Gardening week in review
Garden season has begun in earnest, despite the snow we had yesterday. From a high of 83 degrees last Sunday, to 34 degrees on Saturday - a typical Spring in Wisconsin. We had some sunny weather, with highs in the 60s, and late in the week some rainy, cold days.
Crocus were in bloom on Sunday, but the heat wiped them out by Monday. A few more crocus opened, and the squill (both blue Siberian and white/blue Pushkinia) are in bloom now. A few daffodils are blooming, and the Cornelian cherry dogwood is awash in tiny yellow blossoms. Hyacinth are up and preparing to open - and after 5 years in the ground, they have finally multiplied from the original six to more than a dozen. Maybe I should fertilize them more often.
I spent the week pruning shrubs and small trees, cutting back the Nippon grass, digging dandelions (some of the tap roots look like overgrown carrots!) and digging plants for division and donation to the Southeast Wisconsin Master Gardeners' annual plant sale in May. So far I've got sedum 'Autumn Joy', sedum 'Brilliant', nepeta 'Walker's Low', and lady's mantle to pot up. Other perennials are slow to break ground - the weather has been unseasonably cold this Spring.
The chipmunks are out and about, competing with the squirrels and rabbits for the critter chow I supply. