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Preparing Your Yard For Spring |
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Written by Stacy Neir
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Spring is traditionally the time when we all think about our
yards coming out in bloom again. It is also the best time to
transplant any plants that you want moved. Many gardens are
still under snow and frost for January and February, but if you
have moved into a new home, you can still make plans and take
soil tests, etc.
Kits are available for taking your own soil test, or you can
locate a company for the service in the yellow pages, or on the
Internet. A soil test will probably save you much more than the
money that you spend on getting it done.
This is because you will not be buying unsuitable shrubs or
flowers for your soil. Consequently, none of your plants will
die on you - theoretically! You can also check to see if your
fruit trees need to be pruned before they come into blossom.
Some shrubs may also need pruning quickly before they come into
bud.
If your perennials are spreading out too far, see if one of your
gardening neighbors wants to do a swap. You can also prepare
your starter trays, and remind yourself when the last day of
frost is usual for your area. Most of these preparations can be
done in the six weeks leading up to the first frost free day.
Too much enthusiasm resulting in early 'planting out' usually
means lost plants. While it is good to prepare your seed boxes,
do not be tempted to plant them too early.
Now is also a good time to repair your garden furniture, and
paint it, if needed. Also, you can check if you need any frames
for your peas, tomatoes, cucumber, broad beans and any heavy
headed flowers. Upright frames stop the bugs eating your harvest
and they also mean that you have more space to plant more
produce in your garden.
If you need new beds, now is the time to do it. Choose where the
bed will be, and decide what shape you would like. Cover the
proposed new bed with whole newspapers topped with several
inches of compost. This method kills the weeds, and later you
can just remove the newspaper and dig in the compost.
If you are planting out bulbs, remember to use some compost to
keep the soil drained. If the soil feels really heavy and does
not crumble very easily, add some coarse sand to help the
drainage. Bulbs will just rot away in wet soil that does not
drain.
Some people are unsure which way up to plant bulbs; the roots go
down. If no roots are attached then put the flat end facing
downwards and the more pointed end facing upwards to the sky. If
you simply can't tell, place them in the ground on the side and
it'll all work out!
If you didn't have enough shelves in your shed or green house
last year, then here is the perfect time to remedy that.
Finally, don't get 'caught in the rush' at the lawnmower repair
shop. To ensure that you are not waiting two weeks while your
grass is shooting up, drag out the lawnmower now. If you drive
it to the repair shop, it will be back in a flash! You can also
have the shortest, greenest grass on the block if you tend to it
now.
About the Author:
Visit Stacy Neir's web site:
Riverfront Park Denver Real Estate
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