We can all feel it -- Spring is near! That means soon we will all be out in our gardens digging in the dirt and refreshing our beds. But before planting can be done, there are several preparations that must be made. This is your guide to what you can do now in the garden to prep for Spring.
The first thing you can do at any point now (Mid-march 2015) is to add some fertilizer to the roots of your trees and shrubs. This will help keep them healthy and growing through Spring. They usually will hit a growth spurt and can use all the help they can get. We suggest a granular fertilizer that you spread around the base: it is easy to use. We have several kinds at our stores so come see us for the options.
Now is a great time to add more mulch to the top of your beds. Winter may have blow away some of your mulch from last year, so check and make sure you don't need to add more. We recommend 2"-3" of mulch, with a heavier amount around tree and shrub bases.
You can also add more soil to your beds if they seem like they need more. While you are messing around in the dirt, it's also a great time to add soil amendments. By that we just mean organic material, peat, or any other plant stimulators that you may need come planting. Amendments depend on what you plan on planting in your beds, so come in and consult with one of our plant experts if you need help deciding what you need to add to your soil. You can get a free soil test from the Arkansas Extension Service! They will tell you exactly what you need to add to your soil. Check them out here.
Prune your hedges to shape. Don't prune azaleas right now- you will cut the color off of them! Fruit trees and berries will really benefit from early Spring pruning. Be sure to check your specific tree or shrub for pruning needs before taking out those shears.
While you are sitting inside on a rainy or cold day, start planning your Spring gardens! You can use our Plant Finder tool here. This tool will help you search for specific plants for your needs. For example, you can choose that you want a shrub that takes full sun and has white blooms. Take a look and explore a little with this tool on our website.
