#MONTH_APRIL_WEEK_1

[tameblog]

To some, April is the kickoff of the gardening season. It’s a busy time for gardeners as we prep seeds, garden beds, and containers. Here are some of the main April gardening jobs and tasks to ensure your garden is ready for the season. April is one of the best months for us gardeners. Outside, signs of life are starting to bud, and the promise of spring is finally in show. Gardeners know that the majority of work actually occurs in the spring, not the summer, as we work to prep and plant this year’s plants. While we can begin in February and March, we really start to kick things off in April. If you’re new to gardening, knowing what to do and when can quickly become overwhelming. Here is a list of some of the April gardening jobs you can get done, even if winter is still holding on tight where you live. 1. Turn Your Compost If you’re anything like me, you probably ignore your compost a little more in the winter than in the warmer months. Now is a great time to check on your compost and give it some aeration. Any finished compost can go right into the garden beds. Add it as a top layer without digging it in so you don’t disrupt the soil and microorganisms in it. 2. Plan Your Garden Layout Most of my garden remains the same, as I rely heavily on perennials. But I have a few beds that I like to change up yearly for my vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. It’s a good idea to plan out where you plan to place your plants based on their growing conditions (light vs shade, moisture, wind protection, preferred soil, etc.) and their spacing requirements. Planning ahead of time also gives you a good indication of how many seeds to start, so you don’t start too many or too little. Try square-foot gardening to maximize a small space. 3. Spring Pruning I don’t do much pruning in spring, as many of the flower buds and leaves are forming or already formed before going into dormancy. The last thing I want to do is cut off this year’s flowers before they’ve even bloomed! Pruning in spring can be helpful for controlling plants that are invasive since you can trim them before they flower and spread. With buds forming, it can also be helpful to spot diseased or dead branches that might have been difficult to identify in the winter. Those can be removed to give the plant new vigour. Most buds are already on the wood, so avoid snipping off any flowering branches. Hopefully, your past self treated your gardening tools well, and they were cleaned and safely stored away for the winter. Before you bring them out for another season, now is a great time to sharpen your tools. Use a coarse file followed by a sharpening stone to sharpen your pruners. Don’t forget to sharpen your forks, shovels, shears, and even trowels if they’re dull! I like to sharpen my pruners every couple of months. 5. Start Seeds By April, almost all zones in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeds. For those with mild winters, you can begin direct sowing. Others can start seeds indoors. Finding out when to start your seeds takes some practice. The most important thing to know is the average frost date for your area. Seed packets will tell you when to start seeds based on this date, such as planting indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date or direct sowing after all risk of frost has passed. If you’re new to seed starting, I highly suggest you check out my seed starting eBook Get Growing! It has everything you need to know, from buying seeds to germination to caring for your plants as they reach full maturity. Grow lights for seed starting is especially helpful when living in a colder climate. 6. Cool Season Crops Many vegetables (and flowers) prefer the cool conditions of spring as opposed to the hot summer weather. Focus on planting cool-weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, broccoli, and peas. For flowers, plant sweet peas, bachelor’s buttons, feverfew, larkspur, nigella, poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and yarrow. 7. Fertilize Many blooming shrubs will like to get a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Personally, I skip this step since I believe my soil has everything the plant needs, and I don’t need to supplement it with synthetic fertilizers. Instead, I like to amend my soil with compost. I also make my own organic fertilizers, which I dedicate a whole chapter to in my book, Garden Alchemy. My homemade fertilizers. 8. Order Bulbs Right about now, you’re probably enjoying all the tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs you planted. Do a little work for your future self again by ordering your summer flowering bulbs. I’m talking dahlias, freesia, gladiolus, crocosmia, canna lilies, liatris, lilies, calla lilies, and begonias. Depending on where you are and the type of bulb, you may even be able to plant your summer flowering bulbs, too. Read the package to know your perfect planting time, and follow the guidelines. Dahlias are a popular cut flower in the summer that should be planted in the spring. 9. Spring Containers While we’re itching to get outside and in the garden beds, doing a little container refresh is a great way to get that gardening bug out and a little colour into your life. Head to the garden centre (here’s your official excuse), and buy some spring plant starts. Oftentimes, they’ll have some spring bulbs you can put in there. Other great options are pansies, primula, cyclamen, and ranunculus. Spring containers I put together a couple of years ago using spring bulbs and primula. 10. Plan Big Projects If you did some goal planning earlier in the year, you might already know what big projects you want to tackle in the garden. Now is a great time to sit down and formulate a plan. This could include making a map, a budget plan, sourcing materials, choosing plants, and more. I highly suggest adding a nice, shaded sitting area to your garden. Having a place where you can rest mid-gardening or on those days you just want to sit and enjoy your garden sanctuary is vital to any size garden. A resting spot never goes unused in the garden. 11. Decluttering Spring cleaning is supposed to be the time when you go through and do a big decluttering. While I agree that it’s a great time to toss out broken bits and things you can’t salvage, I find that freeing up space isn’t always the magical solution. Sometimes, hanging onto items for when you need them is the better choice. Consider keeping supplies around if you’re going through your gardening shed. As I finally start planting everything in my garden this spring, I’m going to be thankful I saved all those plastic nursery pots and trays for seed starting this year. Keep what you will use again, upcycle what you can, and recycle or give away the rest. 12. Resist Cleaning Up If the sun is really shining where you live in April, you may already hear your neighbours busting out the lawn mower. By now, you might have seen some lazy bumble bees coming out of hibernation to visit all the spring flowering trees. While some of the bees may be out, other bees and pollinators are still resting. It’s important to resist cleaning up your garden beds for the hibernating critters in there. The mulch also protects the plants and invertebrates against any late frosts. If you wouldn’t plant your tomatoes, then it’s too early for spring clean-up. To further help pollinators, practice No Mow May (and April!) so that you can help create habitat and forage for those early-season pollinators. Leave the leaf mulch and dead debris for a little while longer. 13. Get Outside No matter where you are, the weather should slowly be getting better. I just know you’ve had some sunshine-filled days, even if the frost is still on the ground! Spring is when we feel our SAD slowly start to lift, and we can further speed it along by getting outside, enjoying some fresh air, soaking in vitamin D, and getting back in touch with nature. Getting outside has so many proven mental health benefits, so get out there daily if you can, even for just a few minutes. Bundle up and go for a walk. 14. Begin a Stretching Routine When the gardening season starts, we quickly overdo it. The first sunny day, you’re out there pruning, digging, and cleaning, and your body isn’t used to it. You’ll find yourself needing a soak in the tub to alleviate all the damage you did in your excitement! I’ve definitely been there. Consider implementing a stretching routine that you can adhere to for the next few months to be kind to your body. Stretching can help alleviate stiffness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall mobility. And that’s a wrap on April gardening jobs! That’s more than enough to keep you busy and excited for the month. Let me know what you’re working on in your garden this month in the comments below. More April Gardening Jobs to Get Done Source link

[ramestoryworld]

To some, April is the kickoff of the gardening season. It’s a busy time for gardeners as we prep seeds, garden beds, and containers. Here are some of the main April gardening jobs and tasks to ensure your garden is ready for the season. April is one of the best months for us gardeners. Outside, signs of life are starting to bud, and the promise of spring is finally in show. Gardeners know that the majority of work actually occurs in the spring, not the summer, as we work to prep and plant this year’s plants. While we can begin in February and March, we really start to kick things off in April. If you’re new to gardening, knowing what to do and when can quickly become overwhelming. Here is a list of some of the April gardening jobs you can get done, even if winter is still holding on tight where you live. 1. Turn Your Compost If you’re anything like me, you probably ignore your compost a little more in the winter than in the warmer months. Now is a great time to check on your compost and give it some aeration. Any finished compost can go right into the garden beds. Add it as a top layer without digging it in so you don’t disrupt the soil and microorganisms in it. 2. Plan Your Garden Layout Most of my garden remains the same, as I rely heavily on perennials. But I have a few beds that I like to change up yearly for my vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. It’s a good idea to plan out where you plan to place your plants based on their growing conditions (light vs shade, moisture, wind protection, preferred soil, etc.) and their spacing requirements. Planning ahead of time also gives you a good indication of how many seeds to start, so you don’t start too many or too little. Try square-foot gardening to maximize a small space. 3. Spring Pruning I don’t do much pruning in spring, as many of the flower buds and leaves are forming or already formed before going into dormancy. The last thing I want to do is cut off this year’s flowers before they’ve even bloomed! Pruning in spring can be helpful for controlling plants that are invasive since you can trim them before they flower and spread. With buds forming, it can also be helpful to spot diseased or dead branches that might have been difficult to identify in the winter. Those can be removed to give the plant new vigour. Most buds are already on the wood, so avoid snipping off any flowering branches. Hopefully, your past self treated your gardening tools well, and they were cleaned and safely stored away for the winter. Before you bring them out for another season, now is a great time to sharpen your tools. Use a coarse file followed by a sharpening stone to sharpen your pruners. Don’t forget to sharpen your forks, shovels, shears, and even trowels if they’re dull! I like to sharpen my pruners every couple of months. 5. Start Seeds By April, almost all zones in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeds. For those with mild winters, you can begin direct sowing. Others can start seeds indoors. Finding out when to start your seeds takes some practice. The most important thing to know is the average frost date for your area. Seed packets will tell you when to start seeds based on this date, such as planting indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date or direct sowing after all risk of frost has passed. If you’re new to seed starting, I highly suggest you check out my seed starting eBook Get Growing! It has everything you need to know, from buying seeds to germination to caring for your plants as they reach full maturity. Grow lights for seed starting is especially helpful when living in a colder climate. 6. Cool Season Crops Many vegetables (and flowers) prefer the cool conditions of spring as opposed to the hot summer weather. Focus on planting cool-weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, broccoli, and peas. For flowers, plant sweet peas, bachelor’s buttons, feverfew, larkspur, nigella, poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and yarrow. 7. Fertilize Many blooming shrubs will like to get a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Personally, I skip this step since I believe my soil has everything the plant needs, and I don’t need to supplement it with synthetic fertilizers. Instead, I like to amend my soil with compost. I also make my own organic fertilizers, which I dedicate a whole chapter to in my book, Garden Alchemy. My homemade fertilizers. 8. Order Bulbs Right about now, you’re probably enjoying all the tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs you planted. Do a little work for your future self again by ordering your summer flowering bulbs. I’m talking dahlias, freesia, gladiolus, crocosmia, canna lilies, liatris, lilies, calla lilies, and begonias. Depending on where you are and the type of bulb, you may even be able to plant your summer flowering bulbs, too. Read the package to know your perfect planting time, and follow the guidelines. Dahlias are a popular cut flower in the summer that should be planted in the spring. 9. Spring Containers While we’re itching to get outside and in the garden beds, doing a little container refresh is a great way to get that gardening bug out and a little colour into your life. Head to the garden centre (here’s your official excuse), and buy some spring plant starts. Oftentimes, they’ll have some spring bulbs you can put in there. Other great options are pansies, primula, cyclamen, and ranunculus. Spring containers I put together a couple of years ago using spring bulbs and primula. 10. Plan Big Projects If you did some goal planning earlier in the year, you might already know what big projects you want to tackle in the garden. Now is a great time to sit down and formulate a plan. This could include making a map, a budget plan, sourcing materials, choosing plants, and more. I highly suggest adding a nice, shaded sitting area to your garden. Having a place where you can rest mid-gardening or on those days you just want to sit and enjoy your garden sanctuary is vital to any size garden. A resting spot never goes unused in the garden. 11. Decluttering Spring cleaning is supposed to be the time when you go through and do a big decluttering. While I agree that it’s a great time to toss out broken bits and things you can’t salvage, I find that freeing up space isn’t always the magical solution. Sometimes, hanging onto items for when you need them is the better choice. Consider keeping supplies around if you’re going through your gardening shed. As I finally start planting everything in my garden this spring, I’m going to be thankful I saved all those plastic nursery pots and trays for seed starting this year. Keep what you will use again, upcycle what you can, and recycle or give away the rest. 12. Resist Cleaning Up If the sun is really shining where you live in April, you may already hear your neighbours busting out the lawn mower. By now, you might have seen some lazy bumble bees coming out of hibernation to visit all the spring flowering trees. While some of the bees may be out, other bees and pollinators are still resting. It’s important to resist cleaning up your garden beds for the hibernating critters in there. The mulch also protects the plants and invertebrates against any late frosts. If you wouldn’t plant your tomatoes, then it’s too early for spring clean-up. To further help pollinators, practice No Mow May (and April!) so that you can help create habitat and forage for those early-season pollinators. Leave the leaf mulch and dead debris for a little while longer. 13. Get Outside No matter where you are, the weather should slowly be getting better. I just know you’ve had some sunshine-filled days, even if the frost is still on the ground! Spring is when we feel our SAD slowly start to lift, and we can further speed it along by getting outside, enjoying some fresh air, soaking in vitamin D, and getting back in touch with nature. Getting outside has so many proven mental health benefits, so get out there daily if you can, even for just a few minutes. Bundle up and go for a walk. 14. Begin a Stretching Routine When the gardening season starts, we quickly overdo it. The first sunny day, you’re out there pruning, digging, and cleaning, and your body isn’t used to it. You’ll find yourself needing a soak in the tub to alleviate all the damage you did in your excitement! I’ve definitely been there. Consider implementing a stretching routine that you can adhere to for the next few months to be kind to your body. Stretching can help alleviate stiffness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall mobility. And that’s a wrap on April gardening jobs! That’s more than enough to keep you busy and excited for the month. Let me know what you’re working on in your garden this month in the comments below. More April Gardening Jobs to Get Done Source link

[alexha2210]

To some, April is the kickoff of the gardening season. It’s a busy time for gardeners as we prep seeds, garden beds, and containers. Here are some of the main April gardening jobs and tasks to ensure your garden is ready for the season. April is one of the best months for us gardeners. Outside, signs of life are starting to bud, and the promise of spring is finally in show. Gardeners know that the majority of work actually occurs in the spring, not the summer, as we work to prep and plant this year’s plants. While we can begin in February and March, we really start to kick things off in April. If you’re new to gardening, knowing what to do and when can quickly become overwhelming. Here is a list of some of the April gardening jobs you can get done, even if winter is still holding on tight where you live. 1. Turn Your Compost If you’re anything like me, you probably ignore your compost a little more in the winter than in the warmer months. Now is a great time to check on your compost and give it some aeration. Any finished compost can go right into the garden beds. Add it as a top layer without digging it in so you don’t disrupt the soil and microorganisms in it. 2. Plan Your Garden Layout Most of my garden remains the same, as I rely heavily on perennials. But I have a few beds that I like to change up yearly for my vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. It’s a good idea to plan out where you plan to place your plants based on their growing conditions (light vs shade, moisture, wind protection, preferred soil, etc.) and their spacing requirements. Planning ahead of time also gives you a good indication of how many seeds to start, so you don’t start too many or too little. Try square-foot gardening to maximize a small space. 3. Spring Pruning I don’t do much pruning in spring, as many of the flower buds and leaves are forming or already formed before going into dormancy. The last thing I want to do is cut off this year’s flowers before they’ve even bloomed! Pruning in spring can be helpful for controlling plants that are invasive since you can trim them before they flower and spread. With buds forming, it can also be helpful to spot diseased or dead branches that might have been difficult to identify in the winter. Those can be removed to give the plant new vigour. Most buds are already on the wood, so avoid snipping off any flowering branches. Hopefully, your past self treated your gardening tools well, and they were cleaned and safely stored away for the winter. Before you bring them out for another season, now is a great time to sharpen your tools. Use a coarse file followed by a sharpening stone to sharpen your pruners. Don’t forget to sharpen your forks, shovels, shears, and even trowels if they’re dull! I like to sharpen my pruners every couple of months. 5. Start Seeds By April, almost all zones in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeds. For those with mild winters, you can begin direct sowing. Others can start seeds indoors. Finding out when to start your seeds takes some practice. The most important thing to know is the average frost date for your area. Seed packets will tell you when to start seeds based on this date, such as planting indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date or direct sowing after all risk of frost has passed. If you’re new to seed starting, I highly suggest you check out my seed starting eBook Get Growing! It has everything you need to know, from buying seeds to germination to caring for your plants as they reach full maturity. Grow lights for seed starting is especially helpful when living in a colder climate. 6. Cool Season Crops Many vegetables (and flowers) prefer the cool conditions of spring as opposed to the hot summer weather. Focus on planting cool-weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, broccoli, and peas. For flowers, plant sweet peas, bachelor’s buttons, feverfew, larkspur, nigella, poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and yarrow. 7. Fertilize Many blooming shrubs will like to get a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Personally, I skip this step since I believe my soil has everything the plant needs, and I don’t need to supplement it with synthetic fertilizers. Instead, I like to amend my soil with compost. I also make my own organic fertilizers, which I dedicate a whole chapter to in my book, Garden Alchemy. My homemade fertilizers. 8. Order Bulbs Right about now, you’re probably enjoying all the tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs you planted. Do a little work for your future self again by ordering your summer flowering bulbs. I’m talking dahlias, freesia, gladiolus, crocosmia, canna lilies, liatris, lilies, calla lilies, and begonias. Depending on where you are and the type of bulb, you may even be able to plant your summer flowering bulbs, too. Read the package to know your perfect planting time, and follow the guidelines. Dahlias are a popular cut flower in the summer that should be planted in the spring. 9. Spring Containers While we’re itching to get outside and in the garden beds, doing a little container refresh is a great way to get that gardening bug out and a little colour into your life. Head to the garden centre (here’s your official excuse), and buy some spring plant starts. Oftentimes, they’ll have some spring bulbs you can put in there. Other great options are pansies, primula, cyclamen, and ranunculus. Spring containers I put together a couple of years ago using spring bulbs and primula. 10. Plan Big Projects If you did some goal planning earlier in the year, you might already know what big projects you want to tackle in the garden. Now is a great time to sit down and formulate a plan. This could include making a map, a budget plan, sourcing materials, choosing plants, and more. I highly suggest adding a nice, shaded sitting area to your garden. Having a place where you can rest mid-gardening or on those days you just want to sit and enjoy your garden sanctuary is vital to any size garden. A resting spot never goes unused in the garden. 11. Decluttering Spring cleaning is supposed to be the time when you go through and do a big decluttering. While I agree that it’s a great time to toss out broken bits and things you can’t salvage, I find that freeing up space isn’t always the magical solution. Sometimes, hanging onto items for when you need them is the better choice. Consider keeping supplies around if you’re going through your gardening shed. As I finally start planting everything in my garden this spring, I’m going to be thankful I saved all those plastic nursery pots and trays for seed starting this year. Keep what you will use again, upcycle what you can, and recycle or give away the rest. 12. Resist Cleaning Up If the sun is really shining where you live in April, you may already hear your neighbours busting out the lawn mower. By now, you might have seen some lazy bumble bees coming out of hibernation to visit all the spring flowering trees. While some of the bees may be out, other bees and pollinators are still resting. It’s important to resist cleaning up your garden beds for the hibernating critters in there. The mulch also protects the plants and invertebrates against any late frosts. If you wouldn’t plant your tomatoes, then it’s too early for spring clean-up. To further help pollinators, practice No Mow May (and April!) so that you can help create habitat and forage for those early-season pollinators. Leave the leaf mulch and dead debris for a little while longer. 13. Get Outside No matter where you are, the weather should slowly be getting better. I just know you’ve had some sunshine-filled days, even if the frost is still on the ground! Spring is when we feel our SAD slowly start to lift, and we can further speed it along by getting outside, enjoying some fresh air, soaking in vitamin D, and getting back in touch with nature. Getting outside has so many proven mental health benefits, so get out there daily if you can, even for just a few minutes. Bundle up and go for a walk. 14. Begin a Stretching Routine When the gardening season starts, we quickly overdo it. The first sunny day, you’re out there pruning, digging, and cleaning, and your body isn’t used to it. You’ll find yourself needing a soak in the tub to alleviate all the damage you did in your excitement! I’ve definitely been there. Consider implementing a stretching routine that you can adhere to for the next few months to be kind to your body. Stretching can help alleviate stiffness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall mobility. And that’s a wrap on April gardening jobs! That’s more than enough to keep you busy and excited for the month. Let me know what you’re working on in your garden this month in the comments below. More April Gardening Jobs to Get Done Source link

[angusstory]

To some, April is the kickoff of the gardening season. It’s a busy time for gardeners as we prep seeds, garden beds, and containers. Here are some of the main April gardening jobs and tasks to ensure your garden is ready for the season. April is one of the best months for us gardeners. Outside, signs of life are starting to bud, and the promise of spring is finally in show. Gardeners know that the majority of work actually occurs in the spring, not the summer, as we work to prep and plant this year’s plants. While we can begin in February and March, we really start to kick things off in April. If you’re new to gardening, knowing what to do and when can quickly become overwhelming. Here is a list of some of the April gardening jobs you can get done, even if winter is still holding on tight where you live. 1. Turn Your Compost If you’re anything like me, you probably ignore your compost a little more in the winter than in the warmer months. Now is a great time to check on your compost and give it some aeration. Any finished compost can go right into the garden beds. Add it as a top layer without digging it in so you don’t disrupt the soil and microorganisms in it. 2. Plan Your Garden Layout Most of my garden remains the same, as I rely heavily on perennials. But I have a few beds that I like to change up yearly for my vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. It’s a good idea to plan out where you plan to place your plants based on their growing conditions (light vs shade, moisture, wind protection, preferred soil, etc.) and their spacing requirements. Planning ahead of time also gives you a good indication of how many seeds to start, so you don’t start too many or too little. Try square-foot gardening to maximize a small space. 3. Spring Pruning I don’t do much pruning in spring, as many of the flower buds and leaves are forming or already formed before going into dormancy. The last thing I want to do is cut off this year’s flowers before they’ve even bloomed! Pruning in spring can be helpful for controlling plants that are invasive since you can trim them before they flower and spread. With buds forming, it can also be helpful to spot diseased or dead branches that might have been difficult to identify in the winter. Those can be removed to give the plant new vigour. Most buds are already on the wood, so avoid snipping off any flowering branches. Hopefully, your past self treated your gardening tools well, and they were cleaned and safely stored away for the winter. Before you bring them out for another season, now is a great time to sharpen your tools. Use a coarse file followed by a sharpening stone to sharpen your pruners. Don’t forget to sharpen your forks, shovels, shears, and even trowels if they’re dull! I like to sharpen my pruners every couple of months. 5. Start Seeds By April, almost all zones in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeds. For those with mild winters, you can begin direct sowing. Others can start seeds indoors. Finding out when to start your seeds takes some practice. The most important thing to know is the average frost date for your area. Seed packets will tell you when to start seeds based on this date, such as planting indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date or direct sowing after all risk of frost has passed. If you’re new to seed starting, I highly suggest you check out my seed starting eBook Get Growing! It has everything you need to know, from buying seeds to germination to caring for your plants as they reach full maturity. Grow lights for seed starting is especially helpful when living in a colder climate. 6. Cool Season Crops Many vegetables (and flowers) prefer the cool conditions of spring as opposed to the hot summer weather. Focus on planting cool-weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, broccoli, and peas. For flowers, plant sweet peas, bachelor’s buttons, feverfew, larkspur, nigella, poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and yarrow. 7. Fertilize Many blooming shrubs will like to get a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Personally, I skip this step since I believe my soil has everything the plant needs, and I don’t need to supplement it with synthetic fertilizers. Instead, I like to amend my soil with compost. I also make my own organic fertilizers, which I dedicate a whole chapter to in my book, Garden Alchemy. My homemade fertilizers. 8. Order Bulbs Right about now, you’re probably enjoying all the tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs you planted. Do a little work for your future self again by ordering your summer flowering bulbs. I’m talking dahlias, freesia, gladiolus, crocosmia, canna lilies, liatris, lilies, calla lilies, and begonias. Depending on where you are and the type of bulb, you may even be able to plant your summer flowering bulbs, too. Read the package to know your perfect planting time, and follow the guidelines. Dahlias are a popular cut flower in the summer that should be planted in the spring. 9. Spring Containers While we’re itching to get outside and in the garden beds, doing a little container refresh is a great way to get that gardening bug out and a little colour into your life. Head to the garden centre (here’s your official excuse), and buy some spring plant starts. Oftentimes, they’ll have some spring bulbs you can put in there. Other great options are pansies, primula, cyclamen, and ranunculus. Spring containers I put together a couple of years ago using spring bulbs and primula. 10. Plan Big Projects If you did some goal planning earlier in the year, you might already know what big projects you want to tackle in the garden. Now is a great time to sit down and formulate a plan. This could include making a map, a budget plan, sourcing materials, choosing plants, and more. I highly suggest adding a nice, shaded sitting area to your garden. Having a place where you can rest mid-gardening or on those days you just want to sit and enjoy your garden sanctuary is vital to any size garden. A resting spot never goes unused in the garden. 11. Decluttering Spring cleaning is supposed to be the time when you go through and do a big decluttering. While I agree that it’s a great time to toss out broken bits and things you can’t salvage, I find that freeing up space isn’t always the magical solution. Sometimes, hanging onto items for when you need them is the better choice. Consider keeping supplies around if you’re going through your gardening shed. As I finally start planting everything in my garden this spring, I’m going to be thankful I saved all those plastic nursery pots and trays for seed starting this year. Keep what you will use again, upcycle what you can, and recycle or give away the rest. 12. Resist Cleaning Up If the sun is really shining where you live in April, you may already hear your neighbours busting out the lawn mower. By now, you might have seen some lazy bumble bees coming out of hibernation to visit all the spring flowering trees. While some of the bees may be out, other bees and pollinators are still resting. It’s important to resist cleaning up your garden beds for the hibernating critters in there. The mulch also protects the plants and invertebrates against any late frosts. If you wouldn’t plant your tomatoes, then it’s too early for spring clean-up. To further help pollinators, practice No Mow May (and April!) so that you can help create habitat and forage for those early-season pollinators. Leave the leaf mulch and dead debris for a little while longer. 13. Get Outside No matter where you are, the weather should slowly be getting better. I just know you’ve had some sunshine-filled days, even if the frost is still on the ground! Spring is when we feel our SAD slowly start to lift, and we can further speed it along by getting outside, enjoying some fresh air, soaking in vitamin D, and getting back in touch with nature. Getting outside has so many proven mental health benefits, so get out there daily if you can, even for just a few minutes. Bundle up and go for a walk. 14. Begin a Stretching Routine When the gardening season starts, we quickly overdo it. The first sunny day, you’re out there pruning, digging, and cleaning, and your body isn’t used to it. You’ll find yourself needing a soak in the tub to alleviate all the damage you did in your excitement! I’ve definitely been there. Consider implementing a stretching routine that you can adhere to for the next few months to be kind to your body. Stretching can help alleviate stiffness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall mobility. And that’s a wrap on April gardening jobs! That’s more than enough to keep you busy and excited for the month. Let me know what you’re working on in your garden this month in the comments below. More April Gardening Jobs to Get Done Source link

[tumibaba]

To some, April is the kickoff of the gardening season. It’s a busy time for gardeners as we prep seeds, garden beds, and containers. Here are some of the main April gardening jobs and tasks to ensure your garden is ready for the season. April is one of the best months for us gardeners. Outside, signs of life are starting to bud, and the promise of spring is finally in show. Gardeners know that the majority of work actually occurs in the spring, not the summer, as we work to prep and plant this year’s plants. While we can begin in February and March, we really start to kick things off in April. If you’re new to gardening, knowing what to do and when can quickly become overwhelming. Here is a list of some of the April gardening jobs you can get done, even if winter is still holding on tight where you live. 1. Turn Your Compost If you’re anything like me, you probably ignore your compost a little more in the winter than in the warmer months. Now is a great time to check on your compost and give it some aeration. Any finished compost can go right into the garden beds. Add it as a top layer without digging it in so you don’t disrupt the soil and microorganisms in it. 2. Plan Your Garden Layout Most of my garden remains the same, as I rely heavily on perennials. But I have a few beds that I like to change up yearly for my vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. It’s a good idea to plan out where you plan to place your plants based on their growing conditions (light vs shade, moisture, wind protection, preferred soil, etc.) and their spacing requirements. Planning ahead of time also gives you a good indication of how many seeds to start, so you don’t start too many or too little. Try square-foot gardening to maximize a small space. 3. Spring Pruning I don’t do much pruning in spring, as many of the flower buds and leaves are forming or already formed before going into dormancy. The last thing I want to do is cut off this year’s flowers before they’ve even bloomed! Pruning in spring can be helpful for controlling plants that are invasive since you can trim them before they flower and spread. With buds forming, it can also be helpful to spot diseased or dead branches that might have been difficult to identify in the winter. Those can be removed to give the plant new vigour. Most buds are already on the wood, so avoid snipping off any flowering branches. Hopefully, your past self treated your gardening tools well, and they were cleaned and safely stored away for the winter. Before you bring them out for another season, now is a great time to sharpen your tools. Use a coarse file followed by a sharpening stone to sharpen your pruners. Don’t forget to sharpen your forks, shovels, shears, and even trowels if they’re dull! I like to sharpen my pruners every couple of months. 5. Start Seeds By April, almost all zones in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeds. For those with mild winters, you can begin direct sowing. Others can start seeds indoors. Finding out when to start your seeds takes some practice. The most important thing to know is the average frost date for your area. Seed packets will tell you when to start seeds based on this date, such as planting indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date or direct sowing after all risk of frost has passed. If you’re new to seed starting, I highly suggest you check out my seed starting eBook Get Growing! It has everything you need to know, from buying seeds to germination to caring for your plants as they reach full maturity. Grow lights for seed starting is especially helpful when living in a colder climate. 6. Cool Season Crops Many vegetables (and flowers) prefer the cool conditions of spring as opposed to the hot summer weather. Focus on planting cool-weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, broccoli, and peas. For flowers, plant sweet peas, bachelor’s buttons, feverfew, larkspur, nigella, poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and yarrow. 7. Fertilize Many blooming shrubs will like to get a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Personally, I skip this step since I believe my soil has everything the plant needs, and I don’t need to supplement it with synthetic fertilizers. Instead, I like to amend my soil with compost. I also make my own organic fertilizers, which I dedicate a whole chapter to in my book, Garden Alchemy. My homemade fertilizers. 8. Order Bulbs Right about now, you’re probably enjoying all the tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs you planted. Do a little work for your future self again by ordering your summer flowering bulbs. I’m talking dahlias, freesia, gladiolus, crocosmia, canna lilies, liatris, lilies, calla lilies, and begonias. Depending on where you are and the type of bulb, you may even be able to plant your summer flowering bulbs, too. Read the package to know your perfect planting time, and follow the guidelines. Dahlias are a popular cut flower in the summer that should be planted in the spring. 9. Spring Containers While we’re itching to get outside and in the garden beds, doing a little container refresh is a great way to get that gardening bug out and a little colour into your life. Head to the garden centre (here’s your official excuse), and buy some spring plant starts. Oftentimes, they’ll have some spring bulbs you can put in there. Other great options are pansies, primula, cyclamen, and ranunculus. Spring containers I put together a couple of years ago using spring bulbs and primula. 10. Plan Big Projects If you did some goal planning earlier in the year, you might already know what big projects you want to tackle in the garden. Now is a great time to sit down and formulate a plan. This could include making a map, a budget plan, sourcing materials, choosing plants, and more. I highly suggest adding a nice, shaded sitting area to your garden. Having a place where you can rest mid-gardening or on those days you just want to sit and enjoy your garden sanctuary is vital to any size garden. A resting spot never goes unused in the garden. 11. Decluttering Spring cleaning is supposed to be the time when you go through and do a big decluttering. While I agree that it’s a great time to toss out broken bits and things you can’t salvage, I find that freeing up space isn’t always the magical solution. Sometimes, hanging onto items for when you need them is the better choice. Consider keeping supplies around if you’re going through your gardening shed. As I finally start planting everything in my garden this spring, I’m going to be thankful I saved all those plastic nursery pots and trays for seed starting this year. Keep what you will use again, upcycle what you can, and recycle or give away the rest. 12. Resist Cleaning Up If the sun is really shining where you live in April, you may already hear your neighbours busting out the lawn mower. By now, you might have seen some lazy bumble bees coming out of hibernation to visit all the spring flowering trees. While some of the bees may be out, other bees and pollinators are still resting. It’s important to resist cleaning up your garden beds for the hibernating critters in there. The mulch also protects the plants and invertebrates against any late frosts. If you wouldn’t plant your tomatoes, then it’s too early for spring clean-up. To further help pollinators, practice No Mow May (and April!) so that you can help create habitat and forage for those early-season pollinators. Leave the leaf mulch and dead debris for a little while longer. 13. Get Outside No matter where you are, the weather should slowly be getting better. I just know you’ve had some sunshine-filled days, even if the frost is still on the ground! Spring is when we feel our SAD slowly start to lift, and we can further speed it along by getting outside, enjoying some fresh air, soaking in vitamin D, and getting back in touch with nature. Getting outside has so many proven mental health benefits, so get out there daily if you can, even for just a few minutes. Bundle up and go for a walk. 14. Begin a Stretching Routine When the gardening season starts, we quickly overdo it. The first sunny day, you’re out there pruning, digging, and cleaning, and your body isn’t used to it. You’ll find yourself needing a soak in the tub to alleviate all the damage you did in your excitement! I’ve definitely been there. Consider implementing a stretching routine that you can adhere to for the next few months to be kind to your body. Stretching can help alleviate stiffness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall mobility. And that’s a wrap on April gardening jobs! That’s more than enough to keep you busy and excited for the month. Let me know what you’re working on in your garden this month in the comments below. More April Gardening Jobs to Get Done Source link

[romaleen]

To some, April is the kickoff of the gardening season. It’s a busy time for gardeners as we prep seeds, garden beds, and containers. Here are some of the main April gardening jobs and tasks to ensure your garden is ready for the season. April is one of the best months for us gardeners. Outside, signs of life are starting to bud, and the promise of spring is finally in show. Gardeners know that the majority of work actually occurs in the spring, not the summer, as we work to prep and plant this year’s plants. While we can begin in February and March, we really start to kick things off in April. If you’re new to gardening, knowing what to do and when can quickly become overwhelming. Here is a list of some of the April gardening jobs you can get done, even if winter is still holding on tight where you live. 1. Turn Your Compost If you’re anything like me, you probably ignore your compost a little more in the winter than in the warmer months. Now is a great time to check on your compost and give it some aeration. Any finished compost can go right into the garden beds. Add it as a top layer without digging it in so you don’t disrupt the soil and microorganisms in it. 2. Plan Your Garden Layout Most of my garden remains the same, as I rely heavily on perennials. But I have a few beds that I like to change up yearly for my vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. It’s a good idea to plan out where you plan to place your plants based on their growing conditions (light vs shade, moisture, wind protection, preferred soil, etc.) and their spacing requirements. Planning ahead of time also gives you a good indication of how many seeds to start, so you don’t start too many or too little. Try square-foot gardening to maximize a small space. 3. Spring Pruning I don’t do much pruning in spring, as many of the flower buds and leaves are forming or already formed before going into dormancy. The last thing I want to do is cut off this year’s flowers before they’ve even bloomed! Pruning in spring can be helpful for controlling plants that are invasive since you can trim them before they flower and spread. With buds forming, it can also be helpful to spot diseased or dead branches that might have been difficult to identify in the winter. Those can be removed to give the plant new vigour. Most buds are already on the wood, so avoid snipping off any flowering branches. Hopefully, your past self treated your gardening tools well, and they were cleaned and safely stored away for the winter. Before you bring them out for another season, now is a great time to sharpen your tools. Use a coarse file followed by a sharpening stone to sharpen your pruners. Don’t forget to sharpen your forks, shovels, shears, and even trowels if they’re dull! I like to sharpen my pruners every couple of months. 5. Start Seeds By April, almost all zones in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeds. For those with mild winters, you can begin direct sowing. Others can start seeds indoors. Finding out when to start your seeds takes some practice. The most important thing to know is the average frost date for your area. Seed packets will tell you when to start seeds based on this date, such as planting indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date or direct sowing after all risk of frost has passed. If you’re new to seed starting, I highly suggest you check out my seed starting eBook Get Growing! It has everything you need to know, from buying seeds to germination to caring for your plants as they reach full maturity. Grow lights for seed starting is especially helpful when living in a colder climate. 6. Cool Season Crops Many vegetables (and flowers) prefer the cool conditions of spring as opposed to the hot summer weather. Focus on planting cool-weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, broccoli, and peas. For flowers, plant sweet peas, bachelor’s buttons, feverfew, larkspur, nigella, poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and yarrow. 7. Fertilize Many blooming shrubs will like to get a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Personally, I skip this step since I believe my soil has everything the plant needs, and I don’t need to supplement it with synthetic fertilizers. Instead, I like to amend my soil with compost. I also make my own organic fertilizers, which I dedicate a whole chapter to in my book, Garden Alchemy. My homemade fertilizers. 8. Order Bulbs Right about now, you’re probably enjoying all the tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs you planted. Do a little work for your future self again by ordering your summer flowering bulbs. I’m talking dahlias, freesia, gladiolus, crocosmia, canna lilies, liatris, lilies, calla lilies, and begonias. Depending on where you are and the type of bulb, you may even be able to plant your summer flowering bulbs, too. Read the package to know your perfect planting time, and follow the guidelines. Dahlias are a popular cut flower in the summer that should be planted in the spring. 9. Spring Containers While we’re itching to get outside and in the garden beds, doing a little container refresh is a great way to get that gardening bug out and a little colour into your life. Head to the garden centre (here’s your official excuse), and buy some spring plant starts. Oftentimes, they’ll have some spring bulbs you can put in there. Other great options are pansies, primula, cyclamen, and ranunculus. Spring containers I put together a couple of years ago using spring bulbs and primula. 10. Plan Big Projects If you did some goal planning earlier in the year, you might already know what big projects you want to tackle in the garden. Now is a great time to sit down and formulate a plan. This could include making a map, a budget plan, sourcing materials, choosing plants, and more. I highly suggest adding a nice, shaded sitting area to your garden. Having a place where you can rest mid-gardening or on those days you just want to sit and enjoy your garden sanctuary is vital to any size garden. A resting spot never goes unused in the garden. 11. Decluttering Spring cleaning is supposed to be the time when you go through and do a big decluttering. While I agree that it’s a great time to toss out broken bits and things you can’t salvage, I find that freeing up space isn’t always the magical solution. Sometimes, hanging onto items for when you need them is the better choice. Consider keeping supplies around if you’re going through your gardening shed. As I finally start planting everything in my garden this spring, I’m going to be thankful I saved all those plastic nursery pots and trays for seed starting this year. Keep what you will use again, upcycle what you can, and recycle or give away the rest. 12. Resist Cleaning Up If the sun is really shining where you live in April, you may already hear your neighbours busting out the lawn mower. By now, you might have seen some lazy bumble bees coming out of hibernation to visit all the spring flowering trees. While some of the bees may be out, other bees and pollinators are still resting. It’s important to resist cleaning up your garden beds for the hibernating critters in there. The mulch also protects the plants and invertebrates against any late frosts. If you wouldn’t plant your tomatoes, then it’s too early for spring clean-up. To further help pollinators, practice No Mow May (and April!) so that you can help create habitat and forage for those early-season pollinators. Leave the leaf mulch and dead debris for a little while longer. 13. Get Outside No matter where you are, the weather should slowly be getting better. I just know you’ve had some sunshine-filled days, even if the frost is still on the ground! Spring is when we feel our SAD slowly start to lift, and we can further speed it along by getting outside, enjoying some fresh air, soaking in vitamin D, and getting back in touch with nature. Getting outside has so many proven mental health benefits, so get out there daily if you can, even for just a few minutes. Bundle up and go for a walk. 14. Begin a Stretching Routine When the gardening season starts, we quickly overdo it. The first sunny day, you’re out there pruning, digging, and cleaning, and your body isn’t used to it. You’ll find yourself needing a soak in the tub to alleviate all the damage you did in your excitement! I’ve definitely been there. Consider implementing a stretching routine that you can adhere to for the next few months to be kind to your body. Stretching can help alleviate stiffness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall mobility. And that’s a wrap on April gardening jobs! That’s more than enough to keep you busy and excited for the month. Let me know what you’re working on in your garden this month in the comments below. More April Gardening Jobs to Get Done Source link

