Wake Up the Garden

Wake Up the Garden
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Burlington Garden Center
What to do in the garden in March & April to get your garden off to a great start and save time later.
 
Vegetable Garden

• Clean off beds if you didn’t do it in the fall.
• Do a soil test.
• Add a layer of compost and other amendments. When soil is ready to work, turn amendments under and work in a slow-release fertilizer at the same time.
• Start pepper seeds (April 1) and tomato seeds (April 15) indoors.
• Plant asparagus roots mid April.
• Rhubarb: divide in mid April; spread well-rotted manure around plants.
• Activate the compost pile (April).

 
Perennial Beds

• Cut back any stems and seed heads left for winter interest.
• Cut back ornamental grasses before they green up.
• Pull weeds as soon as they appear.
• Apply pre-emergent to control weed seeds.
• Divide/transplant in April. Amend the soil as you go. We recommend Nature's Blend with Alfalfa & Humates.
• Watch for heaving crowns on Heuchera (Coral Bells). Mulch them or set them back into the soil.

 
Trees & Shrubs

• Prune non-spring blooming shrubs now before they leaf out.
• Cut back spirea and potentilla down to 6”.
• Annabelle Hydrangeas can be cut back to 18” from the ground.
• Fertilize trees and shrubs in March before growth begins.
• Plant new trees and shrubs in April when soil is workable.

 
Fruit Trees

• Check the base of trees for signs of vole/rabbit damage.
• Fertilize late March/early April before growth begins.
• Check plums and cherries for black knot by April 1 to prevent the release of spores. Disinfect pruners between cuts.
• Time to prune!
  • Remove broken, crossed, damaged branches.
  • Remove suckers and water sprouts.
• Begin spraying apple trees to prevent apple scab and other insects/diseases.
  • Spray dormant oil when temps are at least 40 degrees.

 
Lawn

• Rake lightly when soil isn’t wet.
• Seed/overseed lawns mid April to mid May.
• Apply crabgrass control when soil temps reach 52-55 degrees (do not use if you plant to seed the lawn).
• Wait until late May to fertilize.