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Spring Gardening
Now that the season is upon us, here are 10 tips to
keep in mind while beautifying your property.
1. Be
careful not to plant tender plants to early. Our area
can get a frost as late as the end of May and many
vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, beans) and flowers can't
take frost.
2. When purchasing plants,
it's tempting to try something that is above our zone.
Most maps show Warwick, N.Y. as zone 6, but
purchase zone 5 to be safe. If you do plant a
higher-zoned plant, just realize you may not see the
plant again next year.
3.
Try to stay ahead of the weeds before they have
set seed. It is much easier to pull out a couple
of small weeds before they grow large and
produce "weedlets" all over the garden.
4.
Be sure to fertilize at the proper time of year
and follow the instructions on the package.
5.
Try not to use herbicides and pesticides to
tackle those pesky weeds or bugs. Usually there
is a more "friendly" alternative and often
Mother Nature will take care of the problem for
you.
6. Stay away from planting
too aggressive plants, which by their very nature, will
take over the garden. How many friends can you pass on
your excess plants to?
7. Don't bite off more than you can chew--you'll
just wind up frustrated and discouraged.
Gardening should be fun!
8. Plan for the
eventual size of a plant. Although the plant may look
too small when first planted, it is better to fill in
with annuals or a decorative piece rather than have a
plant out-grow its place and need to be moved within a
few years.
9. Don't put a plant in the
wrong spot--too close to your house or deck, or where it
will block a view you like. Have a plan before you start
and you'll be much happier with the results down the
road. 10.
Enjoy the time in your garden. As the English garden
designer, Gertrude Jekyll wrote, "The love of gardening
is a seed once sown never dies."
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