Art Knapp Articles
Garden Preparation Tips for Early Spring Readiness
in Tips and TutorialsWe may be having some mild weather right now, but winter is not over. So, all of those great tasks for early spring readiness need to wait until the risk of freezing is over.
What Can You Do Now?
Start a compost. If you take care of it, you would be able to use it later in the summer. That means alternating green and brown leaves, grass, and vegetable clippings, and turning it over regularly. Water it if it seems particularly dry.
Roses
Roses need to be pruned before they any buds open. So, that could mean between now and the end of February. Also, when pruning cut away any stems that look dead or diseased.
Rotation
If you have several vegetable beds, figure out how you are going to rotate your crops. Remember that everything you grow will perform better if you do not repeat the same crop in the same bed for at least four (4) years. Not rotating is an invitation to pests.
Seeds
Get your seeds. Now is the time to buy seeds, and keep them in a cool, dry spot until it is time to sow.
Fertilize
You can fertilize any time of the year. When you are not overly busy with other tasks, go ahead and fertilize your soil.
Manure
If you want to add well-ripened manure to your garden, then find your supplier now. These suppliers get busier and busier as the year warms up.
Wait
Wait a while before weeding and cutting back things like daylilies until there is new growth in another month or two. These old and brown leaves provide sustenance for lots of critters in our ecosystem, and it is a kindness to leave the old growth until the last minute.
If you have any questions about your garden, come and talk to us in Surrey at our flagship store.
Art Knapp has 15 locations across British Columbia and is well known as the go-to garden centre for everything garden-related. Art Knapp, himself, began the business in the 1940's, and now, 80 years later, you can find more than he ever dreamed of in our stores. Come and see us on King George Boulevard in Surrey.
If you have any questions about this article or want to talk to us about gardening, just give us a call at (604) 596-9201.