Tag Archives: chores

Spring Has Sprung

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Today, is the first full day of Spring. A celebration for sure! I’m additionally relieved because now I can cease fretting about what’s coming up too early. For now. Should the weather warm up too quickly, it’ll be back to worrying about the state of garden and globe.

The hellebores and crocus heralded the arrival of Daylight Saving Time. The birdsong has grown louder. I’m absolutely loving the longer days. How wonderful it is to take a turn around the garden after a full day of work and decompress in the lingering light. It’s these small, simple moments I cherish greatly.

The pace of doing chores has picked up. As planned, the neighbor’s hedge got trimmed, additional birdhouse and bee-house were installed. There’s always so much publicity about encouraging honeybees in the garden but we really should be promoting the myriad native bees – they’ve co-evolved with the native plants. Most are loners and harmless. Every gardener should be encouraging them to take up residence in their gardens. In mine, there are now three such houses in different location. I expect to add another in the middle of the meadow. There are also discreet piles of sticks and such for those bees that prefer rustic homes.

Fun fact – Carpenter bees are the pollinators of choice for milkweed. The interior of the milkweed flowers are too sticky for insect lightweights. They get stuck. When you observe butterflies alighting for a nectar fix, look closely and you will see that they are not in the flower but instead, they alight offside and are careful to stay away from the sticky center. The carpenter bee is the only one large, smooth and heavy enough to get into the flower and thus become its prime pollinator. Even the fuzzy bumble bee is not heavy enough. I imagine they would get their fuzz removed if they tried sneaking into the flower. Bee waxing!

Once I learned this fact, I’ve begun taking a kindly view of these special bees. To keep them away from making homes in my wooden pergola, I provide them with alternatives by way of logs placed closer to where the milkweed grows. A spray of lemon oil and cinnamon on the pergola is said to help keep them at bay.

The tiny front lawn has been de-thatched thoroughly – it’s always amazing how much matting happens annually. The area gets aerated by stomping around in spiked shoes and making many small holes all over. Seeding will happen any day now – I’m awaiting the Eco-seed I ordered from @prairiemoonnursery. I shall report how this seed variety turns out.

Next on tap are chores like recommissioning the rain barrel, starting up the recirculating watering system of the wall garden to get it growing again, feeding the fruit trees and, as the temperatures climb, slowly bringing out plants from the greenhouse.

There’s a nice rhythm that happens at this time. As plants begin growing and flowers bloom and the birds build nests, the garden chores get done. Everybody is busy tending to their own business in a companionable manner.

The early daffodils will start trumpeting very soon. I can’t wait!

New bee house on an espalier post

Other daffodils pushing through

Snowdrops still going strong

Ready for reseeding

New birdhouse within the grapevine

Hellebores –

(c) 2023 Shobha Vanchiswar

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Marching Along

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Spring officially starts in one week. However, spring chores are well underway in my garden. My notes from past years indicate we’re ahead of schedule but given the strange weather the whole globe is experiencing, what is ‘normal’ must be redefined. So, I’m just going ahead with the tasks as the current conditions dictate.

Typically, the garden in February and most of March is thickly covered in snow and the ground beneath is frozen solid. Not this year.

The snowdrops started blooming about three weeks early but their bloom time seems to have been extended as the temperatures have remained constant. That’s a nice thing of course. Accordingly, the snowdrops have been divided. I prefer to divide them while they’re still blooming. It gives me a better visual of where and how I’d like to see them spread. In the meadow, I envision these happy harbingers of spring tumbling joyfully down the slope. So, the new divisions have been planted randomly to look free-form but they follow the natural incline along the length of the land.

The hellebores also have an early start and are beginning to look very pretty. The old leaves which are left in place to protect the new growth were cut away last week.

That cut back indicated that general spring clean up was possible. Over the past weekend, plants were cut back, winter detritus picked up, dead limbs of various shrubs removed,The birdhouses were cleaned out thorough;y and within 8 hours, one was occupied by a pair of sparrows!

