Credit: Vicky LoBrutto
Happy spring, everyone! Our winter — the warmest on record — may still not be over. Pine Plains has had snow in April and even early May before. Some local nurseries are selling cold weather plants, such as hellebores, and it’s probably safe to plant those. But first, you have to prepare your soil.
Soil preparation is a critical step in ensuring the success of your garden. Start by testing your soil. There are excellent testing kits available. It’s important to test your soil because some plants thrive in acidic soil while others prefer alkaline soil. When you visit the local nurseries to purchase plants, be sure to ask about your plant’s soil requirements. Often, the labels included with the plants don’t say whether the plant needs acidic or alkaline soil.
Most plants grow best when the soil is slightly acidic to neutral, with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Acid-loving plants include blueberries, azaleas, rhododendrons, dogwood, bleeding heart, holly, begonias, iris, marigolds, nasturtiums and daffodils.
Alkaline soil, with a pH between 7.5 and 8.5, is sometimes referred to as “sweet soil.” Alkaline-loving plants include zinnias, clematis, hosta, echinacea, salvia, phlox, dianthus, perennial sweet pea, baby’s breath and lavender.
The next step to prepare your soil is to add compost. Before doing that, rake the fallen leaves. (If you’ve shredded your leaves in the fall, you can leave them.) Then, thoroughly mix the compost into the soil. It adds nutrients and helps with moisture retention. Once that’s done, add your soil amendments to bring the pH of the soil to the proper level for what you are planting.
Some gardeners fertilize, but if you prefer to use a more organic method, without artificial chemicals, try bone meal. Bone meal is an all-natural fertilizer, rich in phosphorus, that helps promote big, bright blooms.
Next, top your plants with mulch. Do not use mulch that has added color, such as black or red; colored mulch may be harmful to pets. A good blend is made from pine or cedar. Mulching also helps to control the growth of weeds.
If you are preparing a new bed, consider using the no dig, lasagna method. Choose your location, then lay down a thick layer of black and white newsprint or flattened corrugated cardboard. Top this with more layers of grass clippings and leaves. Water thoroughly. Add soil. Continue layering-newspaper, grass clippings, compost and garden soil. You want the layering to be between 8 and 10 inches thick. Let the bed sit for one season to ensure the layers are broken down.
While you’re preparing your garden beds, black bears, rising from hibernation, will be waking out of their own beds. To keep you and the bears safe, the Department of Environmental Conservation recommends removing outdoor food sources. Take down bird feeders at night, do not leave pet food outside, secure your garbage cans and cover any compost bins. If you have chickens or bee hives, consider enclosing them with electric fencing.
The bears are more afraid of you so if Winnie-the-Pooh shows up, make lots of noise while in the yard. Just bang those pot covers together like it was New Year’s Eve and celebrate the bounty of spring.