Spring Gardening Tips

1. Mulch your flower beds and trees with 3” of organic material - it conserves water, adds humus and nutrients, and discourages weeds.
2. Aphids? Spray infested stems, leaves, and buds with a very dilute soapy water, then clear water. It works even on the heaviest infestation.
3. Landscaping your yard is the only home improvement that can return up to 200% of your original investment.
4. Shade gardens are low maintenance – they require less watering, slower growth and fewer weeds to fight.
5. Eighty five percent of a plant’s roots are found in the top 6” of soil.
6. Weeds? Spot-spray with common full-strength vinegar, on a sunny day. It’s an organic weed killer that’s safe for you and the environment.
7. Some flowers, including sweet peas, iris, foxglove, amaryllis, lantana, lupines, clematis, dature, poinsettia, and oleander, are poisonous.
8. During the spring, if you don’t have a soaking rain every 10-14 days, begin deep watering your trees and shrubs.
9. For fastest results, turn your compost pile every two weeks.
10. To reduce the risk of powdery mildew in your herb or flower beds, avoid overhead watering, using a soaker hose or drip irrigation instead.