[monaleen101]

To some, April is the kickoff of the gardening season. It’s a busy time for gardeners as we prep seeds, garden beds, and containers. Here are some of the main April gardening jobs and tasks to ensure your garden is ready for the season. April is one of the best months for us gardeners. Outside, signs of life are starting to bud, and the promise of spring is finally in show. Gardeners know that the majority of work actually occurs in the spring, not the summer, as we work to prep and plant this year’s plants. While we can begin in February and March, we really start to kick things off in April. If you’re new to gardening, knowing what to do and when can quickly become overwhelming. Here is a list of some of the April gardening jobs you can get done, even if winter is still holding on tight where you live. 1. Turn Your Compost If you’re anything like me, you probably ignore your compost a little more in the winter than in the warmer months. Now is a great time to check on your compost and give it some aeration. Any finished compost can go right into the garden beds. Add it as a top layer without digging it in so you don’t disrupt the soil and microorganisms in it. 2. Plan Your Garden Layout Most of my garden remains the same, as I rely heavily on perennials. But I have a few beds that I like to change up yearly for my vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. It’s a good idea to plan out where you plan to place your plants based on their growing conditions (light vs shade, moisture, wind protection, preferred soil, etc.) and their spacing requirements. Planning ahead of time also gives you a good indication of how many seeds to start, so you don’t start too many or too little. Try square-foot gardening to maximize a small space. 3. Spring Pruning I don’t do much pruning in spring, as many of the flower buds and leaves are forming or already formed before going into dormancy. The last thing I want to do is cut off this year’s flowers before they’ve even bloomed! Pruning in spring can be helpful for controlling plants that are invasive since you can trim them before they flower and spread. With buds forming, it can also be helpful to spot diseased or dead branches that might have been difficult to identify in the winter. Those can be removed to give the plant new vigour. Most buds are already on the wood, so avoid snipping off any flowering branches. Hopefully, your past self treated your gardening tools well, and they were cleaned and safely stored away for the winter. Before you bring them out for another season, now is a great time to sharpen your tools. Use a coarse file followed by a sharpening stone to sharpen your pruners. Don’t forget to sharpen your forks, shovels, shears, and even trowels if they’re dull! I like to sharpen my pruners every couple of months. 5. Start Seeds By April, almost all zones in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeds. For those with mild winters, you can begin direct sowing. Others can start seeds indoors. Finding out when to start your seeds takes some practice. The most important thing to know is the average frost date for your area. Seed packets will tell you when to start seeds based on this date, such as planting indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date or direct sowing after all risk of frost has passed. If you’re new to seed starting, I highly suggest you check out my seed starting eBook Get Growing! It has everything you need to know, from buying seeds to germination to caring for your plants as they reach full maturity. Grow lights for seed starting is especially helpful when living in a colder climate. 6. Cool Season Crops Many vegetables (and flowers) prefer the cool conditions of spring as opposed to the hot summer weather. Focus on planting cool-weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, broccoli, and peas. For flowers, plant sweet peas, bachelor’s buttons, feverfew, larkspur, nigella, poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and yarrow. 7. Fertilize Many blooming shrubs will like to get a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Personally, I skip this step since I believe my soil has everything the plant needs, and I don’t need to supplement it with synthetic fertilizers. Instead, I like to amend my soil with compost. I also make my own organic fertilizers, which I dedicate a whole chapter to in my book, Garden Alchemy. My homemade fertilizers. 8. Order Bulbs Right about now, you’re probably enjoying all the tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs you planted. Do a little work for your future self again by ordering your summer flowering bulbs. I’m talking dahlias, freesia, gladiolus, crocosmia, canna lilies, liatris, lilies, calla lilies, and begonias. Depending on where you are and the type of bulb, you may even be able to plant your summer flowering bulbs, too. Read the package to know your perfect planting time, and follow the guidelines. Dahlias are a popular cut flower in the summer that should be planted in the spring. 9. Spring Containers While we’re itching to get outside and in the garden beds, doing a little container refresh is a great way to get that gardening bug out and a little colour into your life. Head to the garden centre (here’s your official excuse), and buy some spring plant starts. Oftentimes, they’ll have some spring bulbs you can put in there. Other great options are pansies, primula, cyclamen, and ranunculus. Spring containers I put together a couple of years ago using spring bulbs and primula. 10. Plan Big Projects If you did some goal planning earlier in the year, you might already know what big projects you want to tackle in the garden. Now is a great time to sit down and formulate a plan. This could include making a map, a budget plan, sourcing materials, choosing plants, and more. I highly suggest adding a nice, shaded sitting area to your garden. Having a place where you can rest mid-gardening or on those days you just want to sit and enjoy your garden sanctuary is vital to any size garden. A resting spot never goes unused in the garden. 11. Decluttering Spring cleaning is supposed to be the time when you go through and do a big decluttering. While I agree that it’s a great time to toss out broken bits and things you can’t salvage, I find that freeing up space isn’t always the magical solution. Sometimes, hanging onto items for when you need them is the better choice. Consider keeping supplies around if you’re going through your gardening shed. As I finally start planting everything in my garden this spring, I’m going to be thankful I saved all those plastic nursery pots and trays for seed starting this year. Keep what you will use again, upcycle what you can, and recycle or give away the rest. 12. Resist Cleaning Up If the sun is really shining where you live in April, you may already hear your neighbours busting out the lawn mower. By now, you might have seen some lazy bumble bees coming out of hibernation to visit all the spring flowering trees. While some of the bees may be out, other bees and pollinators are still resting. It’s important to resist cleaning up your garden beds for the hibernating critters in there. The mulch also protects the plants and invertebrates against any late frosts. If you wouldn’t plant your tomatoes, then it’s too early for spring clean-up. To further help pollinators, practice No Mow May (and April!) so that you can help create habitat and forage for those early-season pollinators. Leave the leaf mulch and dead debris for a little while longer. 13. Get Outside No matter where you are, the weather should slowly be getting better. I just know you’ve had some sunshine-filled days, even if the frost is still on the ground! Spring is when we feel our SAD slowly start to lift, and we can further speed it along by getting outside, enjoying some fresh air, soaking in vitamin D, and getting back in touch with nature. Getting outside has so many proven mental health benefits, so get out there daily if you can, even for just a few minutes. Bundle up and go for a walk. 14. Begin a Stretching Routine When the gardening season starts, we quickly overdo it. The first sunny day, you’re out there pruning, digging, and cleaning, and your body isn’t used to it. You’ll find yourself needing a soak in the tub to alleviate all the damage you did in your excitement! I’ve definitely been there. Consider implementing a stretching routine that you can adhere to for the next few months to be kind to your body. Stretching can help alleviate stiffness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall mobility. And that’s a wrap on April gardening jobs! That’s more than enough to keep you busy and excited for the month. Let me know what you’re working on in your garden this month in the comments below. More April Gardening Jobs to Get Done Source link

[iamownerofme]

To some, April is the kickoff of the gardening season. It’s a busy time for gardeners as we prep seeds, garden beds, and containers. Here are some of the main April gardening jobs and tasks to ensure your garden is ready for the season. April is one of the best months for us gardeners. Outside, signs of life are starting to bud, and the promise of spring is finally in show. Gardeners know that the majority of work actually occurs in the spring, not the summer, as we work to prep and plant this year’s plants. While we can begin in February and March, we really start to kick things off in April. If you’re new to gardening, knowing what to do and when can quickly become overwhelming. Here is a list of some of the April gardening jobs you can get done, even if winter is still holding on tight where you live. 1. Turn Your Compost If you’re anything like me, you probably ignore your compost a little more in the winter than in the warmer months. Now is a great time to check on your compost and give it some aeration. Any finished compost can go right into the garden beds. Add it as a top layer without digging it in so you don’t disrupt the soil and microorganisms in it. 2. Plan Your Garden Layout Most of my garden remains the same, as I rely heavily on perennials. But I have a few beds that I like to change up yearly for my vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. It’s a good idea to plan out where you plan to place your plants based on their growing conditions (light vs shade, moisture, wind protection, preferred soil, etc.) and their spacing requirements. Planning ahead of time also gives you a good indication of how many seeds to start, so you don’t start too many or too little. Try square-foot gardening to maximize a small space. 3. Spring Pruning I don’t do much pruning in spring, as many of the flower buds and leaves are forming or already formed before going into dormancy. The last thing I want to do is cut off this year’s flowers before they’ve even bloomed! Pruning in spring can be helpful for controlling plants that are invasive since you can trim them before they flower and spread. With buds forming, it can also be helpful to spot diseased or dead branches that might have been difficult to identify in the winter. Those can be removed to give the plant new vigour. Most buds are already on the wood, so avoid snipping off any flowering branches. Hopefully, your past self treated your gardening tools well, and they were cleaned and safely stored away for the winter. Before you bring them out for another season, now is a great time to sharpen your tools. Use a coarse file followed by a sharpening stone to sharpen your pruners. Don’t forget to sharpen your forks, shovels, shears, and even trowels if they’re dull! I like to sharpen my pruners every couple of months. 5. Start Seeds By April, almost all zones in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeds. For those with mild winters, you can begin direct sowing. Others can start seeds indoors. Finding out when to start your seeds takes some practice. The most important thing to know is the average frost date for your area. Seed packets will tell you when to start seeds based on this date, such as planting indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date or direct sowing after all risk of frost has passed. If you’re new to seed starting, I highly suggest you check out my seed starting eBook Get Growing! It has everything you need to know, from buying seeds to germination to caring for your plants as they reach full maturity. Grow lights for seed starting is especially helpful when living in a colder climate. 6. Cool Season Crops Many vegetables (and flowers) prefer the cool conditions of spring as opposed to the hot summer weather. Focus on planting cool-weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, broccoli, and peas. For flowers, plant sweet peas, bachelor’s buttons, feverfew, larkspur, nigella, poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and yarrow. 7. Fertilize Many blooming shrubs will like to get a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Personally, I skip this step since I believe my soil has everything the plant needs, and I don’t need to supplement it with synthetic fertilizers. Instead, I like to amend my soil with compost. I also make my own organic fertilizers, which I dedicate a whole chapter to in my book, Garden Alchemy. My homemade fertilizers. 8. Order Bulbs Right about now, you’re probably enjoying all the tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs you planted. Do a little work for your future self again by ordering your summer flowering bulbs. I’m talking dahlias, freesia, gladiolus, crocosmia, canna lilies, liatris, lilies, calla lilies, and begonias. Depending on where you are and the type of bulb, you may even be able to plant your summer flowering bulbs, too. Read the package to know your perfect planting time, and follow the guidelines. Dahlias are a popular cut flower in the summer that should be planted in the spring. 9. Spring Containers While we’re itching to get outside and in the garden beds, doing a little container refresh is a great way to get that gardening bug out and a little colour into your life. Head to the garden centre (here’s your official excuse), and buy some spring plant starts. Oftentimes, they’ll have some spring bulbs you can put in there. Other great options are pansies, primula, cyclamen, and ranunculus. Spring containers I put together a couple of years ago using spring bulbs and primula. 10. Plan Big Projects If you did some goal planning earlier in the year, you might already know what big projects you want to tackle in the garden. Now is a great time to sit down and formulate a plan. This could include making a map, a budget plan, sourcing materials, choosing plants, and more. I highly suggest adding a nice, shaded sitting area to your garden. Having a place where you can rest mid-gardening or on those days you just want to sit and enjoy your garden sanctuary is vital to any size garden. A resting spot never goes unused in the garden. 11. Decluttering Spring cleaning is supposed to be the time when you go through and do a big decluttering. While I agree that it’s a great time to toss out broken bits and things you can’t salvage, I find that freeing up space isn’t always the magical solution. Sometimes, hanging onto items for when you need them is the better choice. Consider keeping supplies around if you’re going through your gardening shed. As I finally start planting everything in my garden this spring, I’m going to be thankful I saved all those plastic nursery pots and trays for seed starting this year. Keep what you will use again, upcycle what you can, and recycle or give away the rest. 12. Resist Cleaning Up If the sun is really shining where you live in April, you may already hear your neighbours busting out the lawn mower. By now, you might have seen some lazy bumble bees coming out of hibernation to visit all the spring flowering trees. While some of the bees may be out, other bees and pollinators are still resting. It’s important to resist cleaning up your garden beds for the hibernating critters in there. The mulch also protects the plants and invertebrates against any late frosts. If you wouldn’t plant your tomatoes, then it’s too early for spring clean-up. To further help pollinators, practice No Mow May (and April!) so that you can help create habitat and forage for those early-season pollinators. Leave the leaf mulch and dead debris for a little while longer. 13. Get Outside No matter where you are, the weather should slowly be getting better. I just know you’ve had some sunshine-filled days, even if the frost is still on the ground! Spring is when we feel our SAD slowly start to lift, and we can further speed it along by getting outside, enjoying some fresh air, soaking in vitamin D, and getting back in touch with nature. Getting outside has so many proven mental health benefits, so get out there daily if you can, even for just a few minutes. Bundle up and go for a walk. 14. Begin a Stretching Routine When the gardening season starts, we quickly overdo it. The first sunny day, you’re out there pruning, digging, and cleaning, and your body isn’t used to it. You’ll find yourself needing a soak in the tub to alleviate all the damage you did in your excitement! I’ve definitely been there. Consider implementing a stretching routine that you can adhere to for the next few months to be kind to your body. Stretching can help alleviate stiffness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall mobility. And that’s a wrap on April gardening jobs! That’s more than enough to keep you busy and excited for the month. Let me know what you’re working on in your garden this month in the comments below. More April Gardening Jobs to Get Done Source link

