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Showing posts with label mulch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mulch. Show all posts

Saturday, April 7, 2012

GARDEN STRATEGY: NO MULCH, JUST GROUNDCOVER!

I absolutely love this season! With the perfect spring weather, it’s almost a pleasure to do the limited weeding that’s ahead. I say, “limited,” because with the strategy of NO MULCH, JUST GROUNDCOVER, I have very little weeding to do. By planting periwinkle (Vinca minor) in all of my garden beds, I’ve eliminated the mulching that I had been doing for over 30 years. All of my bulbs and perennials come up through it and the groundcover keeps in the moisture, preventing roots from drying out, even in the heat of summer. If you aren’t already doing this, you may want to give it a try – maybe only in a small portion of your garden, as a test patch. 

Red with Yellow Tulips

Grape hyacinths, tulips, heuchera, roses and narcissus growing through the periwinkle.
Bleeding Hearts, violets, and other perennials among the periwinkle.


When the first daffodils appeared, I painted this little girl trying to decide which flower she would choose. She's reaching for one, but looking at another! I hope that you enjoy her, along with my "Yellow Daffodil" painting!
"Girl with Daffodils" by Barbara Rosenzweig


"Yellow Daffodils"


Garden Tips for this Month:
  • Some of the plants that may be divided now are primrose, bleeding hearts, asters, primrose, iris, daylilies, and chrysogonum. This is best done before they get too large, avoiding excessive wilting or death.
  • To make plants bushier, cut back beautyberry, roses, St. John’s Wort, buddleia, and caryopteris in late March, early April.
  • Remove “weeds” (any plants that you do not want growing where they appear) as soon as you see them. One man’s weeds are another’s valued garden addition!

 Primrose

Narcissus

What are your favorite spring gardening tips?

Saturday, May 21, 2011

GARDEN MAINTENANCE



Garden Maintenance: This month brings many of the same tasks as previous months:
  • Weed – get them while they are still relatively small, they will only get bigger and more tenacious.
  • Mulch only if you have to. Planting ground covers helps prevent intrusive weeds in bare spots.
  • Deadhead to prevent the formation of seeds that will take the energy from the plant’s growth. However, if you want the fruit and seeds for winter interest, keep them on.
  • Remove poorly located “volunteers” to better locations or share them, if they are not invasive.
  • Sit back and enjoy the results of your labors!

The blossoms below are from the garden of Barbara Rosenzweig.