The fruit espaliers and Concord grapevine were pruned even earlier. Dormant oil spray to smother eggs of pests has also been applied. It’s important to get this done before any new growth appears.

This week, cutting back our side of a neighbor’s hedge, pruning the hydrangea and attending to the tiny wild ‘lawn’ in front are on the agenda. The lawn gets a good raking to remove thatch, then it is aerated, followed by a light reseeding and a healthy feed of compost. I also plan to inspect the name tags on the espalier trees to identify what needs to be rewritten or replaced. Note: As I write this post, it’s been snowing for some hours! Whether the snow sticks around or not will determine if the chores get done!

I have a list of plants I’d like to add to the garden so those need to sourced and ordered. I’m hoping my local nursery can provide.

Gardening season has certainly begun. It’s my mind that needs to come to terms with it.

Snowdrops

The natural slope in the meadow

Divisions ready for new homes

Snowdrops tumbling done

Birdhouse was cleaned out and within 8 hours, a sparrow couple had moved in!

Hellebores are happening

Black hellebore

Pruned Belgian fence espalier

All tidied up

Hyacinths forced indoors are planted in the garden after flowering

(c) Shobha Vanchiswar 2023

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Dallying With Dahlias

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I’ve always seen the garden as a natural laboratory and the gardener as the chief scientist or principal investigator. In the making of a garden, we are but creating something of our own ideas and vision. Under certain given parameters of geography, climate and such, the gardener attempts to come up with something that fulfills a human need. These are contrived spaces where nature is manipulated. And when the hypothesis is realized, the work is deemed a success.

In truth, sowing a seed is nothing but an experiment.

A gardener will tweak, adjust, change and alter things all the time. Improving and trialing plants, colors, designs, shapes and always pushing boundaries both literal and metaphoric. No two gardens are ever alike because conditions are never identical even on plots sitting side by side. It’s always about experimenting.

Trying a rose in a seemingly unsuitable location in front of the air-conditioning compressor only to find success because nobody else accounted for the ideal combination of light, rich soil and the healthy air circulation resulting from the compressor hard at work cooling the house.

Or planting apple trees in the perfect location but ignoring the big cedar tree on the adjoining neighbor’s plot. Apples abound but all affected by cedar rust. The fruits taste fine but don’t look great. An experiment with mixed results. I have personal experience here and I’ve learned to live with blemished fruit. Keeps me humble but well fed.

We experiment with watering, light/shade requirements, new plants, new combinations of colors and/or plants, locations, styles – every effort is a mix of knowledge, hope, risk and curiosity. That last factor is the very essence of the mind of a scientist. Curiosity – the more we have it, the better the gardening experience. It’s not really about the successes at all. Success feels good but like a drug, one just keeps wanting more of it. Failures teach much more. There’s real growth from learning from mistakes. But curiosity is what drives the whole experiment, Every single time.

Curiosity makes us ask questions – What if? How about? Will this work? Why?

This year, my biggest experiment was all about growing dahlias. I tried them in pots and in ground. The pots got a head start because they went into the greenhouse as soon as it was vacated by all the over-wintering plants. The ground however had to wait till it was warm enough.

The spot I’d thought would be good for planting dahlias turned out to be smaller and not as sunny. Still, the plants grew and bloomed. It became crowded though. The asters nearby became thuggish and encroached on the newcomers. Clearly, my first mistake was in ordering too many dahlia tubers. That was sheer greed. And beginners optimism.

I ran out of big pots and crammed all the remaining tubers into a space that was inadequate. The lilac tree on one side cast more shade than I’d realized. So it is quite surprising that I got a fair number of beautiful flowers. The site however was not attractive at all. Despite the staking, it looked rather messy. Okay, ugly.