[shelyold]

To some, April is the kickoff of the gardening season. It’s a busy time for gardeners as we prep seeds, garden beds, and containers. Here are some of the main April gardening jobs and tasks to ensure your garden is ready for the season. April is one of the best months for us gardeners. Outside, signs of life are starting to bud, and the promise of spring is finally in show. Gardeners know that the majority of work actually occurs in the spring, not the summer, as we work to prep and plant this year’s plants. While we can begin in February and March, we really start to kick things off in April. If you’re new to gardening, knowing what to do and when can quickly become overwhelming. Here is a list of some of the April gardening jobs you can get done, even if winter is still holding on tight where you live. 1. Turn Your Compost If you’re anything like me, you probably ignore your compost a little more in the winter than in the warmer months. Now is a great time to check on your compost and give it some aeration. Any finished compost can go right into the garden beds. Add it as a top layer without digging it in so you don’t disrupt the soil and microorganisms in it. 2. Plan Your Garden Layout Most of my garden remains the same, as I rely heavily on perennials. But I have a few beds that I like to change up yearly for my vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. It’s a good idea to plan out where you plan to place your plants based on their growing conditions (light vs shade, moisture, wind protection, preferred soil, etc.) and their spacing requirements. Planning ahead of time also gives you a good indication of how many seeds to start, so you don’t start too many or too little. Try square-foot gardening to maximize a small space. 3. Spring Pruning I don’t do much pruning in spring, as many of the flower buds and leaves are forming or already formed before going into dormancy. The last thing I want to do is cut off this year’s flowers before they’ve even bloomed! Pruning in spring can be helpful for controlling plants that are invasive since you can trim them before they flower and spread. With buds forming, it can also be helpful to spot diseased or dead branches that might have been difficult to identify in the winter. Those can be removed to give the plant new vigour. Most buds are already on the wood, so avoid snipping off any flowering branches. Hopefully, your past self treated your gardening tools well, and they were cleaned and safely stored away for the winter. Before you bring them out for another season, now is a great time to sharpen your tools. Use a coarse file followed by a sharpening stone to sharpen your pruners. Don’t forget to sharpen your forks, shovels, shears, and even trowels if they’re dull! I like to sharpen my pruners every couple of months. 5. Start Seeds By April, almost all zones in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeds. For those with mild winters, you can begin direct sowing. Others can start seeds indoors. Finding out when to start your seeds takes some practice. The most important thing to know is the average frost date for your area. Seed packets will tell you when to start seeds based on this date, such as planting indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date or direct sowing after all risk of frost has passed. If you’re new to seed starting, I highly suggest you check out my seed starting eBook Get Growing! It has everything you need to know, from buying seeds to germination to caring for your plants as they reach full maturity. Grow lights for seed starting is especially helpful when living in a colder climate. 6. Cool Season Crops Many vegetables (and flowers) prefer the cool conditions of spring as opposed to the hot summer weather. Focus on planting cool-weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, broccoli, and peas. For flowers, plant sweet peas, bachelor’s buttons, feverfew, larkspur, nigella, poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and yarrow. 7. Fertilize Many blooming shrubs will like to get a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Personally, I skip this step since I believe my soil has everything the plant needs, and I don’t need to supplement it with synthetic fertilizers. Instead, I like to amend my soil with compost. I also make my own organic fertilizers, which I dedicate a whole chapter to in my book, Garden Alchemy. My homemade fertilizers. 8. Order Bulbs Right about now, you’re probably enjoying all the tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs you planted. Do a little work for your future self again by ordering your summer flowering bulbs. I’m talking dahlias, freesia, gladiolus, crocosmia, canna lilies, liatris, lilies, calla lilies, and begonias. Depending on where you are and the type of bulb, you may even be able to plant your summer flowering bulbs, too. Read the package to know your perfect planting time, and follow the guidelines. Dahlias are a popular cut flower in the summer that should be planted in the spring. 9. Spring Containers While we’re itching to get outside and in the garden beds, doing a little container refresh is a great way to get that gardening bug out and a little colour into your life. Head to the garden centre (here’s your official excuse), and buy some spring plant starts. Oftentimes, they’ll have some spring bulbs you can put in there. Other great options are pansies, primula, cyclamen, and ranunculus. Spring containers I put together a couple of years ago using spring bulbs and primula. 10. Plan Big Projects If you did some goal planning earlier in the year, you might already know what big projects you want to tackle in the garden. Now is a great time to sit down and formulate a plan. This could include making a map, a budget plan, sourcing materials, choosing plants, and more. I highly suggest adding a nice, shaded sitting area to your garden. Having a place where you can rest mid-gardening or on those days you just want to sit and enjoy your garden sanctuary is vital to any size garden. A resting spot never goes unused in the garden. 11. Decluttering Spring cleaning is supposed to be the time when you go through and do a big decluttering. While I agree that it’s a great time to toss out broken bits and things you can’t salvage, I find that freeing up space isn’t always the magical solution. Sometimes, hanging onto items for when you need them is the better choice. Consider keeping supplies around if you’re going through your gardening shed. As I finally start planting everything in my garden this spring, I’m going to be thankful I saved all those plastic nursery pots and trays for seed starting this year. Keep what you will use again, upcycle what you can, and recycle or give away the rest. 12. Resist Cleaning Up If the sun is really shining where you live in April, you may already hear your neighbours busting out the lawn mower. By now, you might have seen some lazy bumble bees coming out of hibernation to visit all the spring flowering trees. While some of the bees may be out, other bees and pollinators are still resting. It’s important to resist cleaning up your garden beds for the hibernating critters in there. The mulch also protects the plants and invertebrates against any late frosts. If you wouldn’t plant your tomatoes, then it’s too early for spring clean-up. To further help pollinators, practice No Mow May (and April!) so that you can help create habitat and forage for those early-season pollinators. Leave the leaf mulch and dead debris for a little while longer. 13. Get Outside No matter where you are, the weather should slowly be getting better. I just know you’ve had some sunshine-filled days, even if the frost is still on the ground! Spring is when we feel our SAD slowly start to lift, and we can further speed it along by getting outside, enjoying some fresh air, soaking in vitamin D, and getting back in touch with nature. Getting outside has so many proven mental health benefits, so get out there daily if you can, even for just a few minutes. Bundle up and go for a walk. 14. Begin a Stretching Routine When the gardening season starts, we quickly overdo it. The first sunny day, you’re out there pruning, digging, and cleaning, and your body isn’t used to it. You’ll find yourself needing a soak in the tub to alleviate all the damage you did in your excitement! I’ve definitely been there. Consider implementing a stretching routine that you can adhere to for the next few months to be kind to your body. Stretching can help alleviate stiffness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall mobility. And that’s a wrap on April gardening jobs! That’s more than enough to keep you busy and excited for the month. Let me know what you’re working on in your garden this month in the comments below. More April Gardening Jobs to Get Done Source link

[iammeandmy]

