Spring Ahead

Spring ahead means more this year than a change to daylight saving time. Spring in the garden this year is weeks ahead of schedule.

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PJM Rhododendron (above), usually blooms in the middle to end of April. It wasn’t bothered by below freezing temperatures the other night. Last spring, I trimmed about 1/3 off and I’ll cut it back by another third when it’s finished blooming this year. It’s just getting too big for the space.

About ¾ of the mulch has been spread. The Helleborus’ (Lenten Rose ‘Royal Heritage’) nodding blooms continue their long bloom time. Mulch makes it all look pretty.

Daffodil season is winding down and some daffs are ready for dead heading.

Pieris Japonica ‘Mountain Fire’ is finishing its pretty winter bloom. When the blooms are gone, new growth will be bright a burgundy. This is what I call a bonus plant – winter bloom and summer color.

The mop head hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Venice”) is leafing out dodging the frosts so far. I cut it for shape last summer. I will only need to cut off the dead branches this spring. We’ll see how well it blooms this year after last summer’s haircut.

The early spring makes me feel like I need to hurry to catch up when, in reality, I need to slow down. The last frost date here in zone 6 is around May 15. Over a month till it’s time to put out tender annuals and vegetables. It’s also important that the soil be warm enough to promote healthy growth.

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The coleuses will have to wait for their outside debut.

Perfect Weather for Spring Cleanup

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after

Thank you Mother Nature.

The beautifully warm days recently have given a jump start to spring garden cleanup. I am feeling very organized this year. Last fall I did a better than average fall garden cleanup so there’s not as much to do this spring. Add a week of heavenly spring weather and I’ll be ready for mulch next week.

Another help to move the cleanup along is the tool I bought at the Philadelphia Flower show. It’s

called a Leaf Lifter from Better Garden Tools.

It's saving my old back.

Crocus

Is it my imagination or are the crocuses prettier than usual this year? They are definitely a couple of weeks earlier. I planted hundreds of crocus between 2003 and 2005.

I remember walking around the garden in spring and sticking tongue depressors in the soil as markers so I would remember where I wanted to plant more bulbs in November. I remember digging all the little holes on chilly November days. I remember watering them in and sprinkling the soil with cayenne pepper to try to fool the squirrels.

It was definitely worth the effort.

Late Spring

Not late spring as in - the end of May.

Late spring as in - late.

It seems to be taking forever to be spring this year.

Low temperatures, dipping to the 30’s at night, have slowed spring (and this gardener) considerably. I compared plants this year with some pictures from April 4, 2010.

Lilac 2011 – barely showing any color in tiny buds.

Lilac 2010 – opening nicely.

Hyacinths 2011 – struggle against the cold.

Hyacinths 2010 – in fragrant glory

Brunnera (Forget-me-not) 2011 – plants just visible.

Brunera 2010 – starting their blue profusion.

The forecast for the next week is considerably warmer. That should rock me out of my cold-induced stupor.

Lenten Rose Seedlings

Helleborus ‘Royal Heritage’™

In 2002 I planted 2 ‘Royal Heritage’ Hellebores – one on each side of the path. They were in bloom when I bought them. The colors are slightly different. They have grown well.

The Hellebore on the east side of the path is surrounded by hundreds of seedlings. Two are mature enough to bloom.

The Hellebore on the west side of the path (about 3 feet away) does not have any seedlings.

The no seedling site may get slightly less light and water. The soil may be slightly more acidic. It’s hard to measure a difference in microclimate.

Curious.

Glory-of-the-Snow

Chionodoxa forbesii

This happy little flower always makes me smile. The blue stars seem to sparkle as the gardening season begins.

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In 1999, I planted 30 Glory-of-the-Snow bulbs on top of some tulip bulbs.

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The tulip bulbs were planted 6 to 8 inches deep. I filled the planting hole with soil up to 3 inches from the top, added the Glory-of-the-Snow bulbs then added the rest of the soil on top. Over the years, the tiny bulbs have multiplied. They also moved around the front garden with transplants and new plants.

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After blooming, the leaves fade away and the bulb goes dormant for the summer – to burst into blue abundance next spring.

I wish I had a hundred more.

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March Wind

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Crocuses that looked so pretty a week ago have slammed shut.