The pots did well. They started early, got moved outside and grew handsomely. A couple of them got attacked by some bug but appeared to overcome the problem on their own. I was too busy traveling so failed to be diligent. Pots were also watered regularly by a drip system set up for all pots in our absence while the dahlias in the ground were left to Nature’s mercy. In both cases, they came through well. I understand from dahlia veterans that this was a difficult year. Intense heat and lack of rain affected when the plants started blooming. Commercial growers were uncertain about the harvest. Last Christmas, I’d been given a dahlia subscription for this year and the weekly bouquets came with a fair amount of filler blooms which I’m pretty sure was not part of the deal. There simply weren’t as many dahlia flowers this year. I personally did not mind. The farmer is not responsible for the weather and did their best to please the subscribers.

Overall, I learned a lot and was quite happy with the whole experiment. Furthering the experiment, to store the bulbs through the winter, I’m following the traditional rules to pull up the tubers from the ground, clean and air dry, then store in cool, dry and dark location. Checking periodically to make sure they hadn’t gone moldy or desiccated. The tubers in pots however are going as is inside the unheated basement. The plants have been cut down of course. But I want to see how those tubers do compared to their naked cousins. I’m also experimenting similarly with the Canna, dwarf banana and Elephant ears. Other than all the big pots really crowding up the multi-purpose basement, the investment is very minimal. But the pay off could be good! Shall report on how it all goes.

Additionally, I’ve all together abandoned the idea of replanting dahlia tubers in the ground. I simply do not have a really suitable spot. Instead, I’m going to put them all in pots and keep them in the greenhouse throughout their growing season. It’ll be the dahlia cutting garden under glass (doors open of course). They’ll get enough light, regular watering, good air circulation. We shall see if this pampered set up yields an abundance of flowers.

Hot house beauties of a sort!

Note: I’m very pleased to be participating in the KMAA ‘Members Best’ Art Show at the Katonah Library all through November. Please visit this exhibit – creativity abounds!

My painting in the KMAA show’. Moon Shine’_watercolor

 

Dahlia in a pot

Dahlia plot looking unkempt

Dahlia in pot – ready for winter sojourn

Canna before being pulled up and prepared for storage.

Tropicals before being cut and moved into basement

Dahlia and Canna. Awaiting cleaning, drying and storage.

The meadow ready for bulb planting

(c) 2022 Shobha Vanchiswar

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November Norms

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‘November Norms’

November is a minimalist

Simply clad in earthy dress

Giving thanks with quiet grace

Nothing more, nothing less.

– Shobha Vanchiswar

Things To Do In November

1. First and foremost, put away all Halloween decorations. Set up Thanksgiving display – gourds, pumpkins, corn husks, ornamental kale and cabbages, chrysanthemums and asters.

2. Having cut back plants and cleared debris, mulch all plant beds with those recently raked leaves.

3. Hurry up and finish all pending tasks from last month!

4. Finish planting spring flowering bulbs.

5. Protect pots to be left outdoors, vulnerable plants such as boxwood, certain roses, and garden statuary.

6. Fill bird feeders. Regularly!

7. Be prepared for snow and ice. Keep snow shovels, grit or sand, firewood stocked and handy.

8. In case of power outage, have candles, flashlights, matches and batteries on the ready. A hand-cranked radio too – this has been a real asset when we’ve lost power and Wi-Fi for a length of time.

9. Finish raking leaves only where necessary. Let the leaves remain wherever possible. I clear walkways and paths and my tiny ‘lawn’ which receives too many leaves that if left in place, completely smother and snuff out all the growth beneath.

10. Clean and store tools. Get appropriate ones sharpened.

11. Start setting aside seed and plant catalogs. Soon you will be planning for next year!

12. While the weather is pleasant enough, keep on weed watch!

13. In the greenhouse, be sure the heater is doing its job. Ventilation is also important to keep plants healthy.

14. Start a routine for regular watering of plants indoors. Keep vigil for early signs of pests or disease.

15. Start growing amaryllis and paperwhites for seasonal cheer. Similarly, put bulbs such as hyacinths, muscari , crocus and tulips in for cooling. (I use my refrigerator). In about fourteen to eighteen weeks, you can start forcing them and pretend it is spring!

