Although it feels like spring just arrived, summer is close on its heels.
Although it feels like spring just arrived, summer is close on its heels. Gardens are green and flowers are blooming. This time of year is full of promise for our gardens, and many may feel that this will be the summer that our gardens maintain this lush beauty. It definitely can be, but all things green will need your help.
>1. Probably the most important thing that you can do for the health and beauty of your garden at this point in the season is cultivation. Turn over soil in beds where possible, add compost, and weed. Then add mulch to slow weed growth.
>2. Water! Especially during long periods without rain – like the one that we’ve been having – it is essential to water plants deeply. Trees are the most important, because they can endure a lot of stress before showing signs of insufficient water. Once a week put a hose at the base of each tree and let the water run at a trickle for at least an hour. For shrubs, you can attach a drip hose and do the same. In general, water in the morning to avoid problems like powdery mildew and Black Spot. Be sure to top up mulch whenever necessary in order to retain moisture.
>3. Prune and shape your spring-blooming shrubs as soon as they are finished. It’s important to do this right away because many shrubs, including lilacs and rhododendrons, set their next seasons blooms immediately.
>4. Give your evergreens some TLC. This was a tough winter for hollies and many other evergreens. If you haven’t already, feed them with some organic Holly Tone, and prune dead branches.
>5. This is a great time to limb up those young deciduous trees. Pick a few of the lowest limbs (no more than 2 inches in diameter) and cut them off at a downward sloping angle just above the collar. Take the time to make sure that the tree looks balanced.
Happy gardening! And don’t forget to remind your landscaping company to cease using leaf blowers. Rye has a leaf-blower ban that went into effect on May 1. The ban is not only in place in order to reduce noise pollution but also to make the air safer to breathe. People (especially children) spend more of their time outside this time of year, and leaf blowers kick up small particles and plenty of pollen, neither of which is good for our lungs.
— Rye Garden Club Conservation Committee
