Spring Garden To Do's #1

I was fortunate to get some time in the garden. I felt my body soften, relax and wake up from it's winter dormancy. The air was fresh and warm and life was all about me with birds singing, insects crawling and green leaves poking up from the warming soil. Here is what I did:

Weeded;
Get after the weeds early - they tend to be the first green you will see in the garden, with the exception of some spring perennials and bulbs.

It is important to get weeds up by their roots, in many cases a new rosette will develop from roots that were left behind.

(I am afraid it is common for me to use garden tools not for their designed purpose, e.g. using hedgers in above photo to pop out weed seedlings. Do as I say, not as I do and use a trowel or a hand weeder. Don't be as hard on your tools as I am. :))

Be sure to identify what are weeds and what are your bulbs getting ready to send up their stems. Pictured above is an Alium (r. corner) next to what is likely a seedling of Common Groundsel.
Good old dandelion next to the water source. Generally speaking what makes weeds weeds is their attempt at using your ornamental plant's resources; i.e. water and sunlight.

Cut back perennial grasses;

(Miscanthus Grass before being cut down)

It was also time to get those perennial grasses cut down. This can be done in the fall if one prefers, but perennial grasses are such nice winter interest, and at this point they will be getting green and growing tall in just a matter of a couple of months - where you would have to live with the void they leave all through the winter if cut back in the fall.

(Miscanthus Grass After being cut down)

Just use some hedgers and cut grasses at their base, about 3 inches above the ground. It is much easier if you tie the grasses up before cutting, and be careful they can give you a nasty "paper cut."
Looks a little bare now, but the magic is about to start...

Can't tell Groundsel from Ground cover? Give me a call!