After one of the coldest and snowiest winters we've had in quite a few years, it does appear that the worst the winter had to offer us is over for this year.

 

Lots of that snow cover that's been on the ground all winter has melted during this past week, and it looks like we may be seeing temperatures in the 60's this weekend for the first time since last fall! And our clocks will be "springing" ahead again this weekend. Spring is truly just around the corner.

 

And we want you to be ready for it. So, we thought this week would be the perfect time to talk about some things you should be doing now to prepare for the upcoming growing season, and a couple of things we'd like you to hold off on for a bit. But don't worry, we'll let you know when the time is right to do everything in your garden and landscape.

 

 

Animal repellent sprays are highly effective at preventing deer and other animals from munching on your plants, especially in the winter when plants aren't growing. But they do lose there effectiveness over time, and since temperatures need to be above freezing to apply these sprays, this winter made that challenging. 

 

The warmer temperatures in our forecast present the perfect opportunity to get out in the yard and protect your plants from deer and other critters that will soon be looking for a free dinner.

 

At this time of year, you'll want to focus on the evergreen plants in your landscape as these are going to be the most appealing to hungry animals. Plants like Rhododendron, Azaleas, and Arborvitaes are favorites right now.

 

We have two go to brands of repellents here at The Gardener's Center, Bobbex, and Liquid Fence, and we actually recommend that you use both. Here's why: As effective as these sprays are, if you use the same kind over and over again, animals can develop a tolerance to the product and they'll end up eating your plants. So, we recommend alternating between the two products to keep everyone on their toes!

 

It's “go” time for tomatoes and peppers, and many types of perennials. So, if starting any of these types of plants is on your to do list, it's time to get moving there. We've expanded our seed offerings for this year and we encourage you to stop by and browse the collection.  The crew here is ready to help with your selections and to set you up for success with indoor seed starting.

 

Early spring is the best time to add nutrients in the form of compost to your soil. We love Coast of Maine Lobster Compost for amending garden beds, and so will your plants. And don't worry about figuring out how many bags you will need, simply measure the beds you'd like to amend, and the crew will let you know exactly how many you will need and load them right in the car for you.

 

 

It's always tempting to get new grass seed down after we've had a couple of warm spring like days, but it's still too cold. Grass seed doesn't care so much about the air temperature, it's all about soil temperature. For grass seed to germinate and grow, the soil temperature has to be at least 55 degrees. And after a long cold winter it will take quite a few warm days to get the soil temp where it needs to be. So, hold off until mid-April for seeding. Seed applied too early will just sit there and can be eaten by birds or washed away by heavy rain.

 

We understand how exciting it is to get out in the garden and work after a long cold winter, and the first thing many of us like to do is rake leaves and cut back perennials that may have persisted from last year. We'd like to encourage you to resist this temptation for now. Many native and beneficial insects over winter as adults or deposit eggs in leaf litter and dead plant stems. Removing this type of debris too early will end up sending these beneficial bugs to the landfill, and we want them in the garden. After all they've made it this far so let's give them a chance. Wait until we've had 5 or more consecutive days above 60 before doing your spring clean-up.