other debris.
- Obtain a seed that matches the exiting grass in the ground and thinly sprinkle it in the bare areas. Stamp the seed into the ground gently with the base of your shoe.
- Lightly sprinkle topper soil over the seed and keep the ground moist for 10 days. Install a sprinkler if necessary.
May
- Now is the time to address excess growth and pests. Clear away plant growth from the base of trees to at least a five-foot diameter.
- Some plants can be thinned out by dividing them. Use a shovel to divide the root system into two separate, distinct plants. Only use this method with sturdy root systems. Consult a local plant nursery for advice.
- While at the plant nursery, purchase ladybugs. Simply hose down the plants to knock pests to the ground, then release ladybugs at the ground level. Ladybugs prey on many garden pests without doing harm to the vegetation.
Guests Jamie McMurray
Landscaper/Owner
Simply Green Landscape Design and Installation
Phone: 310-403-1925
Fax: 310-388-1019
E-mail:
smplygrn@aol.com
Website:
www.simplygreeninc.org
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