Assuming you’ve already done the prep work, many #gardening to-dos in late April and early May revolve around #planting. Look for healthy, developed roots in seedlings before you put them into pots or in the ground, HGTV says. If you plant annual flowers such as petunias and impatiens, fertilize them and give them water them two to three times a week. And mulch is often a must for gardens, because it moderates soil temperatures, slows water evaporation and suppresses weeds; add a two- to three-inch layer of shredded bark once all starter #plants get established. #SpringtimeGardening #DosAndDonts
Tag: spring fever
Check the Thrift for Gardening Supplies
If you plan to establish a #flower or #vegetable #garden this spring, first make sure your tools are in good working condition. Sharpen pruners, clean rakes and tillers, and inspect planters and garden infrastructure for damage. If you need any tools, seeds, planters, pots or decorative items, check the #thrift stores supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org first. They are a great source of lightly used #gardening equipment and supplies, and buying #secondhand can #save money over buying new at a big-box store or garden center. #SpringtimeGardening #DosAndDonts
The Don’ts of Springtime Gardening
There are many don’ts of #springtime #gardening, says Better Homes & Gardens — mistakes that gardeners can easily make that could damage plants or make them less productive. First, don’t work soggy soil; you might compact it and make it less viable. Schedule plantings to avoid late-season frosts, and harden seedlings by exposing them to varying temperatures for up to two weeks ahead of planting. Don’t use fresh manure, since its high nitrogen levels can burn plants, and don’t overcrowd plantings. Finally, don’t mulch too soon or too much, since it can lend to moisture buildup and rot. #SpringtimeGardening #DosAndDonts
Get Your Garden Ready for Planting
The first step in #spring #gardening is to clean any debris out of the beds. Remove fallen leaves, branches and other detritus to help ensure that they will be pest and blight-free. Next, you’ll want to test your garden soil to find out what nutrients or organic materials it lacks or has a surplus of. Based on the test results, you can amend the soil to provide optimal growing conditions for your #plants. “A good general practice is to topdress the soil with an inch or two of compost, humus and/or manure in early spring,” Proven Winners says, as well as an extended-release plant food product. #SpringtimeGardening #DosAndDonts
How to Shake off Your Winter Hibernation
The trees are budding and the first flowers of #spring are starting to pop up — depending on your location, sometimes through a lingering snow. But you may still struggle to get energized for the warm weather, having been in human “hibernation” through winter.
“Humans cannot actually hibernate, but in the coldest months of the year, many of us are drawn to something similar,” writes Katherine May in Wintering: How I Learned to Flourish When Life Became Frozen. “We want to batten down the hatches, preserve our energies, lay on fat.”
Now, it’s time to shake off that hibernation and meet the sunniest months of the year head-on. You can shed that winter weight, tackle long-overdue warm-weather projects and reinvent your outlook for the rest of the year. Here are a few ways:
Move your body. You don’t have to start training for a triathlon, but any activity that gets your blood circulating will help you snap of the winter doldrums. Get off the couch and commit to move every day, even if it’s just a short walk.
“Moderate exercise will release endorphins that encourage you to move a little more next time,” says Optimi. “If you can be outside when the sun’s shining, all the better. Sunlight provides a variety of health benefits you don’t want to miss, including creating your own supply of immune-building vitamin D.”
#Declutter and #organize. Not only can #decluttering get you moving, it can also lighten the psychological load of a crowded, chaotic space. Simply having less #stuff to gather dust will make it easier to find the things you do like and streamline your home life.
Contact ClothingDonations.org for a #free #donation #pickup, and that extra #junk will be out of your life for good. Your mood will brighten knowing that #donating lightly used goods helps fund programs benefiting the nation’s #veterans.
Deep-clean. They don’t call it spring #cleaning for nothing. Shake out the rugs, wash the windows and scrub the baseboards. A #clean, fresh-smelling and bright home is a more pleasant place to be; it will put the spring in your step and may even inspire you to let some fresh air in.
Whatever gets you moving, socializing and planning again after a long winter is fair game. Just know that you no longer have to bundle up, huddle on the couch and binge Netflix. Spring has sprung, so go out and take advantage of it!