The biting March wind is both a blessing and a curse. It helps dry the soggy ground. It turns dry leaves into wild whirligigs.

I managed to capture some leaves from under the shrubs in my garden tote this week. I dumped them in leaf pile next to the compost bin and weighed it down. During the summer the leaves will be added to the greens in the bin.

I used my little plastic rake to get under bushed and in corners, but -

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no amount of wind will blow the leaves out of the azaleas. They had to be picked out by hand - one by one.

Mophead Hydrangea

I’ve been busy enjoying spring flower shows, meetings, tours and classes. Garden cleanup has suffered as a result. Cold spring winds and rain have also put a crimp in my gardening style.

We did manage to prune the pussy willow on one glorious 70 degree day.

Another pile for the city compost.

Deadheading the hydrangea is next.

I’m never in a hurry to deadhead the mophead. I wait for the growing buds to be obvious. Sometimes buds will be killed off by a late frost. It's easier to tell if a branch is really dead if I wait.

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If they bloom on old wood like this mophead (Hydrangea macrophylla), I trim off old blooms down to a growing bud and cut out dead wood in early spring.
I don’t usually prune the hydrangea. If it needs to be pruned for shape or size, I’ll do that in summer (before August) – even though that may mean cutting off some of the flowers. (The flowers look pretty in a vase or floating in a crystal bowl.) That way I won't be cutting off next year's blooms.

It’s snowing now so no garden work will be done today. I won’t look out the window and maybe it will go away.

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(Pruning information from University of Virginia on my March 9, 2011 post here.)

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March on the Paths

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March is the month I love my garden paths the most.

I have a long list of things to do in the garden from March through May – cleanup leaves, branches, dried plants; prune the crepe myrtle, pussy willow, euonymus, japonica, roses; divide liriope, black-eyed susan, phlox, daylilies, mums. Soon there will be mulch to spread and weeds to pull followed by deadheading and planting. As the snow melts, the temptation get on with the job is overwhelming.

But the ground is soft and spongy

Good soil consists of 45% mineral materials and 5% living and dead organic materials and 50% pore space for air and water. All are necessary for good plant growth. Damp soils compact easily, squeezing out air and water. Roots have trouble growing and taking up nutrients. I try not to walk on the spongy soil (or on the sleeping perennials hidden under the soil).

This is when I really I appreciate the paths in the garden. I can reach a lot from the paths. Some paths are for wandering from place to place but almost every garden that is wider than 4 feet has a path for maintenance. That way I can keep my big feet out of the garden and march on the paths.


More information from the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension “Combating Soil Compaction.” (PDF)

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You don’t have to shovel rain

It’s a rainy Friday. Over an inch of rain and wind gusts to 50 mph forecast for today. But the rain hasn’t dampened my mood.

From my window, I can see the Daffodils stretching through the ground. The Snow Drops are ready to burst into bloom.

I know Crocuses nestled under the fallen leaves are pushing through the soil.
And the hellebores must be quietly expanding their blooms in my absence.

Only 23 days to spring and I don’t have to shovel rain!

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Spring Garden Series

Back to reality and time to plan for spring!

2011 Master Gardener Spring Garden Series

Evening Classes (6 PM) begin Monday, January 17 at the Bethlehem Township Community Center, 2900 Farmersville Road, Bethlehem, PA 18020. Phone: 610-746-1970. The first classes will be “Cottage Gardening” and “Pollinators”.

Saturday Classes (9 AM) start February 12 at the Lehigh County Agricultural Center, 4184 Dorney Park Road, Allentown, PA 18104. Phone 610-391-9840. “Heirloom Tomatoes”, “Composting” and “Pollinators” will be the subjects to start the series.

The charge for each class is $7. Click here to access the brochure “Grow Healthy Gardens and Healthy Landscapes” for all the details. If you are interested, sign up soon. Class size is limited and classes have been filled to capacity in other years.

Spring will be here before we know it.    ----   I am so over last year!

Other topics in the Spring Garden Series:

• Community Gardens in an Urban Setting

• Green Roofs

• Backyard Fruit Production from Apples to Zinfandels

• Flowering Trees: The Good the Bad and the Scabby

• Pruning Landscape Trees and Shrubs