Roll up your sleeves, garden your socks off
Welcome to the month of May. Gardening month.
Longtime readers of the Toronto Star will recall Fred H. Dale, a columnist who made a valuable contribution to the community of horticulture for many years. Each Friday, he wrote a Star column of questions and answers that I read religiously. As a Toronto-area garden retailer, I needed to know what Fred wrote so that we could gear up for the customers who came in looking for the plants and supplies he recommended.
This column is a nod to our late friend.
Q: Can I use the grass seed and lawn fertilizer that I have stored from last year?
A: If it was kept dry, yes. Temperatures do not change the efficacy of either grass seed or fertilizer, but moisture will. In the case of the seed, mice will wreak havoc but not change the germination viability of it, either. Q: Can I plant now? A: There’s a loaded question. If you want to plant frost-tender vegetables or annual flowering plants, you are best to wait until May 24 . So-called “hot crops” like tomatoes and cucumbers thrive in soil that is over 18C. There is no harm in waiting a week or two after the 24th of May if you are unsure.
All other plants can be planted now. Trees, shrubs, evergreens, roses, and perennials, to name a few. See my column in last week’s Homes & Condos section, at thestar.com, for details.
Q: Can I prune my cedar hedge (or lilac, or maple tree) now?
A: Yes and no. You can prune up to one-third of cedars any time of year. Evergreens lend themselves to spring pruning as most of their growth takes place in late May and June. The flush of new growth always looks good after a haircut.
Flowering shrubs will not be harmed by a spring pruning but you will remove the blossom buds if you prune before they flower. Remember this: spring-flowering shrubs set their blossom buds in the autumn while late-summer flowering shrubs set their buds late spring and early summer. You can’t go wrong by pruning a shrub six to eight weeks after of its flowering period.
Trees are generally best pruned this time of year. Hardwood trees like birch and maple will bleed sap excessively if they are pruned while dormant. I recommend that you prune them while in full leaf. Q: Can I move my peony now? A: Perennial plants can be moved now, but do not leave it much later. Peonies are quite forgiving if you move them in spring, but they prefer to be moved in September. Hosta, monarda, daylilies and the like will move nicely this time of year. Time is of the essence. Dig them with a garden fork or use a sharp spade or shovel. Then cut them as you would a pie: once in half and then in quarters. Replant the divisions or give away to gracious friends and neighbours.
Q: How do I treat grubs in my lawn?
A: We treat the white and grey grub with beneficial nematodes — microscopic worms that eat grubs and exist naturally in our soil. Timing is critical: spring is one period of application and the other is late August and September. The grubs migrate through the soil, moving up near the surface during these two windows of time, where they are most accessible to the nematodes. After application, it is important to water very thoroughly to move the nematodes to the root zone — the feeding area — of the grubs.
Q: How do I kill the weeds in my lawn?
A: Now we talk about controlling weeds, not killing them. These days we compete them out of existence and it is easy to do — it just takes a few changes and patience. Follow my recipe below and you will eliminate 90 per cent of your weeds within two years. Not a quick fix, but a permanent one: 1. Cut lawn seven to eight centimetres high. The higher the grass blades, the deeper the roots and more drought-tolerant your lawn. 2. Use a mulching mower which returns the nitrogen-rich, natural goodness of the cut grass blades back to the root zone of your lawn. 3. Apply a quality lawn fertilizer that contains high nitrogen that is slow- release. I use Golfgreen. 4. Re-apply fertilizer once in late spring/early summer and again in fall.
5. Water seldom and when you do, apply it deeply since the grass roots will follow the water down.
6. Where bare patches exist , spread three to four centimetres of triple mix or lawn soil over the area and broadcast quality grass seed at the rate of 500 grams per 40 square metres. Rake smooth, step on it to bring seed and soil in firm contact and water thoroughly until established.
It is the first weekend of May and we Canadians will be gardening our socks off for the next few weeks.
We’ve learned a lot over the years, and as Canadians we have advanced in both our thinking and our practises. Thanks, Fred. Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author, broadcaster and garden editor of Reno & Decormagazine. You can sign up for his free monthly newsletter at markcullen.com, and watch him on CTV Canada AM every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. You can reach Mark through the “contact” button on his website and follow him on Twitter @MarkCullen4 and Facebook. Mark’s latest book, Canadian Lawn & Garden Secrets, is available at Home Hardware and all major bookstores.