This week in your Massachusetts garden & landscape
Week of May 29, 2017
The garden is a beautiful place. Often times we get so busy with all of the chores in the garden that we forget to stop and notice the beauty around us. The fragrance of the lilacs, all of the colors and the sounds. So while you are busy working in the garden, be sure to stop and notice all the beauty around you. A little bit of my “stop and notice” moment recently has been watching Mrs. Robin build her nest on a wreath near my door. She has been patiently sitting on her eggs and now is busy feeding and caring for her babies. Enjoy a “stop and notice” moment this week!
- Those beautiful spring-flowering bulbs of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths that you recently received for gifts, can be planted into your garden in October or November. In the meantime, keep them outside in their containers (maybe find a spot within your garden where you will be planting them) and cut back their foliage when it has died back.
- Cut your lawn when it is dry and water it only early in the morning. Although watering the lawn has certainly not been necessary lately as we have received more than our fair share of rain. Don’t mow the lawn when it is wet; it will mat down and stick to the mower blades.
- If you have yet to plant a container garden for display, consider choosing plants with a range of heights for the center and finish with trailing or cascading plants to spill over the edges. Keep the color scheme harmonious or contrasting and don’t overlook the importance of foliage. Choose plants with similar needs for light and moisture. Don’t forget to allow room for the plants to grow!
- If deer are a problem and like to browse on your plantings, choose repellents with bitter tastes or pungent smells. Changing the product month to month is the most effective means of control. Apply several different products throughout the season as deer pressure increases or decreases. Visit your favorite nursery or garden center for the best selection of products.
- When mulching your landscaped beds, remove the top, compacted layer of the existing mulch first. Loosening the mulch in this way allows for better absorption of water and nutrients to your plantings. A light layer (2”-3”) of a fresh, shredded bark mulch may then be applied. The results are beautiful!
