Very early spring projects

Here on the east coast of Canada we are enjoying some better than average spring weather. A few nice days can encourage anyone to get out there in the garden but is there anything that can be done this early while the ground is still frozen? Yes there’s plenty and I’m already hard at work this year. Most things can be done any time but some things are perfect for the spring. So what can you do when there might even be snow on the ground a few more days?

Shrub removal: If you know something will have to leave this year spring is the perfect time to move it out. Once you pull out your shrub it will leave a hole in your landscape. The sooner you remove it the sooner the plants around it will start to grow in to fill the void.

Dividing hostas: As soon as you can sink a shovel in the ground you can divide a Hosta. You can do it at any time but spring is definitely the easiest with no real leaves yet. Plus the donor Hosta always looks a bit sad after. If you chop off a section before the leaves come in that awkward phase is way less noticeable.

Pruning REALLY hardy plants: Technically the best time to prune any plant is right after it flowers provided it has time to harden off before really cold temperatures. But… If you have one of those really tough (impossible to kill) plants like a forsythia or dogwood then you can go at it now. If you’ve really let one of these sorts of plants go then if you get at it early enough in the spring then you could go at it again a second time this year!

Seeding and planting: As of late our summers have been droughts or near drought conditions. That means we’re not getting rain and the wells are drying out so we can’t water plants later in the season. If you want to attack the lawn or plant some shrubs you’re left with the spring and fall options. If you plant as early as you can in the spring then your plant will have a chance to establish itself and grow for the rest of the summer. While plants are a little more delicate after being moved as long as there are no more hard freezing conditions expected you can plant shrubs very early in the spring. If you’re planning on doing a lot of work all that weed pulling, leveling and topsoil-ing can start as soon as the ground can be worked.

Mulching and barrier installation: Really this can be done any time of year but the very early spring is best for certain areas. Today I was in a small forest of Dogwoods preparing them for just this. While I could do it any time it’s so much easier working in and around certain things without all those extra leaves in the way.

Rake up those leaves again and remove dead material: No matter how many times you raked in the fall it seems more leaves will gather over the winter. Lots of those tend to gather at the base of shrubs and the back of gardens. If you pick them up now your plants won’t have to grow through old leaves before they get light. Last year’s dead growth can be removed now to if you didn’t get to it in the fall. If you have the means all this material can be trucked away to the proper facility in your city.

Make a plan: Spring it a perfect time of year to walk around your gardens and take stock. While you’re out inspecting think about what areas will need the most attention this year, where you might like to spend some dough and what can wait another year.

Fix any winter damage: Critters may have burrowed fresh holes in the lawn, perhaps a fallen tree needs attention or around here you might have had some storm damage on the shoreline. If you fix it very early in the spring then the damage has the best chance of repairing itself before the end of the season.

Fall any problem trees: Most people don’t like the idea of cutting down mature trees. We however advise people that it’s better if you take it down and decide where it lands rather than mother nature. Think back to this winter’s storms. Which trees and limbs were making you nervous in the storms? Now is the time to deal with it! When it lands it might do some damage to the lawn which always hurts a little less before it’s green. Plus there’s lots of time to repair the damage. The perfect time is even before the ground thaws. It’s also way easier to truck away the brush before there are leaves on the trees or if you plan to burn it you probably won’t encounter burn bans yet.

Tackle overgrown areas: There are lots of reasons that you might have an overgrown area somewhere. Most of us do. You might want to expand your ‘proper lawn’ area or have let something go. It is a daunting task to bring it back but early in the season it the way to start. Once it’s all grown in in the middle of summer it can just feel like too big a task. If you want to have a complete transformation this year you have a lot of digging ahead of you, so you might want to get an early start! If it’s a multi season project I recommend installing a barrier (like stone) you can stand to look at for now on the cleared areas that can be incorporated into the final design.

Gardeners are always the most eager to get back at it once the weather gets every so slightly warmer. While you might have to hold off just a few more weeks for certain projects there is still a lot you can tackle now. Here’s a secret if you hope to hire help with your outdoor space this year. Whoever you hire is likely to have you on the schedule later in the summer if you have some work for them now. If you need help with any of your spring or summer projects near St. Margeret’s Bay this summer don’t hesitate to get in touch!