We are in the middle of spring and many are spending some time outdoors (when the weather allows) trying to get their garden and plants all in order.
To really get things going and keep it looking gorgeous, Jennifer Gibson, a horticulturist at The Good Earth Garden Center in Little Rock, highlights what you need to consider before planting, all the items needed for optimum maintenance, how to pick your plants, landscape tips and much more:
- Spring is a great time to plant….anything! This includes trees, shrubs, sod, perennials and annuals– all of it.
- Study the area before planting to learn the how many hours of sun the area gets and whether it is afternoon or morning sun. This determines whether to shop for sun or shade plants.
- Consider how much maintenance you are willing to do and be realistic and choose plants accordingly.
- Bring pictures of your landscape in to The Good Earth, so we can best evaluate your space and provide accurate advice and recommendations.
- Soil preparation is the most overlooked part of landscaping. Arkansas soils are not great, so mixing in compost and sand can make all the difference. In annual and perennial areas, add a good potting soil blend to lighten the soil. The Good Earth brand potting soil is a great choice — it contains pH balancers, Actino Root protection, perlite and even a light fertilizer charge.
- Plant with Espoma BioTone Starter Plus for best root development. This contains mycorrhizea with can increase the amount of water and nutrients the plants can uptake by up to 1,000 times.
- For best blooming on annuals, apply a water soluble fertilizer such as BR-61. Seriously, it’s like a steroid for your plants!
- Apply pre-emerge in your landscape beds before mulching. This will keep weed seeds from germinating and really cut down on summer work. Hi Yield Turf and Ornamental Weed and Grass Stopper is a great pre-emerge for landscape beds.
- Apply mulch; it helps the soil retain moisture and reduces the occurrence of weeds. Be sure that the mulch is at least three inches deep.
- Have your sprinkler system assessed by The Good Earth Wet Tech for breaks, leaks and necessary adjustments. As plants mature, sprinkler heads may need to be moved or raised. If you have container planters, consider having us add drip lines off your system to cut down on hand watering.
- Have a lawn program in place for fertilizing and weed control. Bonide and Ferti-Lome both have a great programs. Add reminders onto your calendar so you don’t miss applications; you need to be preventing weeds all year round with applications every 60-90 days, and during the growing season, applying products such as Bonide Phase 2 that have both weed preventer and fertilizer in them.
- Control already existing weeds in your lawn with a granular application of Bonide Weed Beater complete and sprays such as Bonide Sedge Ender and Ferti-Lome Weed Out with Q.
All of the technical aspects of gardening are covered, so what about aesthetic qualities? She covers a few landscape tips:
- Create focal points near your front entrance.
- For visual interest, vary the colors and textures of landscape plants.
- Have pockets of annual or perennial color. A few large areas of color stand out better than many small areas.
- Plant in odd numbered groups like 3, 5, 7, etc.
- Avoid the runway effect created by putting plants in straight rows (unless you have a formal landscape).
For more information and extra tips, call (501) 868-4666 or click here.
If you’re interested in starting a container garden, she highlighted a few tips earlier last year.
Good luck with your new gardening adventure!