To some, April is the kickoff of the gardening season. It’s a busy time for gardeners as we prep seeds, garden beds, and containers. Here are some of the main April gardening jobs and tasks to ensure your garden is ready for the season. April is one of the best months for us gardeners. Outside, signs of life are starting to bud, and the promise of spring is finally in show. Gardeners know that the majority of work actually occurs in the spring, not the summer, as we work to prep and plant this year’s plants. While we can begin in February and March, we really start to kick things off in April. If you’re new to gardening, knowing what to do and when can quickly become overwhelming. Here is a list of some of the April gardening jobs you can get done, even if winter is still holding on tight where you live. 1. Turn Your Compost If you’re anything like me, you probably ignore your compost a little more in the winter than in the warmer months. Now is a great time to check on your compost and give it some aeration. Any finished compost can go right into the garden beds. Add it as a top layer without digging it in so you don’t disrupt the soil and microorganisms in it. 2. Plan Your Garden Layout Most of my garden remains the same, as I rely heavily on perennials. But I have a few beds that I like to change up yearly for my vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. It’s a good idea to plan out where you plan to place your plants based on their growing conditions (light vs shade, moisture, wind protection, preferred soil, etc.) and their spacing requirements. Planning ahead of time also gives you a good indication of how many seeds to start, so you don’t start too many or too little. Try square-foot gardening to maximize a small space. 3. Spring Pruning I don’t do much pruning in spring, as many of the flower buds and leaves are forming or already formed before going into dormancy. The last thing I want to do is cut off this year’s flowers before they’ve even bloomed! Pruning in spring can be helpful for controlling plants that are invasive since you can trim them before they flower and spread. With buds forming, it can also be helpful to spot diseased or dead branches that might have been difficult to identify in the winter. Those can be removed to give the plant new vigour. Most buds are already on the wood, so avoid snipping off any flowering branches. Hopefully, your past self treated your gardening tools well, and they were cleaned and safely stored away for the winter. Before you bring them out for another season, now is a great time to sharpen your tools. Use a coarse file followed by a sharpening stone to sharpen your pruners. Don’t forget to sharpen your forks, shovels, shears, and even trowels if they’re dull! I like to sharpen my pruners every couple of months. 5. Start Seeds By April, almost all zones in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeds. For those with mild winters, you can begin direct sowing. Others can start seeds indoors. Finding out when to start your seeds takes some practice. The most important thing to know is the average frost date for your area. Seed packets will tell you when to start seeds based on this date, such as planting indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date or direct sowing after all risk of frost has passed. If you’re new to seed starting, I highly suggest you check out my seed starting eBook Get Growing! It has everything you need to know, from buying seeds to germination to caring for your plants as they reach full maturity. Grow lights for seed starting is especially helpful when living in a colder climate. 6. Cool Season Crops Many vegetables (and flowers) prefer the cool conditions of spring as opposed to the hot summer weather. Focus on planting cool-weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, broccoli, and peas. For flowers, plant sweet peas, bachelor’s buttons, feverfew, larkspur, nigella, poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and yarrow. 7. Fertilize Many blooming shrubs will like to get a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Personally, I skip this step since I believe my soil has everything the plant needs, and I don’t need to supplement it with synthetic fertilizers. Instead, I like to amend my soil with compost. I also make my own organic fertilizers, which I dedicate a whole chapter to in my book, Garden Alchemy. My homemade fertilizers. 8. Order Bulbs Right about now, you’re probably enjoying all the tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs you planted. Do a little work for your future self again by ordering your summer flowering bulbs. I’m talking dahlias, freesia, gladiolus, crocosmia, canna lilies, liatris, lilies, calla lilies, and begonias. Depending on where you are and the type of bulb, you may even be able to plant your summer flowering bulbs, too. Read the package to know your perfect planting time, and follow the guidelines. Dahlias are a popular cut flower in the summer that should be planted in the spring. 9. Spring Containers While we’re itching to get outside and in the garden beds, doing a little container refresh is a great way to get that gardening bug out and a little colour into your life. Head to the garden centre (here’s your official excuse), and buy some spring plant starts. Oftentimes, they’ll have some spring bulbs you can put in there. Other great options are pansies, primula, cyclamen, and ranunculus. Spring containers I put together a couple of years ago using spring bulbs and primula. 10. Plan Big Projects If you did some goal planning earlier in the year, you might already know what big projects you want to tackle in the garden. Now is a great time to sit down and formulate a plan. This could include making a map, a budget plan, sourcing materials, choosing plants, and more. I highly suggest adding a nice, shaded sitting area to your garden. Having a place where you can rest mid-gardening or on those days you just want to sit and enjoy your garden sanctuary is vital to any size garden. A resting spot never goes unused in the garden. 11. Decluttering Spring cleaning is supposed to be the time when you go through and do a big decluttering. While I agree that it’s a great time to toss out broken bits and things you can’t salvage, I find that freeing up space isn’t always the magical solution. Sometimes, hanging onto items for when you need them is the better choice. Consider keeping supplies around if you’re going through your gardening shed. As I finally start planting everything in my garden this spring, I’m going to be thankful I saved all those plastic nursery pots and trays for seed starting this year. Keep what you will use again, upcycle what you can, and recycle or give away the rest. 12. Resist Cleaning Up If the sun is really shining where you live in April, you may already hear your neighbours busting out the lawn mower. By now, you might have seen some lazy bumble bees coming out of hibernation to visit all the spring flowering trees. While some of the bees may be out, other bees and pollinators are still resting. It’s important to resist cleaning up your garden beds for the hibernating critters in there. The mulch also protects the plants and invertebrates against any late frosts. If you wouldn’t plant your tomatoes, then it’s too early for spring clean-up. To further help pollinators, practice No Mow May (and April!) so that you can help create habitat and forage for those early-season pollinators. Leave the leaf mulch and dead debris for a little while longer. 13. Get Outside No matter where you are, the weather should slowly be getting better. I just know you’ve had some sunshine-filled days, even if the frost is still on the ground! Spring is when we feel our SAD slowly start to lift, and we can further speed it along by getting outside, enjoying some fresh air, soaking in vitamin D, and getting back in touch with nature. Getting outside has so many proven mental health benefits, so get out there daily if you can, even for just a few minutes. Bundle up and go for a walk. 14. Begin a Stretching Routine When the gardening season starts, we quickly overdo it. The first sunny day, you’re out there pruning, digging, and cleaning, and your body isn’t used to it. You’ll find yourself needing a soak in the tub to alleviate all the damage you did in your excitement! I’ve definitely been there. Consider implementing a stretching routine that you can adhere to for the next few months to be kind to your body. Stretching can help alleviate stiffness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall mobility. And that’s a wrap on April gardening jobs! That’s more than enough to keep you busy and excited for the month. Let me know what you’re working on in your garden this month in the comments below. More April Gardening Jobs to Get Done Source link

[januishstory]

To some, April is the kickoff of the gardening season. It’s a busy time for gardeners as we prep seeds, garden beds, and containers. Here are some of the main April gardening jobs and tasks to ensure your garden is ready for the season. April is one of the best months for us gardeners. Outside, signs of life are starting to bud, and the promise of spring is finally in show. Gardeners know that the majority of work actually occurs in the spring, not the summer, as we work to prep and plant this year’s plants. While we can begin in February and March, we really start to kick things off in April. If you’re new to gardening, knowing what to do and when can quickly become overwhelming. Here is a list of some of the April gardening jobs you can get done, even if winter is still holding on tight where you live. 1. Turn Your Compost If you’re anything like me, you probably ignore your compost a little more in the winter than in the warmer months. Now is a great time to check on your compost and give it some aeration. Any finished compost can go right into the garden beds. Add it as a top layer without digging it in so you don’t disrupt the soil and microorganisms in it. 2. Plan Your Garden Layout Most of my garden remains the same, as I rely heavily on perennials. But I have a few beds that I like to change up yearly for my vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. It’s a good idea to plan out where you plan to place your plants based on their growing conditions (light vs shade, moisture, wind protection, preferred soil, etc.) and their spacing requirements. Planning ahead of time also gives you a good indication of how many seeds to start, so you don’t start too many or too little. Try square-foot gardening to maximize a small space. 3. Spring Pruning I don’t do much pruning in spring, as many of the flower buds and leaves are forming or already formed before going into dormancy. The last thing I want to do is cut off this year’s flowers before they’ve even bloomed! Pruning in spring can be helpful for controlling plants that are invasive since you can trim them before they flower and spread. With buds forming, it can also be helpful to spot diseased or dead branches that might have been difficult to identify in the winter. Those can be removed to give the plant new vigour. Most buds are already on the wood, so avoid snipping off any flowering branches. Hopefully, your past self treated your gardening tools well, and they were cleaned and safely stored away for the winter. Before you bring them out for another season, now is a great time to sharpen your tools. Use a coarse file followed by a sharpening stone to sharpen your pruners. Don’t forget to sharpen your forks, shovels, shears, and even trowels if they’re dull! I like to sharpen my pruners every couple of months. 5. Start Seeds By April, almost all zones in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeds. For those with mild winters, you can begin direct sowing. Others can start seeds indoors. Finding out when to start your seeds takes some practice. The most important thing to know is the average frost date for your area. Seed packets will tell you when to start seeds based on this date, such as planting indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date or direct sowing after all risk of frost has passed. If you’re new to seed starting, I highly suggest you check out my seed starting eBook Get Growing! It has everything you need to know, from buying seeds to germination to caring for your plants as they reach full maturity. Grow lights for seed starting is especially helpful when living in a colder climate. 6. Cool Season Crops Many vegetables (and flowers) prefer the cool conditions of spring as opposed to the hot summer weather. Focus on planting cool-weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, broccoli, and peas. For flowers, plant sweet peas, bachelor’s buttons, feverfew, larkspur, nigella, poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and yarrow. 7. Fertilize Many blooming shrubs will like to get a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Personally, I skip this step since I believe my soil has everything the plant needs, and I don’t need to supplement it with synthetic fertilizers. Instead, I like to amend my soil with compost. I also make my own organic fertilizers, which I dedicate a whole chapter to in my book, Garden Alchemy. My homemade fertilizers. 8. Order Bulbs Right about now, you’re probably enjoying all the tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs you planted. Do a little work for your future self again by ordering your summer flowering bulbs. I’m talking dahlias, freesia, gladiolus, crocosmia, canna lilies, liatris, lilies, calla lilies, and begonias. Depending on where you are and the type of bulb, you may even be able to plant your summer flowering bulbs, too. Read the package to know your perfect planting time, and follow the guidelines. Dahlias are a popular cut flower in the summer that should be planted in the spring. 9. Spring Containers While we’re itching to get outside and in the garden beds, doing a little container refresh is a great way to get that gardening bug out and a little colour into your life. Head to the garden centre (here’s your official excuse), and buy some spring plant starts. Oftentimes, they’ll have some spring bulbs you can put in there. Other great options are pansies, primula, cyclamen, and ranunculus. Spring containers I put together a couple of years ago using spring bulbs and primula. 10. Plan Big Projects If you did some goal planning earlier in the year, you might already know what big projects you want to tackle in the garden. Now is a great time to sit down and formulate a plan. This could include making a map, a budget plan, sourcing materials, choosing plants, and more. I highly suggest adding a nice, shaded sitting area to your garden. Having a place where you can rest mid-gardening or on those days you just want to sit and enjoy your garden sanctuary is vital to any size garden. A resting spot never goes unused in the garden. 11. Decluttering Spring cleaning is supposed to be the time when you go through and do a big decluttering. While I agree that it’s a great time to toss out broken bits and things you can’t salvage, I find that freeing up space isn’t always the magical solution. Sometimes, hanging onto items for when you need them is the better choice. Consider keeping supplies around if you’re going through your gardening shed. As I finally start planting everything in my garden this spring, I’m going to be thankful I saved all those plastic nursery pots and trays for seed starting this year. Keep what you will use again, upcycle what you can, and recycle or give away the rest. 12. Resist Cleaning Up If the sun is really shining where you live in April, you may already hear your neighbours busting out the lawn mower. By now, you might have seen some lazy bumble bees coming out of hibernation to visit all the spring flowering trees. While some of the bees may be out, other bees and pollinators are still resting. It’s important to resist cleaning up your garden beds for the hibernating critters in there. The mulch also protects the plants and invertebrates against any late frosts. If you wouldn’t plant your tomatoes, then it’s too early for spring clean-up. To further help pollinators, practice No Mow May (and April!) so that you can help create habitat and forage for those early-season pollinators. Leave the leaf mulch and dead debris for a little while longer. 13. Get Outside No matter where you are, the weather should slowly be getting better. I just know you’ve had some sunshine-filled days, even if the frost is still on the ground! Spring is when we feel our SAD slowly start to lift, and we can further speed it along by getting outside, enjoying some fresh air, soaking in vitamin D, and getting back in touch with nature. Getting outside has so many proven mental health benefits, so get out there daily if you can, even for just a few minutes. Bundle up and go for a walk. 14. Begin a Stretching Routine When the gardening season starts, we quickly overdo it. The first sunny day, you’re out there pruning, digging, and cleaning, and your body isn’t used to it. You’ll find yourself needing a soak in the tub to alleviate all the damage you did in your excitement! I’ve definitely been there. Consider implementing a stretching routine that you can adhere to for the next few months to be kind to your body. Stretching can help alleviate stiffness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall mobility. And that’s a wrap on April gardening jobs! That’s more than enough to keep you busy and excited for the month. Let me know what you’re working on in your garden this month in the comments below. More April Gardening Jobs to Get Done Source link

[tameblog]