16. Enjoy a beautiful Thanksgiving.

Note: I’m truly enjoying the earthy colors in the garden. Don’t miss the nasturtiums still blooming and a revival in a pot of primroses –

(c) 2022 Shobha Vanchiswar

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Catching Up To October

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It serves me right. I was away for a good part of the summer, neglecting routine garden chores. So now, I’m busy playing catch up. The fall chores are slowly getting done but my goodness, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. A great deal on the To-Do list remains. The need to press on is primarily because we’re racing with the clock – before it gets too cold.

The big focus this past week was to get the tender plants that are in pots into the greenhouse. First the greenhouse is given a thorough cleaning inside and out. The panes must be squeaky clean to let in the sunlight. Before the plants are taken indoors, they must be trimmed and cleaned, their pots washed to remove debris and stowaways. Hygiene is important so the greenhouse doesn’t become a breeding ground for disease and pests. I like taking the necessary time and effort to do this task properly. It can be quite meditative.

Typically, I begin this work in mid-September. This year, it waited till October. A couple of weeks makes all the difference. The greenhouse was washed and prepared last weekend. During the week, we began corralling the pots so I had a work station to trim and clean. Through the week and weekend, this chore went on. The greenhouse is small – just 8’x4’. It gets filled to the gills easily. Moving the large pots is a physically demanding job. Thankfully, but for the largest of bay trees, all the plants are now safely ensconced inside. Said bay will go in very soon. There will then be no more room in the horticultural inn.

Apart from making the plants more compact which is better for small space accommodations, a nice result of the trimming work are the cuttings of rosemary, bay and other herbs that I enjoy giving away to friends who love to cook. We ourselves use them to ways that will perk up winter dishes. Mint leaves are turned into an Indian chutney which is delicious in sandwiches as is or combined with cheese or chicken. Sage leaves are fried flat and stored in the fridge – laid over soups or salads, they look pretty and taste quite sublime. Curry leaves are sauteed with black mustard seeds and turmeric – they are essential for certain South Indian dishes. Kept in the refrigerator, they last a long while. We create little bundles of bouquet garnis with rosemary, bay, marjoram, oregano and lavender – perfect to flavor hearty winter stews and roasts.

Before tossing off annual plants on the compost heap, we save those that can be used in arrangements to decorate or transformed into delicious food. Nasturtium leaves are turned into pesto as are the last of the basil. Note: I use cashews instead of pine nuts to make the nasturtium pesto. I also skip the Parmesan.

Time permitting, I’m going to freeze fennel and nasturtium flowers in ice cubes – should be pretty in holiday cocktails.

A lot of other chores must be dealt with before the Big Bulb Planting marathon. Almost a 1000 bulbs will be arriving soon! Talk about overwhelming. But, I’m pausing, taking deep breaths , admiring the dahlias and all the fall flowers still going strong and, plugging away at my tasks. It will all get done. All hands on deck.That’s what family is for right?

Greenhouse filling up …

Topiaries to baby under lights in the house.

Ball of bay

Still life

(c) 2022 Shobha Vanchiswar

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October On Tap

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Ah October! This month offers so much. Fall in full swing. Crisp, brisk weather, gorgeous burnished colors, the smell of wood smoke and pumpkin spice, bonfire gatherings, fireside reads, rain softened soil for new plantings. putting garden to bed days, pumpkin picking, apple tasting, soup simmering, Halloween decorating, long walks, reuniting with sweaters and fleece – yes, this month is full of blessings.

While there’s much to do in the garden, the weather makes it pleasant doesn’t it? Bug free, dry, cool air goes a long way in getting the chores done.

What To Do This Month –

1. Yes, weeding continues! Last call so be thorough.

2. Time to plant perennials and trees. Give a good dose of compost to each. Water regularly. Perennials already in place can be divided and re-planted as well.

