Spring has arrived about a month early in Asheville and the western North Carolina mountains. It’s fun to be outside enjoying the early spring. Now is a great time to take care of some gardening projects to protect your investment and keep your gardens looking beautiful through the year.
- Water your plants when we don’t get an inch of rain. The days have been warm, so the soil may dry out faster than expected and put your plants under more stress if not watered. If you have an irrigation system, it may not be turned on until danger of late spring freezes has passed. Check the moisture depth of the soil, and water your plants if the soil is dry below a couple of inches. Supplemental watering is usually not needed for established plants (installed over a year ago). It may two to three years for plants located under trees to establish their root systems, so supplemental watering may be needed.
- Apply compost or slow release fertilizer around your plants.
- Remove weeds. Cut back dead foliage on perennials. Prune deadwood from small trees and shrubs.
- Resist the urge to cut back foliage on your declining bulbs. They need their foliage to store energy for next year’s flowers. Plant perennials, ferns or groundcovers around bulbs to help hide unsightly foliage in key areas. It’s best to wait to plant new herbaceous plants until May.
- Edge your planting beds. This really gives a finished look to your landscape.
- After fertilizing, weeding and edging, install mulch to maintain a 2-3″ layer in shrub beds and 2″ in perennials beds. Be careful not to cover the crowns of your perennials.
- Check your gutters and downspouts to make sure that they’re clear and working properly. Clogged gutters can be a source of moisture problems in your house.
Although it’s tempting to rush out and buy flowers to plant now. We still have a potential for killing frosts and cold temperatures until early to mid-May.
If you need help caring for your landscape, please contact Terri Long Landscape Design at 828.299.2399.
Happy Spring!