|
Saturday, July 05, 2008 • 06:00 am |
|
|
 |
Growing like stink... Suddenly, the trees are in full leaf, bulbs are flowering, what seemed like a dead lawn not long ago suddenly needs a trim and perennials are either boldly emerging from the soil or already flowering! Everything looks lush and green, and not yet affected by drought or blistering heat. It is as if nature is celebrating between winter and summer. But…as we experienced last Thursday and Friday, summer is imminent so now is a good time to prepare your garden for what summer has in store for us and our plants. In order to understand our garden, we need to examine the reasons that plant life suddenly gears up in May. Basically, it is the combination of warmer (night) temperatures, a gradual increase in precipitation and the longer hours of sunshine that work in conjunction to prompt this sudden growth spurt. Grass, for example, will start to grow once temperatures (day as well as night) remain above 8 degrees Celsius. An increase in sunshine (as well as its intensity) will accelerate this process. Add some moisture to produce leaves and you have the perfect recipe for a green garden. Even though May is not the wettest month in Ottawa – on average June, July and August are wetter – things fall into place so harmoniously during this month, and the result is that the look of our garden (and nature in general) changes so dramatically. What is there to be done about this? Unfortunately, there is not much we can do about heat and wind, but there are several good gardening practices that will aid in retaining ground moisture even during such harsh summery conditions. The key to success is to improve the soil structure. Unlike what most people may think, soil is far from dull. In my humble opinion, whoever came up with the name “dirt” to describe soil should been shot at dawn with porridge! The term “black gold” may commonly refer to oil, but in a gardener’s dictionary, it stands for fertile, rich soil. Topsoil
Here in the Ottawa Valley, it will likely be clay. Though relatively rich in nutrients and able to hold moisture, clay soil is hard and compacted, thus preventing water from draining away. It creates waterlogged conditions that slow down plant growth or cause root diseases. If, on the other hand, your soil is sandy, water will drain away easily, which will create problems during hot, sunny spells. Whatever the condition of your subsoil, the beauty is that the solution is universal, well-rotted, bulky, organic material! Chemical fertilizers are not the answer to improving the condition of your soil; they will do nothing more than adding a jolt of nutrients to the soil, which will quickly wash out via rainwater (or, lacking it, will burn your lawn and plants). The solution is organic matter; compost, manure, mulch, leaves, grass clippings. Get any organic matter, fork it in and let Mother Nature do the rest. In doing so, you will not only drastically improve the condition of your garden’s soil, but you will also create an inviting “restaurant” for worms, beneficial insects, bacteria and other tiny creatures that are commonly referred to as “soil life”. The richer your topsoil and subsoil are, the better your plants will be able to cope with weather conditions, pests and diseases.
A true spring bloomer, the plant will reach a height of about 18 to 24”, showing off its perky yellow flowers in May. It likes a semi-shaded spot in your garden and although the leaves sometimes die down during hot summers, you can count on it to be back the next year to complement spring-flowering bulbs and early perennials such as Ajuga (bugleweed). This week’s garden chores Happy Gardening! Your feedback About René
Related Links
|
|
|
May
20, 2004
©1998-2008 OttawaStart Internet Services |