3. Cut back all spent plants except what is needed for seasonal interest and to support animal life.

4. Collect seeds. Store in labeled envelopes in a cool, dry space.

5. Last call to root cuttings of geraniums, coleus, rosemary etc.,

6. Get all pots of tender perennials into clean greenhouse or other winter shelters. Wash plants and pots thoroughly before relocating – minimizes pest infestation.

7. Plant bulbs as weather gets consistently cooler. Bulbs can be planted until soil freezes solid.

8. Rake leaves. Add to compost pile, existing beds or deposit in woods. This has become a controversial subject but, I believe there is a compromise.

I do not let the leaves remain over my tiny lawn because I’m surrounded by trees so, the leaf fall is heavy and tends to smother all the grass, clover and friendly ‘weeds’ that support insects in early spring. I let leaves remain in the various beds and all over the meadow. As a result, there is plenty of leaf litter for butterflies, squirrels, birds and other critters who depend on it for shelter and food.

9. Give compost heap a good stir.

10 Clean out vegetable garden except for cool weather plants that are still producing. Apply several inches of compost on cleared beds. Plant green manure/cover-crop to enrich the soil – optional.

11. Clean and put away (or cover) outdoor furniture.

12. Check what needs repairing, repainting, replacing and get to it!

13. Lift tender bulbs, corms and tubers. Store in dry, frost-free place.

14. Drain and close all outdoor water faucets. Empty rain barrel and hoses.

15 Clean all equipment and tools. Store neatly.

16. As temperatures plummet, protect tender shrubs and immovable  frost sensitive pots and statuary. I cover the former with burlap and for the latter, I first cover with sturdy sheets of plastic and then use burlap so it looks halfway decent. They end up looking like big, brown packages ordered by the wildlife.

17. Remove suckers from ornamental and fruit trees. Prune roses and wisteria so as to protect from damage due to strong winds and ice/snow. Remove dead and decaying limbs from all plants.

18. Fill up bird feeders. Keep them filled through the winter.

19. Get into the seasons festive spirit – fill window boxes and urns with seasonal plants and produce.

20. Take time to enjoy the beauty of the season.

Let’s make it a great week!

A few seasonal glimpses from the garden and elsewhere:

Somewhere in Brooklyn

(c) 2022 Shobha Vanchiswar

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Simply Summer

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A lot rides on summer. A season so full of plans and expectations that it feels as plump and juicy as the fruit it bears. It’s time to switch to a lighter schedule so we can make the best of the long light filled hours. Reading lists, picnics, outdoor concerts, beach fun, pool time, ice cream tastings, hammock naps, freshly picked produce, crayon box colored flowers – we demand so much of summer. In our bid for simple, easy living, we expect to do a lot!

And then, there’s summer vacation. Where to go? For how long? With whom? To do what – chill out, sight see, find adventure, reunite with friends/family? It’s as exciting as it is stressful to plan that ideal getaway.

I’ve learned to pare down my own expectations and get very organized ahead. Mostly, I free up my schedule and create more space in my days for spontaneous activities. The to-do list is shortened to the bare minimum. Even in the garden. Weeding, watering, deadheading and lots of lounging to count butterflies and watch birds. Pure heaven. It’s the much awaited period when pleasure is prioritized over purpose. I believe I’ve earned it.

However, it’s what needs doing before going away on vacation that is invariably the challenge. How to best ensure the well-being of the garden when I’m away.

An intensive weeding is done right before. As is the mowing and tidying. I try to leave the garden looking as groomed as possible so on my return, it doesn’t look overly disheveled. Nothing like an unkempt garden to wash off the vacation glow.

Ensuring that the plants are well hydrated is a whole other matter. As I’ve mentioned before, plants in the ground are expected to hold their own – unless it’s been unduly hot, they are not watered routinely. It’s only the plants in pots that get regular quenching. And I have many pots.

In the past, I typically arranged for someone to come periodically to water the pots in various parts of the garden. It was a bit of a hit or miss as it depended wholly on the diligence of the person doing the watering.

