March/April in the Garden
March is usually an exciting time in the gardens of the Pacific Northwest. While the winters are always wet and cold, locals typically begin to witness the shift to Spring in March and April. So don't be discouraged....
.....SPRING is on it's way!
The bulbs are shooting through the soggy ground, the trees are beginning to bud, the frogs are awake and croaking in the multitude of puddles, and the robins are back! All sure signs of the warmer and drier weather we look forward to each year.
As we celebrate the first day of our retail season on the first day of SPRING, (March 20th!) we know you are all anxious to be working outside in your own gardens, and we have a few tips to prepare for a beautiful and successful gardening season.
Prepare garden beds and manage weeds....if you haven't already. Many area gardens and flowerbeds are still saturated with our record rainfalls. If yours fall under this category, consider covering planting areas with black plastic to warm the soil and help it dry out.
It's a sad fact that weeds seem to be the fastest-growing plants in the garden this time of year. Be sure to spend some time each week removing them before they set seed.
Sow root crops outside. Root crops don't like disturbance and need to be sown directly into the ground. Carrots, parsnips, and beets are grown this way. Radishes are quick and easy too, and will be ready to harvest in just a few weeks. Stop in to see our selection of HUME Seeds!
Take on the slugs. It's time to battle these slimy garden visitors.
Keeping a vigilant eye our for these destructive pests will go a long way in saving your vegetables and flowers through the season. There are many methods of controlling slugs, including sprinkling diatomaceous earth on the soil and setting beer traps in areas of heavy slug traffic. (Sneak out after dark with a flashlight to find their favorite spots) Hand picking is probably a least favored, but effective method of control (feed them to the ducks or chickens!) and some gardeners prefer using a family safe molluscicide, such as Sluggo Plus for Organic Gardens.
Plant a cheery pot of spring favorites. There is nothing like the reminder that spring is coming, like a planter full of bright cheery blooms by your door, or in a window box. Consider some of our healthy spring hardy favorites like pansies, primroses, early blooming perennials, and forced bulbs - in stock now! And don't forget to take a look at our Pinterest boards for inspiration!
As we celebrate the first day of our retail season on the first day of SPRING, (March 20th!) we know you are all anxious to be working outside in your own gardens, and we have a few tips to prepare for a beautiful and successful gardening season.
Prepare garden beds and manage weeds....if you haven't already. Many area gardens and flowerbeds are still saturated with our record rainfalls. If yours fall under this category, consider covering planting areas with black plastic to warm the soil and help it dry out.
It's a sad fact that weeds seem to be the fastest-growing plants in the garden this time of year. Be sure to spend some time each week removing them before they set seed.
Sow root crops outside. Root crops don't like disturbance and need to be sown directly into the ground. Carrots, parsnips, and beets are grown this way. Radishes are quick and easy too, and will be ready to harvest in just a few weeks. Stop in to see our selection of HUME Seeds!
Take on the slugs. It's time to battle these slimy garden visitors.
Keeping a vigilant eye our for these destructive pests will go a long way in saving your vegetables and flowers through the season. There are many methods of controlling slugs, including sprinkling diatomaceous earth on the soil and setting beer traps in areas of heavy slug traffic. (Sneak out after dark with a flashlight to find their favorite spots) Hand picking is probably a least favored, but effective method of control (feed them to the ducks or chickens!) and some gardeners prefer using a family safe molluscicide, such as Sluggo Plus for Organic Gardens.
Plant a cheery pot of spring favorites. There is nothing like the reminder that spring is coming, like a planter full of bright cheery blooms by your door, or in a window box. Consider some of our healthy spring hardy favorites like pansies, primroses, early blooming perennials, and forced bulbs - in stock now! And don't forget to take a look at our Pinterest boards for inspiration!