Not only is organic fertilizer better for the environment, but it’s actually better for your plants! Avoid fertilizer burn and help your plants get all the nutrients they need by making your own organic fertilizer blends and teas. I’ll show you everything you need to know. Very rarely do I use fertilizer in my home. I’m constantly working on my soil, adding in natural amendments like compost or natural leaf mulch, so I don’t need to add anything specific to make my plants happy. Never ever do I use synthetic fertilizers—and I’ll explain why below. But I do like to include natural fertilizers on rare occasions when I think a specific plant may need a boost, or I want to ensure my vegetable garden is packed with nutrients. Fertilizers are especially important for container plants, as potting soil often lacks the goodness that comes from the good bacteria, microorganisms, and organic matter you’ll naturally find in your garden beds. If you’re fertilizing this spring, I highly encourage you to reach for organic fertilizers. And don’t you worry, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Let’s dive in! But First! Garden Alchemy Many of the ideas below are just scratching the surface on organic fertilizers. My book, Garden Alchemy, dedicates a whole chapter on how you can make your own fertilizer blends from scratch, all the necessary ingredients, and a few recipes you can make at home. In addition to fertilizers, I also dive deep into the many ways to make compost, soil blends, and mulches. It’s a book full of concoctions for the DIY and organic gardener, and many use it as their gardening bible! You can find more information on where to order it here. Natural vs. Synthetic Fertilizers Natural fertilizers are derived from minerals, plants, and animal products while synthetic fertilizers are synthesized chemicals of nutrients. Plants will use both natural and synthetic fertilizers indiscriminately, but they function differently. Synthetic fertilizer molecules are made to be readily available to plants, and therefore, can be hard to regulate. It’s easy to overapply synthetic fertilizer and cause plants to take up too much nutrition too quickly, causing fertilizer burn. Additionally, leftover nutrients from synthetic fertilizers are washed away through the groundwater and can be a detriment to the ecological health of the surrounding areas and waterways. Natural fertilizers are more forgiving because they’re often not as readily available for plants. Soil wildlife, such as bacteria, fungi, and insects, break down the organic matter into plant-available forms. This supports the soil’s living biome, regulates the speed at which nutrients are available, and encourages the plant to grow stable roots and expand the area from which it collects nutrients. Fertilizers from natural sources are a wonderful way to support plant growth while protecting soil life. It can be much more economical and satisfying to make your own organic fertilizer blends. While science and studies say that synthetic fertilizer is safe, they’re not the same. I always think about echinacea. When used as a wild plant to boost immunity, it was extremely effective. So pharmaceutical companies extracted it, studied it, and then made capsules to boost your immunity. But it’s not the same as herbal medicine and taking echinacea directly. There are constituents in the plant that help activate these properties—a missing factor the pills won’t give. When we extract from the natural world and replicate it into a synthetic, it doesn’t have the same effect. We won’t truly understand fully how it works in nature. Worm castings are highly nutritious, though the N-P-K values will fluctuate based on the worm’s diet. What Are Some Organic Fertilizers I Can Use? There are many different organic fertilizers you can add to your garden. Some are liquid, and some are granular. They may provide primary, secondary, or micronutrients. You can create your own custom mixes depending on what’s available and what nutrients you’re after for your plants. Here are some of the most popular organic fertilizers: Compost Lime Rock phosphate Mineral rock dust Greensand Bone meal Blood meal Alfalfa meal Kelp meal Wood ash Biochar Oyster shell flour Worm castings Mycorrhizae Animal manures Mushroom manure My collection of liquid and granular fertilizers. Granular Natural Fertilizer Blending Many natural fertilizers are sold in granular form. The packaging will list its N-P-K analysis (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) which are primary nutrients for plants. It may also list secondary nutrients and micronutrients. Granular natural fertilizers are easy to use, forgiving to blend, and release nutrients slowly in the soil. Even better, the dry granules can be mixed together to create fertilizer blends to best support the types of plants you’re growing. Here is my granular natural fertilizer recipe I use for all purpose (7-7-7): 3 parts blood meal 3 parts bone meal 1 part potassium sulfate To add in granular fertilizer, mix it into the soil before planting or top dress it with new soil. Apply it in early spring, ideally before planting. More granular recipe blends can be found in Garden Alchemy. The key to making your own granular organic fertilizer blends is including a variety of ingredients. Garden Teas and Foliar Sprays Garden teas are home-brewed liquid fertilizer preparations that extract soluble nutrients to be spread back into the garden through the soil or through direct application to a plant’s leaves. Liquid fertilizers can be used as a soil drench applied to the soil when watering or as a foliar spray. Garden teas and foliar sprays should be used with caution and should be highly diluted to avoid injuring plants. I include a few different garden tea recipes in Garden Alchemy that you can check out. I also have a few recipes online: Organic Fertilizer FAQ Should you fertilize sick plants? Many people see sick plants and use fertilizer as if it were medicine in hopes of making it better again. Plants can be sick for many reasons, but if you’re adding organic matter and supporting healthy soil, then the nutrients in the soil likely aren’t the culprit. Use this guide to find the source of why your plant is unhappy. What is fertilizer burn? Fertilizer burn occurs when the plant takes up too much nutrition too quickly, usually from synthetic fertilizers. It usually looks like yellow or brown leaves that have curled or died. This is why it’s important not to overapply fertilizer.Fertilizer burn can be avoided by using organic fertilizers since the nutrients dissolve and release more slowly. Can Epsom salts work as an organic fertilizer? Some describe Epsom salt as a miracle fertilizer and plant disease cure. Essentially, Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate. While magnesium and sulfur are secondary nutrients essential for plant health, they’re rarely deficient in the home garden, and Epsom salt won’t help your plants much. You can find out more on Epsom salts in the garden in this post. Make Your Soil Even Better A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[ramestoryworld]

Not only is organic fertilizer better for the environment, but it’s actually better for your plants! Avoid fertilizer burn and help your plants get all the nutrients they need by making your own organic fertilizer blends and teas. I’ll show you everything you need to know. Very rarely do I use fertilizer in my home. I’m constantly working on my soil, adding in natural amendments like compost or natural leaf mulch, so I don’t need to add anything specific to make my plants happy. Never ever do I use synthetic fertilizers—and I’ll explain why below. But I do like to include natural fertilizers on rare occasions when I think a specific plant may need a boost, or I want to ensure my vegetable garden is packed with nutrients. Fertilizers are especially important for container plants, as potting soil often lacks the goodness that comes from the good bacteria, microorganisms, and organic matter you’ll naturally find in your garden beds. If you’re fertilizing this spring, I highly encourage you to reach for organic fertilizers. And don’t you worry, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Let’s dive in! But First! Garden Alchemy Many of the ideas below are just scratching the surface on organic fertilizers. My book, Garden Alchemy, dedicates a whole chapter on how you can make your own fertilizer blends from scratch, all the necessary ingredients, and a few recipes you can make at home. In addition to fertilizers, I also dive deep into the many ways to make compost, soil blends, and mulches. It’s a book full of concoctions for the DIY and organic gardener, and many use it as their gardening bible! You can find more information on where to order it here. Natural vs. Synthetic Fertilizers Natural fertilizers are derived from minerals, plants, and animal products while synthetic fertilizers are synthesized chemicals of nutrients. Plants will use both natural and synthetic fertilizers indiscriminately, but they function differently. Synthetic fertilizer molecules are made to be readily available to plants, and therefore, can be hard to regulate. It’s easy to overapply synthetic fertilizer and cause plants to take up too much nutrition too quickly, causing fertilizer burn. Additionally, leftover nutrients from synthetic fertilizers are washed away through the groundwater and can be a detriment to the ecological health of the surrounding areas and waterways. Natural fertilizers are more forgiving because they’re often not as readily available for plants. Soil wildlife, such as bacteria, fungi, and insects, break down the organic matter into plant-available forms. This supports the soil’s living biome, regulates the speed at which nutrients are available, and encourages the plant to grow stable roots and expand the area from which it collects nutrients. Fertilizers from natural sources are a wonderful way to support plant growth while protecting soil life. It can be much more economical and satisfying to make your own organic fertilizer blends. While science and studies say that synthetic fertilizer is safe, they’re not the same. I always think about echinacea. When used as a wild plant to boost immunity, it was extremely effective. So pharmaceutical companies extracted it, studied it, and then made capsules to boost your immunity. But it’s not the same as herbal medicine and taking echinacea directly. There are constituents in the plant that help activate these properties—a missing factor the pills won’t give. When we extract from the natural world and replicate it into a synthetic, it doesn’t have the same effect. We won’t truly understand fully how it works in nature. Worm castings are highly nutritious, though the N-P-K values will fluctuate based on the worm’s diet. What Are Some Organic Fertilizers I Can Use? There are many different organic fertilizers you can add to your garden. Some are liquid, and some are granular. They may provide primary, secondary, or micronutrients. You can create your own custom mixes depending on what’s available and what nutrients you’re after for your plants. Here are some of the most popular organic fertilizers: Compost Lime Rock phosphate Mineral rock dust Greensand Bone meal Blood meal Alfalfa meal Kelp meal Wood ash Biochar Oyster shell flour Worm castings Mycorrhizae Animal manures Mushroom manure My collection of liquid and granular fertilizers. Granular Natural Fertilizer Blending Many natural fertilizers are sold in granular form. The packaging will list its N-P-K analysis (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) which are primary nutrients for plants. It may also list secondary nutrients and micronutrients. Granular natural fertilizers are easy to use, forgiving to blend, and release nutrients slowly in the soil. Even better, the dry granules can be mixed together to create fertilizer blends to best support the types of plants you’re growing. Here is my granular natural fertilizer recipe I use for all purpose (7-7-7): 3 parts blood meal 3 parts bone meal 1 part potassium sulfate To add in granular fertilizer, mix it into the soil before planting or top dress it with new soil. Apply it in early spring, ideally before planting. More granular recipe blends can be found in Garden Alchemy. The key to making your own granular organic fertilizer blends is including a variety of ingredients. Garden Teas and Foliar Sprays Garden teas are home-brewed liquid fertilizer preparations that extract soluble nutrients to be spread back into the garden through the soil or through direct application to a plant’s leaves. Liquid fertilizers can be used as a soil drench applied to the soil when watering or as a foliar spray. Garden teas and foliar sprays should be used with caution and should be highly diluted to avoid injuring plants. I include a few different garden tea recipes in Garden Alchemy that you can check out. I also have a few recipes online: Organic Fertilizer FAQ Should you fertilize sick plants? Many people see sick plants and use fertilizer as if it were medicine in hopes of making it better again. Plants can be sick for many reasons, but if you’re adding organic matter and supporting healthy soil, then the nutrients in the soil likely aren’t the culprit. Use this guide to find the source of why your plant is unhappy. What is fertilizer burn? Fertilizer burn occurs when the plant takes up too much nutrition too quickly, usually from synthetic fertilizers. It usually looks like yellow or brown leaves that have curled or died. This is why it’s important not to overapply fertilizer.Fertilizer burn can be avoided by using organic fertilizers since the nutrients dissolve and release more slowly. Can Epsom salts work as an organic fertilizer? Some describe Epsom salt as a miracle fertilizer and plant disease cure. Essentially, Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate. While magnesium and sulfur are secondary nutrients essential for plant health, they’re rarely deficient in the home garden, and Epsom salt won’t help your plants much. You can find out more on Epsom salts in the garden in this post. Make Your Soil Even Better A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[alexha2210]

Not only is organic fertilizer better for the environment, but it’s actually better for your plants! Avoid fertilizer burn and help your plants get all the nutrients they need by making your own organic fertilizer blends and teas. I’ll show you everything you need to know. Very rarely do I use fertilizer in my home. I’m constantly working on my soil, adding in natural amendments like compost or natural leaf mulch, so I don’t need to add anything specific to make my plants happy. Never ever do I use synthetic fertilizers—and I’ll explain why below. But I do like to include natural fertilizers on rare occasions when I think a specific plant may need a boost, or I want to ensure my vegetable garden is packed with nutrients. Fertilizers are especially important for container plants, as potting soil often lacks the goodness that comes from the good bacteria, microorganisms, and organic matter you’ll naturally find in your garden beds. If you’re fertilizing this spring, I highly encourage you to reach for organic fertilizers. And don’t you worry, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Let’s dive in! But First! Garden Alchemy Many of the ideas below are just scratching the surface on organic fertilizers. My book, Garden Alchemy, dedicates a whole chapter on how you can make your own fertilizer blends from scratch, all the necessary ingredients, and a few recipes you can make at home. In addition to fertilizers, I also dive deep into the many ways to make compost, soil blends, and mulches. It’s a book full of concoctions for the DIY and organic gardener, and many use it as their gardening bible! You can find more information on where to order it here. Natural vs. Synthetic Fertilizers Natural fertilizers are derived from minerals, plants, and animal products while synthetic fertilizers are synthesized chemicals of nutrients. Plants will use both natural and synthetic fertilizers indiscriminately, but they function differently. Synthetic fertilizer molecules are made to be readily available to plants, and therefore, can be hard to regulate. It’s easy to overapply synthetic fertilizer and cause plants to take up too much nutrition too quickly, causing fertilizer burn. Additionally, leftover nutrients from synthetic fertilizers are washed away through the groundwater and can be a detriment to the ecological health of the surrounding areas and waterways. Natural fertilizers are more forgiving because they’re often not as readily available for plants. Soil wildlife, such as bacteria, fungi, and insects, break down the organic matter into plant-available forms. This supports the soil’s living biome, regulates the speed at which nutrients are available, and encourages the plant to grow stable roots and expand the area from which it collects nutrients. Fertilizers from natural sources are a wonderful way to support plant growth while protecting soil life. It can be much more economical and satisfying to make your own organic fertilizer blends. While science and studies say that synthetic fertilizer is safe, they’re not the same. I always think about echinacea. When used as a wild plant to boost immunity, it was extremely effective. So pharmaceutical companies extracted it, studied it, and then made capsules to boost your immunity. But it’s not the same as herbal medicine and taking echinacea directly. There are constituents in the plant that help activate these properties—a missing factor the pills won’t give. When we extract from the natural world and replicate it into a synthetic, it doesn’t have the same effect. We won’t truly understand fully how it works in nature. Worm castings are highly nutritious, though the N-P-K values will fluctuate based on the worm’s diet. What Are Some Organic Fertilizers I Can Use? There are many different organic fertilizers you can add to your garden. Some are liquid, and some are granular. They may provide primary, secondary, or micronutrients. You can create your own custom mixes depending on what’s available and what nutrients you’re after for your plants. Here are some of the most popular organic fertilizers: Compost Lime Rock phosphate Mineral rock dust Greensand Bone meal Blood meal Alfalfa meal Kelp meal Wood ash Biochar Oyster shell flour Worm castings Mycorrhizae Animal manures Mushroom manure My collection of liquid and granular fertilizers. Granular Natural Fertilizer Blending Many natural fertilizers are sold in granular form. The packaging will list its N-P-K analysis (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) which are primary nutrients for plants. It may also list secondary nutrients and micronutrients. Granular natural fertilizers are easy to use, forgiving to blend, and release nutrients slowly in the soil. Even better, the dry granules can be mixed together to create fertilizer blends to best support the types of plants you’re growing. Here is my granular natural fertilizer recipe I use for all purpose (7-7-7): 3 parts blood meal 3 parts bone meal 1 part potassium sulfate To add in granular fertilizer, mix it into the soil before planting or top dress it with new soil. Apply it in early spring, ideally before planting. More granular recipe blends can be found in Garden Alchemy. The key to making your own granular organic fertilizer blends is including a variety of ingredients. Garden Teas and Foliar Sprays Garden teas are home-brewed liquid fertilizer preparations that extract soluble nutrients to be spread back into the garden through the soil or through direct application to a plant’s leaves. Liquid fertilizers can be used as a soil drench applied to the soil when watering or as a foliar spray. Garden teas and foliar sprays should be used with caution and should be highly diluted to avoid injuring plants. I include a few different garden tea recipes in Garden Alchemy that you can check out. I also have a few recipes online: Organic Fertilizer FAQ Should you fertilize sick plants? Many people see sick plants and use fertilizer as if it were medicine in hopes of making it better again. Plants can be sick for many reasons, but if you’re adding organic matter and supporting healthy soil, then the nutrients in the soil likely aren’t the culprit. Use this guide to find the source of why your plant is unhappy. What is fertilizer burn? Fertilizer burn occurs when the plant takes up too much nutrition too quickly, usually from synthetic fertilizers. It usually looks like yellow or brown leaves that have curled or died. This is why it’s important not to overapply fertilizer.Fertilizer burn can be avoided by using organic fertilizers since the nutrients dissolve and release more slowly. Can Epsom salts work as an organic fertilizer? Some describe Epsom salt as a miracle fertilizer and plant disease cure. Essentially, Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate. While magnesium and sulfur are secondary nutrients essential for plant health, they’re rarely deficient in the home garden, and Epsom salt won’t help your plants much. You can find out more on Epsom salts in the garden in this post. Make Your Soil Even Better A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[angusstory]