This year, we’ve corralled all the pots in one place and set up an automatic system that turns on at a specific time of day for a specific length of time. There’s a moisture sensor attached so it does not turn on the water if it is raining or has done so recently. I just returned from being away for two weeks and the potted plants look lush and fine.

My nephew stopped by regularly to ensure everything was generally okay but most importantly, he cleaned and refilled the hummingbird feeders. I had made a quantity of the sugar solution and stored it in the refrigerator. A word of caution – the feeders must be refreshed more frequently during particularly hot spells because the water can start fermenting and this is unhealthy for the birds.

Overall, this new system, whilst requiring some effort to set up and move pots together, seems to be a better way to serve the plants. At the same time, it requires less of my nephew so he doesn’t feel too put upon by his garden obsessed aunt.

I’m going away again soon and it’s comforting to know that the care of the garden is in hand. So now, back to savoring the joys of the summer. Whats left of it.

Pots gathered together for watering:

The garden at present. I notice some hints of fall! –

(c) 2022 Shobha Vanchiswar

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Call Maintenance!

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July is all about maintenance. No major planting or project occurs at this time. It’s time to enjoy the fruits of ones labor. And I’m here for it. There’s nothing as satisfying as strolling around, preferably with a cool drink in hand, admiring what’s in bloom and what’s going well. Finally, a bit of time to simply take in the beauty and wonder of what one has created.

Of course, it doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. That would be wishful thinking. Weeding, watering, propping up, trimming back and general faffing is in order, But these can set a happy rhythm to the days. Leaving plenty of time to sit and soak up sunshine and revel in the delightful horticultural offerings. Hours spent watching the numerous insects and birds never get old. Quite the contrary – like sunrises and sunsets, rainbows, full moons and meteor showers, we never tire of what’s in bloom, butterflies flitting and floating gracefully, hummingbirds darting from feeder to flowers, bees laden with pollen whirring home, dragonflies pausing at the water filled trough, their iridescent wings refracting sunlight into flat rainbows …. the list goes on. Before one knows it, afternoon has become nightfall and the fireflies are twinkling in time with the stars.

All too often, I’ve allowed myself to be caught up in the spirit of the season and neglected to do enough in the maintenance department. It’s so easy to let that happen. I think I’m doing enough only to discover that the garden is no longer just expressing summer exuberance. Rather, it is shockingly messy and overgrown. Not this year. My resolution made early in the spring has held up well thus far and I’m seeing the impact due diligence makes.

Regular weeding and watering as required have always been kept up but, timely deadheading, staking and cutting back overgrowth makes all the difference to the health and appearance of the garden. This past weekend, blessed with good weather, that’s exactly what was accomplished. Snipping off spent flowers, cutting overgrowth of certain highly rambunctious plants, staking and supporting those in need, re-potting plants started from cuttings, trimming topiaries, chopping some plants like asters by 1/3 to prevent legginess and encourage fuller growth, feeding all the roses and every plant in a pot with organic fertilizer – it all got done. And the garden breathed a big sigh of relief. Everything looks so much better.

My husband and I split the numerous tasks but we made sure we took breaks for coffee, lunch and many glasses of water on the terrace, at which time we watched the hummingbirds, counted butterflies and shared observations made when we were tending different parts of the garden. A happy balance of work and pleasure. Pre-dinner drinks and dinner felt very well deserved as we sat back and appreciated this piece of earth of which we are blessed to have custody.

My final task before calling it a day was to water all the plants in pots – something that is done almost daily. I had to resort to the tap as the rain barrel was very low in water indicating how dry its been. I then noticed some plants in the beds looking mighty thirsty and watered them too. Fingers crossed it’ll rain later today, slake the earth and fill up the barrel.

In doing the maintenance chores regularly, it’s easier to notice what’s new. Which flowers are blooming, is there a scarcity or abundance of pollinators, where the nests are, what pests have made an ugly appearance and addressing the problems right away before it gets too late. The tasks remind me that I am a caretaker. And care I shall take.

