Up your gardening game with this pre-season checklist
If you’ve been following the same springtime routine for your garden, it’s time to up your pre-gardening game and heed the advice from the experts at Ritchie Feed & Seed who have been helping Ottawa-area gardeners get the most out of their gardens for nearly a century. Here is a handy checklist to get your garden ready for the warm weather.
GET ORGANIZED Inspect your garden tools
Take a good look at the tools you use in your garden. Now is a good time to clean off any dust or dirt that has accumulated and if it’s a tool with an edge, sharpen it.
Invest in new tools
If some of your tools are worn out or broken, buy new ones. Spring is the ideal time to get deals on specialized power tools like hedge trimmers or lawn edgers.
Turn on your water
Turn on the water to your outdoor faucet and inspect your hose and sprinkler system. If there are so many holes in your hose that it’s become a soaker hose, replace it.
CLEAN UP
Rake debris and excess leaves
from garden and lawn
When the ground is dry enough, get the rake out and clean up the debris that has accumulated in your yard from last fall. Compost anything organic for future use in your garden.
Clean your patios and walkways
Give the hard surfaces in your yard a thorough cleaning and get rid of the sand and gravel that you may have used in the winter. If there are any stubborn weeds still poking out of the cracks, dig them out.
Clean your gutters
Even if you already cleaned your
gutters in the fall, more leaves and debris have probably accumulated in them since then. Clean them out to avoid overflowing water damage to your roof.
Trim non-budding branches from shrubs and trees
If there are non-budding branches on your greenery, it’s safe to cut them off to give your plants a more uniform and attractive look.
START FEEDING
Spread corn gluten on your lawn
Adding corn gluten to your lawn is the best way to avoid weed seeds like dandelions from germinating. Spread it on your grass four to six weeks before adding fertilizer and grass seeds.
Spread some manure
Give your plants a helping hand with additional nutrients. Add triple-mix or manure around your roses and other flowering shrubs. It’s also a good practice for perennial vegetables like rhubarb.
Add more soil and mulch
Adding additional soil to garden beds and around trees helps them thrive during the growing season. Adding mulch will control weeds and help retain moisture during warmer months.
Find all the tools and products you need to up your pre-season gardening game at your nearest Ritchie Feed & Seed location by visiting ritchiefeed.com/pages/news-release. The team can equip you with everything you need, including expert advice, to get the most out of your garden this season.