MAGNOLIAS are beautiful in early spring. FILE PHOTO
Katrina Christison Tidy Gardens
THE days are getting longer and the blossoms are certainly blooming from daffodils that have been doing their thing for a while now, to the first of the cherries and magnolias beginning to shine. I love looking around at this time of year at other people’s gardens and seeing all the spring flowering trees; it makes me want them all, but luckily for me I get to help others with their gardens so I get to plant them where they have room or have the right palette for them. With the warmer weather and longer days, the other things that love to grow now are your weeds, so now is the perfect time to stop them in their tracks by removing them before they set seed and give you 100 more! After weeding is the perfect time to add mulch to your garden. With the need to be more sustainable, this is one small thing you can do at home that has great roll-on effects for the environment. It enhances soil health naturally by reducing evaporation of the moisture from the soil, so you will have to use less water in summer, it enhances nutrient availability for the roots of your plants, it provides a habitat for all sorts of great little helpers in your garden like worms, beneficial insects, and microscopic organisms that improve our soil. It suppresses weeds, making weeding much easier as its nice and loose so the weeds come out easier and it really makes your plants in your garden pop (stand out as it’s a lovely contrast against them). Remember not to put the mulch right up to the stem or trunk of your plants as this can rot the stems. You can recycle your newspapers and cardboard back into your garden by laying it underneath your mulch this can give your garden an extra layer to add to the above benefits, it’s a good idea to wet the cardboard or paper first, this helps it mold to the land and stops it blowing away before you get the mulch on top. All the new season ornamental, fruit trees and roses are coming into your gardens centres so don’t forget to get in quick as they are selling out fast as there is a shortage as lots more people are gardening since covid and the growers can’t keep up with the demand. Happy gardening