Scenes from the garden –

Hummingbird at the feeder

Blue Jay taking a a break

Before and after a light trim

(c) 2022 Shobha Vanchiswar

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April Agenda

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Ah April! I love this month. With the garden waking up, every day unveils more flowers. A month full of promise and possibilities. And an urgency to get to all the seasonal chores in the garden.

To that end, I’m putting the to-do list here.

 Things To Do In April

1. Time to restart the compost pile! Give it a good stir and add fresh compostables. If you don’t have a composter, please do make or buy one.

2. Clean up all winter debris.

3. Can you believe weed patrol begins now? Be regular about it and you will always be on top of this chore.

4. Seedlings started indoors can be planted out once the soil has warmed up and has been well prepared for planting. Stay vigilant for spells of late frost. Keep cloches and fleece covers at hand.

5. Attend to the lawn. De- thatch, aerate, reseed and finally, fertilize with a good layer of compost.

6. Similarly, feed trees, shrubs and all garden beds with compost.

7. Remove burlap and other protection from plants and pots.

8. Divide overgrown perennials.

9. Plant summer-flowering bulbs.

10. Remove any dead, damaged or diseased stems/branches from roses, other shrubs and trees.

11. Start using an organic control to put off slugs and snails.

12. Put out nesting material such as wool, moss, cotton string, shredded paper, small twigs, feathers and hay for the birds. Nothing synthetic please!

13. Uncover the outdoor furniture and give them a good cleaning. Now you’re prepared for the first truly warm day!

14. Plant or move evergreen shrubs and conifers.

15. Take the time to revel in the beauty of the bulbs and other plants in bloom. They and you deserve this moment.

Get to it!

Note: Have you registered to come to my Garden’s Open Day? Do please! Tickets must be purchased online only. Saturday May 14 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Lawn service! Removing thatch, aerating, reseeding,

Lawn reseeding

Starting seeds for summer

Planting spring window boxxes

(c) 2022 Shobha Vanchiswar

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March Moves

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Can’t you just feel the approach of spring? The light feels brighter and days are distinctly longer. As the sap rises in the trees and the buds begin to swell, the pulse quickens and spirits soar. It’s time to get moving in the garden!

Things To Do This Month

  1. Cut some forsythia and pussy willow branches for indoor forcing. Place in water and keep in a cool place until the buds are swollen. Then move them to a location where they can be viewed as the blooms burst forth. A lovely prelude to spring.

  2. As snow melts, start clean up process. Twigs and other debris can be removed. Protect the still wet areas of grass and beds by first placing cardboard or wood planks and stepping on those instead. They help distribute the weight better.

  3. Later in the month, remove protective burlap and/or plastic wrappings and wind breaks.

  4. Get tools sharpened. This includes the mower blades.

  5. Commence indoor seed sowing. Begin with the early, cool weather crops. Read seed packet instructions and calculate dates for planting out.

  6. Order plants that will be required for the garden as soon as the ground has warmed up. Let your local nursery know your needs – they will inform you know when shipments arrive.

  7. As soon as possible, once snow is all gone and soil has thawed, spread compost on all the beds including the vegetable plot.

  8. Finish pruning fruit trees, grape vines and roses early in the month.

  9. Take an inventory and stock up on whatever is lacking. Soil, gloves, mulch, stakes, twine, tools, water retaining crystals, grass seed, pots, hoses etc.,

  10. Survey the garden and see what needs replacing, repairing or painting. Schedule and do the needful.

  11. Start bringing out or uncovering outdoor furniture. It’ll soon be time to linger outdoors!

  12. Get Open Days directory from Garden Conservancy – www.gardenconservancy.org. Mark your calendars to visit beautiful gardens in your area. Come to my Open Day on May 14 between 10 am and 4 pm. I’m looking forward to seeing you!

Let’s get on with it.

Current glimpses of what’s doing in my garden –

Swelling buds on climbing hydrangea

Snowdrops braving the snow

Hyacinths coming along indoors

My watercolor of a snowdrop

Forced bulbs from a past year

(c) 2022 Shobha Vanchiswar

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