Prep Now for a Beautiful Spring Garden

It’s important to consider your location and the current weather in your area before you begin any of these garden tasks. Here in South Georgia, we have mostly mild winters, but if you live in a cooler region, delay the following work until just before spring.  

Perennials
Perennials are nature’s gift that keeps on giving (and giving!). To keep them looking their best, prune back perennials to the form and size you desire. This will allow the plant to fill in with lush new growth come springtime. Avoid pruning any plants that bloom on old wood (some hydrangeas, forsythia). These types of plants formed their buds the previous year, and if they are removed, they will not flower.

Roses
Late winter is the best time to prune this essential garden component. First, remove any dead canes, and then cut back healthy stems to approximately one- to two-thirds the size of the plant. Remove any suckers from the plant, as these will steal nutrients and stunt overall growth. Once pruning is complete, spray the rose plant thoroughly with horticultural oil to get rid of insects (and their eggs!) before they become active again in spring. Reward yourself for all your hard work with a beautiful new rose bush to add to your garden, as now is a great time to plant them.

New Plantings
You actually can get some plants in the ground soon! Once your area is safe from freezes, it’s the perfect time to place new perennials, shrubs, and trees in your garden. Planting early allows root structures to form well before the intense summer heat arrives.

Some of my favorite perennials to bring gorgeous spring color into the garden are foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), peony (Paeonia lactiflora), African iris (Dietes iridioides), coneflower (Echinaceae sp.), and larkspur (Delphinium sp.). My favorite evergreens to incorporate include Wintergreen boxwoods (Buxus sinica var. insularis ‘Wintergreen’), dwarf bur ford hollies (Ilex cornuta ‘Dwarf Burford’), and distylium.

Fertilizing
If you are looking forward to a gorgeous spring—and aren’t we all!—then be proactive by fertilizing everything from curb to foundation, including your lawn, shrubs, and trees. Choose a good-quality fertilizer—it truly makes a difference! I like to use my secret “go-go juice,” Nelson Plant Food. Be sure to look for a complete fertilizer, which will contain both macronutrients and micronutrients.

Turf
Last but not least, give your grass some love! I recommend having a soil test by your local extension office to assess your lawn’s nutrient needs. Here in the South, soils tend to be quite acidic, which most plants aren’t fond of. It is likely your lawn needs to be limed to neutralize the soil pH. This will improve nutrient availability to plants and improve the overall health and structure of the soil. One of the most important things you can do for your lawn is scalping. This means lowering your lawn mower setting each time you cut grass to clean up the thatch. (Thatch is the area of dead and living grass that is between the soil and the lush green grass that grows on your lawn.) By cleaning up the thatch, you improve aeration, drainage, and nutrient absorption. Also, when grass is cut, make sure the clippings are not left on the lawn during scalping.

Using these tips to get your garden ready will pay off big-time when warmer weather and brighter days set in. Take a Saturday morning to prune, plant, and prep, and you’ll have the best-looking landscape in the neighborhood come spring—guaranteed!