IN THE SPRING, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU SHOULD SMELL LIKE DIRT. — MARGARET ATWOOD
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- Trees & Shrubs
- Prune early flowering trees and shrubs after blooms have faded. Prune deciduous vines like wisteria after they finish flowering.
- Keep roses well mulched; keep mulch away from crown and lower stems.
- Fertilize all spring flowering shrubs and vines after they bloom.
- Watch for insect damage on new tender growth.
- Inspect established evergreens for signs of scale, boxwoods and hollies for leaf miner damage, azaleas and pyracanthas for lace bugs.
- Annuals, Perennials & Shrubs
- Deadhead your spring flowering bulbs when they have finished blooming but do not cut off the green foliage; these green leaves continue to grow for a few week and provide the bulb with food for next year.
- Divide perennials like Daylilies, Delphiniums, Iris, Chrysanthemums, Daisies and Phlox.
- If you have a pond or pool aquatic plants can be set after the middle of the month.
- Fruits, Vegetables & Herbs (Sow & Plant:)
- Fertilize fruit trees during fruit set.
- Lightly fertilize blueberries a second time when they bloom.
- Watch new tree growth for signs of fireblight, especially fruit trees. Remove any affected twigs by cutting several inches below the damaged area. Be sure to sterilize your shears afterward!
- Sow & Plant
- Carrots, celery, collards, lettuce, parsley, radishes, turnips, rutabagas, beets
- Broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi and kale can be sown directly in the ground now without protection. Keep an eye out for slugs!
- Lettuce, spinach, mustards, arugula, Asian greens, cress and greens mixes
- Onion Sets — plant your main onion patch asap if you are working from sets or starts.
- Potatoes — Plant anytime from March to June, depending on variety, when you want to harvest them and what the weather is doing.
- Hardy herbs like chives, parsley, mints, marjoram, oregano, dill, fennel, borage, cilantro
- This & That
- Tune up your lawn mower — Lay sod or sow new lawns — Remove winter grunge from patios and terraces.
- Just for Fun! Walk through the woods or a park and enjoy Mother Nature?s gardening accomplishments!
- Did you know… Honeybees may be swarming, leaving their hives and seeking new hives. New swarms are not aggressive and should be left alone. If you spy a swarm, contact a local beekeeper who will be happy to help. If you don?t know a beekeeper, visit the Virginia State Beekeepers Association website at http://www.virginiabeekeepers.org/map/node to find a club near you!
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