Not only is organic fertilizer better for the environment, but it’s actually better for your plants! Avoid fertilizer burn and help your plants get all the nutrients they need by making your own organic fertilizer blends and teas. I’ll show you everything you need to know. Very rarely do I use fertilizer in my home. I’m constantly working on my soil, adding in natural amendments like compost or natural leaf mulch, so I don’t need to add anything specific to make my plants happy. Never ever do I use synthetic fertilizers—and I’ll explain why below. But I do like to include natural fertilizers on rare occasions when I think a specific plant may need a boost, or I want to ensure my vegetable garden is packed with nutrients. Fertilizers are especially important for container plants, as potting soil often lacks the goodness that comes from the good bacteria, microorganisms, and organic matter you’ll naturally find in your garden beds. If you’re fertilizing this spring, I highly encourage you to reach for organic fertilizers. And don’t you worry, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Let’s dive in! But First! Garden Alchemy Many of the ideas below are just scratching the surface on organic fertilizers. My book, Garden Alchemy, dedicates a whole chapter on how you can make your own fertilizer blends from scratch, all the necessary ingredients, and a few recipes you can make at home. In addition to fertilizers, I also dive deep into the many ways to make compost, soil blends, and mulches. It’s a book full of concoctions for the DIY and organic gardener, and many use it as their gardening bible! You can find more information on where to order it here. Natural vs. Synthetic Fertilizers Natural fertilizers are derived from minerals, plants, and animal products while synthetic fertilizers are synthesized chemicals of nutrients. Plants will use both natural and synthetic fertilizers indiscriminately, but they function differently. Synthetic fertilizer molecules are made to be readily available to plants, and therefore, can be hard to regulate. It’s easy to overapply synthetic fertilizer and cause plants to take up too much nutrition too quickly, causing fertilizer burn. Additionally, leftover nutrients from synthetic fertilizers are washed away through the groundwater and can be a detriment to the ecological health of the surrounding areas and waterways. Natural fertilizers are more forgiving because they’re often not as readily available for plants. Soil wildlife, such as bacteria, fungi, and insects, break down the organic matter into plant-available forms. This supports the soil’s living biome, regulates the speed at which nutrients are available, and encourages the plant to grow stable roots and expand the area from which it collects nutrients. Fertilizers from natural sources are a wonderful way to support plant growth while protecting soil life. It can be much more economical and satisfying to make your own organic fertilizer blends. While science and studies say that synthetic fertilizer is safe, they’re not the same. I always think about echinacea. When used as a wild plant to boost immunity, it was extremely effective. So pharmaceutical companies extracted it, studied it, and then made capsules to boost your immunity. But it’s not the same as herbal medicine and taking echinacea directly. There are constituents in the plant that help activate these properties—a missing factor the pills won’t give. When we extract from the natural world and replicate it into a synthetic, it doesn’t have the same effect. We won’t truly understand fully how it works in nature. Worm castings are highly nutritious, though the N-P-K values will fluctuate based on the worm’s diet. What Are Some Organic Fertilizers I Can Use? There are many different organic fertilizers you can add to your garden. Some are liquid, and some are granular. They may provide primary, secondary, or micronutrients. You can create your own custom mixes depending on what’s available and what nutrients you’re after for your plants. Here are some of the most popular organic fertilizers: Compost Lime Rock phosphate Mineral rock dust Greensand Bone meal Blood meal Alfalfa meal Kelp meal Wood ash Biochar Oyster shell flour Worm castings Mycorrhizae Animal manures Mushroom manure My collection of liquid and granular fertilizers. Granular Natural Fertilizer Blending Many natural fertilizers are sold in granular form. The packaging will list its N-P-K analysis (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) which are primary nutrients for plants. It may also list secondary nutrients and micronutrients. Granular natural fertilizers are easy to use, forgiving to blend, and release nutrients slowly in the soil. Even better, the dry granules can be mixed together to create fertilizer blends to best support the types of plants you’re growing. Here is my granular natural fertilizer recipe I use for all purpose (7-7-7): 3 parts blood meal 3 parts bone meal 1 part potassium sulfate To add in granular fertilizer, mix it into the soil before planting or top dress it with new soil. Apply it in early spring, ideally before planting. More granular recipe blends can be found in Garden Alchemy. The key to making your own granular organic fertilizer blends is including a variety of ingredients. Garden Teas and Foliar Sprays Garden teas are home-brewed liquid fertilizer preparations that extract soluble nutrients to be spread back into the garden through the soil or through direct application to a plant’s leaves. Liquid fertilizers can be used as a soil drench applied to the soil when watering or as a foliar spray. Garden teas and foliar sprays should be used with caution and should be highly diluted to avoid injuring plants. I include a few different garden tea recipes in Garden Alchemy that you can check out. I also have a few recipes online: Organic Fertilizer FAQ Should you fertilize sick plants? Many people see sick plants and use fertilizer as if it were medicine in hopes of making it better again. Plants can be sick for many reasons, but if you’re adding organic matter and supporting healthy soil, then the nutrients in the soil likely aren’t the culprit. Use this guide to find the source of why your plant is unhappy. What is fertilizer burn? Fertilizer burn occurs when the plant takes up too much nutrition too quickly, usually from synthetic fertilizers. It usually looks like yellow or brown leaves that have curled or died. This is why it’s important not to overapply fertilizer.Fertilizer burn can be avoided by using organic fertilizers since the nutrients dissolve and release more slowly. Can Epsom salts work as an organic fertilizer? Some describe Epsom salt as a miracle fertilizer and plant disease cure. Essentially, Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate. While magnesium and sulfur are secondary nutrients essential for plant health, they’re rarely deficient in the home garden, and Epsom salt won’t help your plants much. You can find out more on Epsom salts in the garden in this post. Make Your Soil Even Better A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[tumibaba]

Not only is organic fertilizer better for the environment, but it’s actually better for your plants! Avoid fertilizer burn and help your plants get all the nutrients they need by making your own organic fertilizer blends and teas. I’ll show you everything you need to know. Very rarely do I use fertilizer in my home. I’m constantly working on my soil, adding in natural amendments like compost or natural leaf mulch, so I don’t need to add anything specific to make my plants happy. Never ever do I use synthetic fertilizers—and I’ll explain why below. But I do like to include natural fertilizers on rare occasions when I think a specific plant may need a boost, or I want to ensure my vegetable garden is packed with nutrients. Fertilizers are especially important for container plants, as potting soil often lacks the goodness that comes from the good bacteria, microorganisms, and organic matter you’ll naturally find in your garden beds. If you’re fertilizing this spring, I highly encourage you to reach for organic fertilizers. And don’t you worry, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Let’s dive in! But First! Garden Alchemy Many of the ideas below are just scratching the surface on organic fertilizers. My book, Garden Alchemy, dedicates a whole chapter on how you can make your own fertilizer blends from scratch, all the necessary ingredients, and a few recipes you can make at home. In addition to fertilizers, I also dive deep into the many ways to make compost, soil blends, and mulches. It’s a book full of concoctions for the DIY and organic gardener, and many use it as their gardening bible! You can find more information on where to order it here. Natural vs. Synthetic Fertilizers Natural fertilizers are derived from minerals, plants, and animal products while synthetic fertilizers are synthesized chemicals of nutrients. Plants will use both natural and synthetic fertilizers indiscriminately, but they function differently. Synthetic fertilizer molecules are made to be readily available to plants, and therefore, can be hard to regulate. It’s easy to overapply synthetic fertilizer and cause plants to take up too much nutrition too quickly, causing fertilizer burn. Additionally, leftover nutrients from synthetic fertilizers are washed away through the groundwater and can be a detriment to the ecological health of the surrounding areas and waterways. Natural fertilizers are more forgiving because they’re often not as readily available for plants. Soil wildlife, such as bacteria, fungi, and insects, break down the organic matter into plant-available forms. This supports the soil’s living biome, regulates the speed at which nutrients are available, and encourages the plant to grow stable roots and expand the area from which it collects nutrients. Fertilizers from natural sources are a wonderful way to support plant growth while protecting soil life. It can be much more economical and satisfying to make your own organic fertilizer blends. While science and studies say that synthetic fertilizer is safe, they’re not the same. I always think about echinacea. When used as a wild plant to boost immunity, it was extremely effective. So pharmaceutical companies extracted it, studied it, and then made capsules to boost your immunity. But it’s not the same as herbal medicine and taking echinacea directly. There are constituents in the plant that help activate these properties—a missing factor the pills won’t give. When we extract from the natural world and replicate it into a synthetic, it doesn’t have the same effect. We won’t truly understand fully how it works in nature. Worm castings are highly nutritious, though the N-P-K values will fluctuate based on the worm’s diet. What Are Some Organic Fertilizers I Can Use? There are many different organic fertilizers you can add to your garden. Some are liquid, and some are granular. They may provide primary, secondary, or micronutrients. You can create your own custom mixes depending on what’s available and what nutrients you’re after for your plants. Here are some of the most popular organic fertilizers: Compost Lime Rock phosphate Mineral rock dust Greensand Bone meal Blood meal Alfalfa meal Kelp meal Wood ash Biochar Oyster shell flour Worm castings Mycorrhizae Animal manures Mushroom manure My collection of liquid and granular fertilizers. Granular Natural Fertilizer Blending Many natural fertilizers are sold in granular form. The packaging will list its N-P-K analysis (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) which are primary nutrients for plants. It may also list secondary nutrients and micronutrients. Granular natural fertilizers are easy to use, forgiving to blend, and release nutrients slowly in the soil. Even better, the dry granules can be mixed together to create fertilizer blends to best support the types of plants you’re growing. Here is my granular natural fertilizer recipe I use for all purpose (7-7-7): 3 parts blood meal 3 parts bone meal 1 part potassium sulfate To add in granular fertilizer, mix it into the soil before planting or top dress it with new soil. Apply it in early spring, ideally before planting. More granular recipe blends can be found in Garden Alchemy. The key to making your own granular organic fertilizer blends is including a variety of ingredients. Garden Teas and Foliar Sprays Garden teas are home-brewed liquid fertilizer preparations that extract soluble nutrients to be spread back into the garden through the soil or through direct application to a plant’s leaves. Liquid fertilizers can be used as a soil drench applied to the soil when watering or as a foliar spray. Garden teas and foliar sprays should be used with caution and should be highly diluted to avoid injuring plants. I include a few different garden tea recipes in Garden Alchemy that you can check out. I also have a few recipes online: Organic Fertilizer FAQ Should you fertilize sick plants? Many people see sick plants and use fertilizer as if it were medicine in hopes of making it better again. Plants can be sick for many reasons, but if you’re adding organic matter and supporting healthy soil, then the nutrients in the soil likely aren’t the culprit. Use this guide to find the source of why your plant is unhappy. What is fertilizer burn? Fertilizer burn occurs when the plant takes up too much nutrition too quickly, usually from synthetic fertilizers. It usually looks like yellow or brown leaves that have curled or died. This is why it’s important not to overapply fertilizer.Fertilizer burn can be avoided by using organic fertilizers since the nutrients dissolve and release more slowly. Can Epsom salts work as an organic fertilizer? Some describe Epsom salt as a miracle fertilizer and plant disease cure. Essentially, Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate. While magnesium and sulfur are secondary nutrients essential for plant health, they’re rarely deficient in the home garden, and Epsom salt won’t help your plants much. You can find out more on Epsom salts in the garden in this post. Make Your Soil Even Better A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link