Well, spring has sprung and Communities in Bloom is getting into gear for spring planting. What to do for April Fool’s Day? We wonder if the Easter bunny elves will decorate the Oak Street traffic circle? Easter Sunday is April 17. Celebrate Earth Day on April 22.
WE DIG – DO IT NOW TIPS
All spring digging should be completed by the end of the month
Plant peas and radishes
Shear winter flowering heathers and forsythia after blooming
Plant glads and dahlias in Easter week, hill like potatoes for stability
Conifers should be pruned before new growth starts
Sow grass seed
Rake grass before mowing, keep at 1 ½ to 3 inch height
Herbs like lime and grit. Mix one handful of ground oyster shells into each herb planting hole
Bait garden and flower beds for slugs
Deadhead spring bulbs but do not cut back on the leaves
Plant fuchsias and red hot pokers to attract hummingbirds
Scatter poppy seeds in beds, the seeds do not need covering and the plants grow fast and provide good colour
DID YOU KNOW …
… the flower of the month is the Sweet Pea, meaning good bye?
… there are more than 600 varieties of mint?
… One quarter of potatoes consumed in North America are in the form of French fries?
… the word tulip comes from the Turkish word for turban?
… chives when planted with carrots, lettuce, peas and tomatoes deters pests
… corn, beans and squash are called the three sisters. Native Americans interplanted this trio because they thrive together.
PICK OF THE MONTH
Forsythia – from the olive family. A deciduous shrub offering 11 species, flowers varying in colour from a pale yellow to green. Introduced to the west from China in the 18th Century. May be pruned hard after flowering. Not enough sun results in fewer flowers. If your garden is small, dwarf varieties are available.
AND – your nose is the scenter of your face.
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