Gardening Tips

Sustainable Gardening

A sustainable garden works in harmony with nature. The main techniques that can improve the health of your garden and minimize any negative impact on the environment include:

Organic Gardening
Growing food without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides and inorganic fertilizers that pollute our soil and water. It relies on the use of beneficial insects, diversity of plants, and the use of compost to feed the soil instead of plants.

Native Plants and Trees
By matching plant species to your particular area you will have plants and trees that take less care and energy and will be healthier than exotic species. Another benefit is that native birds, insects, and other wildlife have evolved with native plant species and are able to use the fruits, nectars and habitat that these plants and trees provide. In addition; native plants are more adaptable to the soil of the same area.

Double Digging and Compost
Double digging helps the soil hold more water, improves aeration and places organic material at a depth that enables plant roots to adequately extend. Double digging and adding compost will build humus and soil fertility. Composting is a method of returning organic waste back into a nutrient rich soil amendment. Ultimately, compost improves plant health by supplying nutrients to the soil. All you need to start is a shallow composter located in a sunny spot to speed up the process.

Drip Irrigation
By delivering water directly to the plant’s root, little is lost to evaporation or runoff so this technique is very water efficient. Soil moisture remains constant, and air is always available.

Mulch
Mulch protects the soil by helping it retain moisture, suppresses weeds and insulates plants from extreme temperatures. It is highly recommended to use compost as mulch. Turning compost to the soil next season will supply it with nutrients.

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Dividing Perennial Plants

Many perennial plants grow in a clump. After several seasons of growing, these perennial plants will begin to die out in the center and look more like a ring than a clump. To keep the plants vigorous and blooming, a technique known as 'Division' is performed. Dividing perennial plants gives you healthier, longer lived plants and the bonus of more plants.

Keep an eye out for clumps that have grown 2-3 times their size within 2-5 years. Any over grown clump or any clump that has simply exceeded the space allotted is a candidate for division.
Spring is usually the best time for division, since the plants are actively growing and their leaves are not so developed that the root system can't take a little disturbance and still feed the top of the plant. However, some plants like peonies, prefer to be divided in the early fall.
In most cases, it is easiest to divide a perennial plant by digging and lifting the entire plant. Use a shovel or flat edged spade and slice completely around the outer perimeter of the plant, a few inches away from the foliage. The idea is to dig as much of the root ball as possible. If you have an extremely large plant, you may have to divide it several times before you have new plants of an appropriate size.
Some plants, like geraniums and Jacob's ladder, are simply quick spreaders and their root systems are quite easy to dig a separate. In this case you do not need to lift the entire plant.
Tip for dividing your perennials:

• Treat them like new seedlings
• Avoid dividing during the hottest part of the day
• Roots will quickly dry if exposed to hot sun or breeze for long time
• Keep them well watered until new growth appears
• Provide some shade if they appear to be wilting during the afternoon

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Lawn Mowing

For Ontario, the cool season grasses like Kentucky Blue Grass, Fescue, and Rye should be mowed as high as possible. The best is around 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.6 cm) and no higher. If you cut any taller than that, the grass can flop over, and if you cut it too short, the grass is more susceptible to weeds, it dries out faster, and overall does poorly.

Mowing at this height:

• Encourages a dense, thriving turf that naturally blocks weeds
• Increases leaf area to sustain photosynthesis rates necessary to maintain good plant vigor
• Develops deeper, stronger root systems

The lawn should be mowed frequently enough so that no more than 1/3 of the leaf blade length is removed during any one mowing. Proper mowing frequency is a key to successful implementation of the "Don't Bag It" clipping return program.

Turfgrass should be mowed when it is dry. Wet grass is more difficult to cut and has a tendency to clog under rotary mowers.   Contrary to popular belief, turfgrass clippings do not contribute to thatch accumulation if proper mowing practices are followed. Turfgrass clippings contain measurable amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that reduce fertilizers required to maintain healthy lawn.

Tip:
Having the mower serviced prior to the heavy spring mowing period will help ensure routine, maintenance-free mowing. Mower blades should be sharpened each spring and as needed during the season. A dull mower blade frays the ends of blades and results in brown tips which are unsightly and indicate damaged turfgrass.

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Spring Gardening Tips

Start spring cleanup of the lawn when the grass is no longer sopping wet and planting beds stop being a sea of mud. Cut back the previous season's dead plant material. Clean up old perennial foliage from last season (trimmings can go into the compost). Cut back ornamental grasses. Remove winter protection of mounded earth from roses.

Remove tree guards or burlap winter protection from any young trees or shrubs. Try not to leave tree guards in place over the summer. They keep rabbits and mice from nibbling on tender bark over the winter, but trees don't need them in summer. They don't allow enough air movement around the base of the trunk and that can promote rot of the bark.

Transplant any existing shrubs you want to move before they begin to leaf out. Replant any perennials that the frost has heaved out of the ground as soon as you can. Plant new trees and shrubs.

Apply dormant oil spray to fruit trees, magnolias, crabapples and shrubs such as euonymus to control scale insects and other overwintering pests. Use this organic pest control method when the buds are swelling but the leaves haven't opened yet. Apply when temperatures are above 40 degrees F (4 degrees C).

Maintain edges. Grass growth is vigorous in the early spring garden, so edge your flower beds with a sharp trench between them and the grass to keep it in bounds. Repeat this job a couple of times through the season or installing permanent edging goes a long way towards having a lower maintenance flower garden.

Prune woody plants, including evergreens or deciduous hedges. Spring-flowering should be pruned right after their blossoms fade. Prune rose bushes before they start to leaf out. To encourage thick, compact growth on pines and other needled evergreens, pinch the new candles (the new growth on evergreens). Remove half of the new growth.

Start lawn care in spring by keeping up with the mowing. Set your mower to a height of about three inches, and try not to remove more than one-third of the blades at one cutting. Sharp blades cut better and leave your lawn grass healthier. Aerate your lawn, top dress it, re-seed and fertilize.

Water newly planted trees and shrubs, ground cover plants and perennials if there isn't enough rain. Most plants need an inch of moisture per week.

Mulch your flowerbeds and under shrubs to retain moisture and keep weeds down.

Keep on top of the weeds. Getting on top of the weeding now means a lot less work later before they set seeds. Weeds start growing vigorously early, so when you spot them, go to it because they are easier to pull out while their roots are still shallow in early spring.

Maintain your perennial garden by continuing to plant and transplant perennials. Divide perennials and ornamental grasses that need it.

Note any mid-spring garden gaps that could be filled with spring bulbs for next year and buy new plants to fill any holes now. Plant frost-tender annuals and dahlias and summer-flowering bulbs such as gladioli after the last frost date.

Label any new plants so you'll remember what they are or draw a map of your garden.

Stake perennials such as delphiniums and peonies before they've grown too tall (bamboo sticks and string do a better job than most commercial supports).

Apply fertilizer if needed. Consider organic fertilizers. When it's dry enough, you can start to dig beds and add compost or manure in preparation for planting.

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