Rise and Shine And Hear the Birdies Sing: Gardening Tips From Greensgrow Farms
Growing up in a family of eleven children, my mother would greet us every morning with that phrase: “rise and shine and hear the birdies sing!” The saying sticks with me to this day, and also holds true for your garden. Getting an early start can give you an amazing growing season and save you from having to spend countless hours working in the heat.
Spring cleaning in the early spring is one of the most important steps you can take to give your garden a head start. As the days get longer and the temperature starts to rise, now is the perfect time to get a jump-start on your urban sanctuary’s spring cleaning. You don’t have to spend hours of your weekend dredging through these menial tasks, just a few minutes a day can make all the difference in the world.
For all of the beginner gardeners out there, spring cleaning is just that: cleaning up all the detritus, dead leaves, broken or dead branches and mulch in your garden. These things may be harboring bugs and diseases which could sweep through your garden like the squirrels that are taking over Fishtown.
The first step is to start removing all of last season’s leaves and trash from your growing space. Make sure to clean any nearby surfaces as well. Anything left lying around will get blown into your garden at the next stiff wind.
Next, take some time to remove any broken or dead branches from your trees and shrubs. You can tell if a branch is dead by its flexibility: If you bend it and it breaks then its dead, if it’s flexible then it’s alive. Another sign to look for is any discoloration. If the branch is dead it may become pale or black.
Now it’s time to remove last season’s mulch, but you don’t want to remove it all. If you leave a thin layer it will help keep the weeds in tow until you’re ready to add your new mulch. Once you clean out your beds, work in an inch or two of fresh compost into your growing surfaces.
If you’re not already composting you should consider starting. Compost is steroids for your soil. It will rejuvenate your garden and give your plants and soil nutrients that were drained out during last year’s growing season. It’s great to do it yourself, but there are other options too. Philly Compost has a co-op composting site on the corner of Frankford Avenue and Berks Street. For a small fee you can drop off your debris and pick up fresh compost.
Finally, it’s time to prune. This will give your garden a strong start for this season. Cut back any Perennial’s that you left for winter—this includes seed pods and any growth that has died back through the winter season.
Not all shrubs and trees should be pruned back. Do not cut back any early blooming woodies because they flower and fruit on last season’s growth. Plants that should be pruned this time of year are roses, fruit trees, summer flowering trees—Crape Myrtles, Smoke Trees, Rose of Sharon and some varieties of Hydrangeas to list just a few.
Once your spring cleaning is complete you can enjoy all of the early spring bulbs start to pop up in around you. Crocus, Daffodils and Hyacinth will all brighten up your day and your yard.
Gardening is one of the most rewarding hobbies that you can have. You get to experience the circle of life every year. It is a learning experience that gives you rewards beyond the growing seasons.
Feel free to stop by the farm and say hello to Milkshake, our favorite pig. If you have any questions you’d like me to answer send them to The Spirit. I would be happy to offer advice and suggestions to help make your oasis come to life.
Think Sustainable, keep greening, and growing.
