by Fort Collins Nursery | FortCollinsNursery.com
Like most gardeners, you are probably itching to get out to your garden and start playing in the dirt. The recent warm winter definitely heightens that desire; however, it’s best to practice some patience, as springtime weather is unpredictable here in Northern Colorado. Luckily, there are some pre-season preparations you can work on to scratch the itch! Early March is a great time to start looking at the garden to prepare for the growing season ahead. A quick scan of the area and some light chores will help set your space up for success, so you can hit the ground running, shovel in hand, when the warmer planting weather comes around.
Inspect Your Garden
◻ First and foremost, admire and swoon over any bulbs that have started to peak out. Some Crocuses have even started to bloom around town, how exciting!
◻ Take inventory of all your plants: assess damage from animals, overgrown spots, and the structure and shape of the plants.
◻ Clear any veggie beds of leaves and debris. Loosen the soil and amend as needed.
◻ Take note of perennials that need to be divided, typically to be done in April.
◻ Leave the mulch! Maintain the mulch around plants to 2-4”, keeping the piles pulled back from the trunk and stems.
◻ Tend to trellises and other structures that may have shifted during winter windstorms.
◻ Rearrange other hardscape elements that may have shifted, like pieces of a retaining wall, flagstone, and edging.
◻ Pull weeds as you see them.
Cut Back and Prune
◻ Cut any broken or damaged branches back to the next healthy node.
◻ Cut back ornamental grass (except Blue Oat Grass, Fescues, Sedges, and Mexican Feather grass) and most perennials down to 1″-3″. Do this before you see new green growth.
◻ Prune any shrubs that bloom on new wood, typically summer-blooming shrubs.
◻ Leave any spring-blooming shrubs and trees as they bloom on old (last year’s) wood.
Read more about the guidelines for pruning flowering shrubs provided by CSU Extension.
Inspect Lawn
◻ Lightly rake to remove winter debris and fluff up matted areas.
◻ Arerate to reduce compaction (leave the plugs, they’ll break down after a few waterings and mowings, and you don’t want to remove soil from your yard!)
◻ Apply pre-emergent herbicide to stop weeds like crabgrass and dandelions from growing.
Tool Inventory and Maintenance
◻Look through your gardening tools and take note of anything that needs to be fixed or replaced.
◻ Sharpen the blades on your pruners and lawn mower blades. Apply oil where needed to prevent rust.
◻ Check for cracks in hoses, and when it’s time to turn the irrigation on, keep an eye out for leaks or broken parts.
◻ If you have holes in your gardening gloves, it’s time for a new pair!
Check the tasks off the list as you do them. Spring will greet us in no time, and you (and your garden) will be ready!