Spring Garden Planning

Lynn Sommers, Master Gardener

For me, spring arrived when I began searching my garage for crabgrass preventer. Considering I am always late applying the preemergent, I don't know why I bother. But each July as I look at those hideous and unattractive clumps, I vow to get it spread on before the seed has a chance to germinate. (Apply the preemergent at the same time forsythia bloom.)

Getting Ready. Early spring is a time to finish planning and preparing, but is not necessarily for planting. Bare root trees and shrubs can be planted as soon as the frost melts and the soil is crumbly. However, many perennials and annuals should not be planted until mid-to-late May. Early purchasing is usually a smart move, but unless the plant is very hardy or placed in a protected area, it can be lost to a late spring frost.

Acclimate plants by leaving them on the porch or patio to soak up the warm sun during the day and cover them at night. Keep the soil evenly moist, not soggy or constantly damp. If starting seeds, remember that damping-off may occur. This state of demise in young seedlings is caused by fungi. Coating seeds during germination with a fungicide or using a fungicide in regular watering should eliminate this problem. Damping-off is also encouraged by soil rich in nitrogen and cold temperatures. Captan and Benomyl are two fungicides used for this purpose.

Now is a good time to prepare containers for planting. Invest in a potting soil mixture or prepare your own, but do not use soil from the garden. The dirt will be too heavy for proper root growth and drainage, and it may harbor last year's insect and disease problems.

Plant Selection. Space prohibits a lengthy discussion of plant marriages - a catch-all term for harmonizing colors and foliage interests. If you know which colors but not which plants you want, perhaps these suggestions will be helpful.
Plan around your life-style. On vacations several times over the summer? Choose early spring and late fall bloomers. Glowing yellow cushion spurge (Euphorbia epithmoides-Polychroma), blue or white catmint - not catnip! - (Nepeta), yellow sundrops (Oenothera tetragona) and the ever favorite-creeping phlox (Phlox) - subulata or stolonifera types. The spikes of purple meadow sage (Salvia superba) complete the garden nicely.

Fall bloomers have two advantages. They look good from start to finish. Rose-to-rust stonecrop (Sedum spectabile-Autumn Joy) really lives up to its name. Asters and chrysanthemums come in a variety of colors. I suggest selecting a rubellum type chrysanthemum for a fool-proof mum. These plants are quiet and green until fall.

Round out the garden with grasses and hostas for other easy-to-care for plants. If you want to impress the neighbors, plant some fall blooming windflowers (Anemone) but be warned! - these do require fall mulching.

At the office all day? Get up early and enjoy a cup of coffee while admiring the morning bloomers. White or blue flax (Linum Perenne) and the magical morning glory vine (Ipomoea) are worth losing a little sleep over. Almost every color of the rainbow can be found in the daylily (Hemerocallis) and making choices can be overwhelming. I advise against planting the wild orange variety because you could lose your yard to them in a few years.

Unwind on the patio and let the day slip into twilight? Plants in white, silver and light blue really come to life during this time of the day. A white moonflower vine (Ipmoea alba) has the same dose of magic as the morning glory but is even more spectacular. The saucer shaped flowers open before your eyes and are highly fragrant. (Both vines are annuals and can be started from seed. Nick the shell and soak overnight before putting into a peat pot.) Other annuals like white and blue salvia, white rocket snapdragons and white cosmos provide a nice spiky contrast to rounded plant shapes day or night. My favorite white annual is a cascading petunia. I strategically place large pots of these as to "light" my way around the patio at night and what a heady fragrance!

Pay attention to fragrance on the porch or patio. Place several herbs in the same large pot. Rosemary, thyme, basil and sage always provide a delightful surprise. These fresh scents can be more inviting than the heavy floral fragrances.

Shopping early is the key. You will know the good from the bad and ugly if you shop early. If you don't and all ugly, wait to buy until August. Don't buy marginal looking perennials in May. They should look and feel healthy. In August, the bad plants will be dead and the ugly plants will still be ugly, but probably half price. With perennials you're really buying a root system for the first season anyway. Half price plants grow up into full and beautiful plants, too.

Planting Plan first, then plant. Every time the root system is exposed to air and light, some of the root dies. Go so far as to shadow over the plant as it goes into the ground and water generously. Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch, always keeping it about one inch away from the plant stem. I don't recommend any fertilizer for at least one week. Let the roots adjust and grow out a bit. Then fertilize if desired. Liquified commercial fertilizer is almost a must for annuals but perennials respond nicely to applications of slow releasing organic fertilizer. Top dress existing perennials in the spring and fall with composted matter, giving heavy feeders like delphiniums an extra dose after blooming. Be careful! Excessive fertilizing will inhibit some plants from flowering.

This last advice is painful - not for the plant but for you. Pinch off most (not low growing) annual flowers directly after planting. Remove those beautiful and long-awaited flowers. This stimulates the plant to produce multiple branches and buds. The actual flower is the end product of the plants life, signaling the plant to stop growing. Deadheading and shearing techniques mid-summer will help produce a second, albeit less showy, flush of bloom. However, there is no need to remove buds from new and established perennials.

Take care of and admire your beautiful garden daily. Don't mourn the loss of a particular passing flower species. With proper planning, preparing, and planting, another equally beautiful flower will come right along.

Return to Table of Contents