One of the best — and cheapest — ways to add more plants that have proven successful in your garden is to divide perennials, Joe Gardener says. Plants such as hostas and day lilies can be split soon after they emerge from the ground by cutting through their center of their root bulbs with a sharp shovel or spade. After digging up a portion, you can plant it in another area of your yard to improve upon your landscaping for free. Likewise, spring is also a good time to thin out any overgrown perennials — and if you no longer have room for the transplants, you can give them away to friends and neighbors.
Tag: planting
Plant Annuals Immediately After the Final Frost
If you’re looking to plant annuals in your flower garden this year, it’s time to get them into plots, pots and boxes. The threat of a frost ends mid-May in most areas of the United states, and you can safely plant most annuals immediately after. Wait a couple of weeks to put in tender plants such as impatiens, The Old Farmer’s Almanac says, and “harden” them in a sheltered spot or cold frame for a week or two if you started them from seed yourself. Mulch the beds to keep weeds at bay, and enjoy the array of colors as they bloom!
Plant Spring Vegetables Starting Now
Even before your region sees the final blast of winter, you can start planting a vegetable garden. Plant snow peas first; seeds can go in the ground four to six weeks before the final frost and be harvested in 60 days. Once the threat of a final freeze has passed, continue on to plant radishes, lettuce, and kale, SmartPots suggests; you can usually sow ungerminated seeds and harvest delicious fresh foodstuffs within a month. “Planting early spring vegetables brings both sanity to the winter-weary gardener and homegrown goodness to the kitchen,” the story says.
Start Sprouting a Spring Victory Garden
An uptick in vegetable gardening that occurred last year as COVID-19 lockdowns went into effect seems set to repeat this year. Now’s the time to start the seeds of a pandemic victory garden, since germinating plants hardy enough to transplant can take six to eight weeks. Gardeners will be rewarded with fresh food and a new sense of security, Rose Hayden-Smith, food historian and author of Sowing the Seeds of Victory, told HuffPost: “It’s helpful to be productive and connect with nature, and it’s something that’s within our control in a situation that feels entirely out of control.”
It’s Time to Plant Flowering Bulbs for Spring
October is the perfect time to plant the bulbs that will bring your garden color next spring and throughout the year, says the Dodge City Daily Globe. Most flowering bulbs perform well in conditions with full sun to part shade, and sandy loam or ameliorated garden soils with a pH of 6.0–7.0. Planting depths vary — large bulbs such as tulips should be planted about 6″ deep, while smaller bulbs need as little as 2″ of soil cover. Plant bulbs in clumps for best results in display; they are not “row” flowers like many annuals. Keep the soil moist, add a layer of mulch, and wait for the spring thaw and colorful blooms!