A break in the weather!

When we get a beautiful, sunny warm day in February (like today!), it's the perfect time to clean out the clutter that has collected in the garden since late fall.

Rake back old mulch and particularly be sure to clean out the piles of leaves that tend to accumulate around the base of your plants. This wet and slimy area is the perfect place for bugs to hide and disease to develop.

While the surface is bare, throw down some organic fertilizer or compost - working it into the soil a bit, if you have time. The torrents of rain we've had this winter have washed away a lot of plant nutrients and they are hungry! Your plants will reward you with abundant growth in March and April.

Don't forget to add fresh mulch (2-3 inches) to protect from the frost that we know will return -- likely a few more times before April 15. Then we should be safely out of the woods from freezing temperatures.

More on pruning next week - February 15 is my kick-off date for spring pruning.

Snip, snip!
Lyn

Frost protection through the Winter

Hopefully the worst is behind us with the frosty weather. Mother Nature may have other ideas, however, this site will provide assistance to be prepared and minimize future damage:

http://www.garden.org/subchannels/care/techniques?q=show&id=403&page=1

Staying warm and looking at seed catalogs,
Lyn

Cold and Salt Damage to Plants

Hope everyone had a great holiday. On to a new year and some very cold temperatures and precipitation that flew through the Atlanta area this past week.

If you salted your walks and drive, I have gathered some information that may be of interest:

Avoid the use of rock salt for de-icing, to prevent injury to plants. Use Calcium Choride as a substitute, or better - sand or cinders.

If you have already used rock salt, adding water will not help, as the salt absorbs the water, robbing the plants and putting them in a drought-like state.

Buds and new twigs are especially at risk and can lose their hardiness against future cold spells. The effects on nearby plants from using rock salt late in the winter are even greater, as plants are emerging from dormancy and are the most susceptible to injury.

If your plants are already exhibiting frostbite, leave them until we are closer to being past extreme freezes. When they show signs of new growth in April and we are past frost (usually April 15 in Atlanta), you can prune the old, dead growth to encourage new shoots.

A few months yet of winter, but let's hope that was the worst!


Lyn

Gifts of Nature

Preserving our natural habitats, retaining wooded areas and perennial plants in our landscapes and utilizing plants in commercial settings all give back to the quality of life on our earth.
From cleaning our air of daily pollution, to providing a haven for birds, bees and wildlife - our landscapes enhance and provide a greater well-being to us in countless ways.
Give the gift of nature, whether you plant a new tree or shrub this winter, champion environmental causes, or just leave a wooded area instead of adding a bigger lawn. You will be repaid, many times over.

Merry Christmas,
Lyn