Spend the Spring Digging!

 Spend the Spring Digging!

First warm day at the end of March- Cover beds to kill grass- use cardboard and rocks, wet it down

• herb bed in garden
• front porch
• "wildflower" garden by River Road

April 16- Spring Break! 

Dig front porch and “wildflower” beds

Begin clearing slope- clear weeds, move large rock and smaller rocks, dig swale across the middle of the slope, add pressure treated board at bottom

Begin clearing fence line- Measure and outline garden fence border with string and stakes, cut the edges, dig out grass around the back side side of fence, where extension of tomato bed will be.

April 23- Clear two sides of fence this week, digging a little every day.

April 30- Finish digging fence line, finish final side this week

Finish (amend) front porch and “front lawn” beds and sow seeds for “wildflowers”

Finish digging slope, amend soil

May 7- Put up garden fence, finish broccoli beds and plant broccoli, row cover

                Use remaining wire fencing to make compost pen for leaves and grass clippings

        Remove both shrubs by hammock

        Move mullein "weeds" from lawn and garden to the front porch bed

May 14- Extend tomato and strawberry beds, add bagged soil,

Demo front porch steps to use to expand the raised beds, Put tape over the "dangerous" lack of steps until you can put wooden steps up 

Sow seeds (in addition to seedlings started inside)  for cornflower and yarrow in middle “flat” swale section of slope so seeds do not wash away.

        Wait as long as you can to do your spring garden clean up. Ideally, you should wait until the daytime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees F for at least 7 consecutive days. Use mower to chop up leftover leaves (even over in the neighbor's side, behind trees, keep this mowed this year?) put in pile behind compost bins using the leftover garden fencing.

May 21- Finish clearing zucchini and herb beds. Amend soil with compost.

May 28- Plant out tender seedlings: tomatoes, zucchini and basil, flowers 

Sow seeds for zinnia, echinacea, bee balm, marigold, dianthus and milkweed in front porch bed and "wildflower" garden facing River Road.  Use extra rubber edging around front porch beds and hostas. 

         After foliage dies back, move daffodils and grape hyacinth to the front edge of the front slope. 

Direct Sowing

Early Sowing Flowers

Cornflower-  Direct sow in average soil in full sun after danger of heavy frost. Sow seeds evenly and cover with ½ inch of fine soil. Firm soil lightly, water and keep evenly moist. Seedlings will emerge in 7-10 days.

White Yarrow- Temperature: 60 - 65F Depth: Do not cover the seed but press into the soil Moisture: Keep seeds moist until germination Average Germ Time: 20 - 45 days

Coreopsis- Temperature: 65 - 70F Average Germ Time: 20 - 30 days Light Required: Yes Depth: 1/16 inch Moisture: Keep seed moist until germination

Late Sowing Flowers

Echinacea- If sowing Coneflower seeds outdoors, wait in the spring until the daytime temperature consistently reaches 70F. Sow purple coneflower wildflower seed shallow, 1/8 inch and keep the soil surface moist. Mulch over the wild flower seed is considered essential for outdoor seeding and a depth of 1/2 inch of clean straw should be effective.

Bee Balm-  If planting in spring, prepare the flower bed in fall so it will be ready for planting as soon as the weather warms early in the year. Sow seeds immediately after the last frost. Sow evenly and cover with 1/4" of fine soil. Keep evenly moist. Seedlings emerge in 22-30 days.

Dianthus- To direct sow outdoors, plant seeds to a depth of 1/8 inch once all danger of frost has passed. Keep the soil moist. Seedlings emerge in 14-21 days. 

Zinnia- Direct sow seeds in average soil in full sun after all danger of frost. Sow seeds evenly 12 inches apart and cover with ¼ inch of fine soil. Firm soil lightly with your hand, water and keep evenly moist. Seedlings will emerge in 7-10 days. Thin seedlings to stand 18-24 inches apart, depending on the variety, when they are about 1-2 inches tall.