Spring will be here before we know it, especially if we continue to see temperatures hovering in the 50's & 60's! Here are a few tips to help you ease into Spring.
1. Consider mulching your beds earlier than usual this year. Mulching before new perennials (obstacles) emerge makes it easier and faster to mulch beds. Also, mulching beds early, rather than in spring, ensures your beds are much more effective at weed suppression. Rather than using hardwood mulch, consider shredded leaf mulch as an alternative that looks similar, but with added soil building benefits.
2. Prepare your vegetable gardens now by applying 3" of new compost atop your beds
followed with an application of either pine straw or shredded leaf mulch, to keep the weeds out and nutrients in. Start planning your garden layout and which vegetables you want to grow. Seeds of Change, High Mowing and Seed Savers Exchange are three of our favorite sources for organic vegetable and herb seeds. Many varieties of veggie seeds can be started indoors now in potting soil by a sunny window or under fluorescent lights.
3. Consider more winter interest for your yard. If your yard is looking a little dull during the winter months, there are many plants that look beautiful throughout winter, to, increase the year round function and interest of your yard. Some of those plants include: Winterberry Holly, Beautyberry, Red and Yellow Twig Dogwood, Witch Hazel (see photo) Contorted Hazelnut, Inkberry Holly, False Cypress, Junipers, Oakleaf and Panicle Hydrangea, Paperbark Maple and Riverbirch.
4. Try sanding your walkway rather than salting to prevent slipping on ice. Sand is much safer for your lawn and gardens than salt, and easily swept away once ice melts.
5. If you're looking to add more plants to your life this winter, try house plants to add beauty and breath fresh oxygen into your home, and help to remove toxins from the air.