By Susan McCausland

Redstone Review

BOULDER – Spring may finally be arriving on the Front Range. This has been a great winter for gardens with an almost constant covering of snow and little wind helping the plants and trees maintain dormancy and protection for the majority of the winter. Things are starting to peek through the ground in southern and western sections of my garden.

Now is a good time to lightly rake off your flower beds that have daffodils, tulips and crocus peeping through. Wait much longer and the risk of damaging the flower heads and tearing the foliage on these bulbs increases exponentially. Waiting will increase your raking time as you gingerly try to minimize damage, so a quick rake now will save you time and guilt in the future.

Keep an eye on the soil and plan to water the southern and western flower beds if temperatures continue to increase with no additional moisture. Twenty minutes with a sprinkler on the end of a hose can go a long way at this time of year getting your flowers off to a strong healthy start. Water plants and shrubs that are under or partially under the awning of roofs and porches that have not received as much moisture during the winter as the exposed flower beds.

Resist the impulse to cut down roses, hydrangeas or other shrubs. Moisture from a spring storm can seep into these fresh cuts and cause splitting of the branches or disease issues this early in the season. Roses, hydrangeas and butterfly bushes still have major greening up to do especially with this winter and level of dormancy. Early pruning in the spring could stimulate the shrub to push growth and send it into shock with a sudden cold snap so best to let it wake up slowly. Limit yourself to cleaning up broken or damaged branches or cutting grasses down to the ground.

Leave clematis vines alone. If you have a vine that has pulled away from the house or fallen off a trellis then clean up back to where it is still attached but vines have a long way to go before pruning back to new growth. Honeysuckle and silverlace vines are indestructible unless they are newly planted last year so prune freely. Silverlace vines respond exceptionally well to harsh treatment and will come back to flower this season. They can grow into monsters so I prune regularly in some locations to keep them under control.

Inevitably we should get another snow storm. Whether it is a dusting or a blizzard it is a good time to fill low spots in your lawn with good soil and overseed the entire lawn with grass seed. The snow or rain will help the grass seed soak into the ground. Grass seed germinates at cooler temperatures similar to lettuce so the seed will soak in and remain dormant until the sun starts to shine. One can also sprinkle grass seed on top of the snow which makes it easier to see if you have even coverage, but the wind could blow the seed away, clump it in areas, or the birds may enjoy a snack at your expense, so I try to time it right before the snow starts to fall.

Aeration of the lawn is usually done when the ground thaws. This is another good time to overseed the grass for a renewal of growth. Aeration breaks up the fibrous network of roots which can become so dense that water is inhibited from soaking into the ground. Aeration can help solve fungus issues in the grass by loosening up the soil and allowing it to breathe. This is an excellent time to spread a slow-release organic fertilizer on the lawn with the grass seed to get the lawn off to a healthy start. Hopefully some moisture will come along shortly after but running a sprinkler can speed growth along.

All my seeds arrived last week for the vegetable garden. I ordered from Fedco seeds of Maine this season at Fedco.com. Frustrated with my selection the past few years in the melon department I figured if they can get a cantaloupe in Maine then I should be able to grow one here. Fedco has a huge variety of organic seeds and the prices are exceptional. Fedco enables you to order seeds in smaller packets which greatly reduces cost and allows for more experimentation.  In the next week or two start your seeds indoors that will be planted in May after Mother’s Day, our annual frost-free date.

If your garden has bare ground exposed sprinkle lettuce and early greens now; they will lie dormant until sprouting so no harm done.  For a quicker start construct a cold frame. Cold frames are a great and easy way to get a jump start on your vegetable patch and to extend your season well into winter. They are simple to construct. I bought a window and some lumber at Resource on Arapahoe and built a box to fit the window. Make the back side higher than the front so it slants towards the sun and place it to capture west- and south- facing sun. For under $10 dollars I have a mini greenhouse. In hotter weather the window should be propped open during the day so things do not overheat. Cold frames date back to the Stone Age when large sheets of mica were used to insulate plants: pretty impressive. I guess some good ideas stay a good idea.

Susan McCausland grew up on a small sheep farm in rural New Hampshire. She moved to Colorado in 1989 to pursue creative writing at the University of Colorado, Boulder but discovered that she enjoyed her landscaping job more than the classroom. She has owned and operated a small garden maintenance company, Beyond Gardens, for15 years in Boulder County.

Back to Top