Arletta Smith peruses some of the plants and flowers on display at the annual New Jersey Flower & Garden Show at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center, Edison, on Feb. 14. The event attracts more than 25,000 flower and garden enthusiasts annually. ERIC SUCAR staff Spring is quietly approaching, but this season does not like to be rushed. We are just a step away from winter and two steps from a season for which we all long.
It’s time to survey the landscape and bring the garden back to life.
Should another heavy snowfall occur, heaven forbid, make sure you remove the heavy snow from your evergreens to prevent breakage. And now, as the daylight is no longer shy and weak, assess what has happened to your property.
Recent storms have taught us that water is very purposeful — it can slip under brick paths, wash out gravel and create deep ridges in soil. The meek, little stream so cherished in the back of our garden turned into a monstrous swirling mass of rapids, depositing huge amounts of detritus at the fence line and even shouldering the small bridge aside, dropping it 40 feet away. Now is the time to remove the debris and branches that have accumulated.
Visitors to the annual New Jersey Flower & Garden Show at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center, Edison, look over display gardens on Feb. 14. ERIC SUCAR staff Survey your property now with sharp eyes and evaluate shortfalls brought on by the storms. Look up — are there any tree branches dangling, just waiting for the next strong wind gust to drop them onto an unsuspecting visitor? Look down — pick up branches, debris and other tailings that have accumulated. Fill in holes and mini-canyons in your lawn, clean-cut damaged shrubbery and be vigilant of exposed tree roots. And if Bambi was noshing on your euonymus and azaleas, carefully prune the offensive stem into a better shape. It might not be a bad idea to spray some anti-deer browsing agent soon, to deter the open snackbar.
When 50-degree temperatures become the new norm, the grizzled garden veteran knows it’s time to think seriously about the garden. Volatile violets, cascading snowdrops and sun-yellow winter aconites will soon begin their synchronized bloom, preceded by the mature quince and its delicate pink blossoms.
If you are a budding gardener who is not afraid of the spade and somewhat heavy work, then by all means go for it and start digging. Don’t be shy, just go out there and start your garden.
Assuming you have not had a garden area, you need to turn over the soil, remove the grass clumps and rake out the lumps. Or better yet, get yourself a little tiller and the job will be quicker and easier. The garden does not have to be large to start out. Select an area that has at least eight hours of daily sunshine.
You might want to build a raised rectangular bed, using 8-foot boards with 4-by-4- inch corner posts. Your back will thank you if you build it to a comfortable 3-foot height. Then load up on enriched garden soil, and maybe even work in some old leaves. You will need quite a few bags of soil, so you might consider filling a good part of the bed with leaves and even some small branches, and then topping that with soil. The leaves and branches will decompose and nourish the soil. If you are fortunate enough to have access to aged cow, horse or chicken manure, add it to your bed. Just make sure horse manure is well-rotted, otherwise you will have a bed full of unwanted greenery, only attractive to horses.
You may plant your garden in any form or color, but take a hard, honest look first at what you have. Think re-engineering. Trees have grown taller, giving deeper shade, shrubs expanded their waist size, and perennials are filling every inch in your garden. This signals change. Trees should be trimmed professionally to thin out branches and allow light to filter through to the ground.
You may experience emotional turmoil when deciding to remove a once-lovely shrub that has just grown too large for its space. But before going to the final step, try to rejuvenate old and woody shrubs by severe trimming, almost to the ground, or relocate to a more accommodating place. A good idea is to retain the service of a tree expert or landscape professional. And remember, a planned garden does not have to happen all at once. Develop a general plan and then work on one or two areas at a time.
Now that you have built your raised bed or prepared a garden bed, it’s time to select the plants. Are you a cook who loves fresh herbs? If so, plant parsley, tarragon, oregano, sage and more, punctuated by colorful nasturtium and mouthwatering Bibb lettuce.
If you enjoy cutting flowers, the selection is tremendous. You could buy seeds now and start them in moist seed-starting mix. You could even grow gourmet mixed greens.
But starting your garden from seeds might be a bit iffy for a new gardener, so you are better off buying plants ready to be put into the soil. The best time to do this is around Memorial Day, or a bit earlier if we have a warm spring. Make sure you have slow-release, organic fertilizer in your shed to feed your plants, and follow instructions.
Late winter is a good time to check out your equipment. Assuming that you put your tools away clean in the fall, you can again apply a light coat of oil to keep them rust-free. Give your lawn mower and spreader a tune-up. Check the various pesticide and fertilizer bags lurking in your garage or shed to see if they are still viable. If not, dispose of them properly by turning them in to your local household hazardous waste facility.
The blue sky invites you to step outside and breathe in the fresh air. Spring is on the way — enjoy it!
Gotti Kelley, a past president of the Navesink Garden Club, also serves on the board of the Garden Club of New Jersey and Central Atlantic Region of National Garden Clubs.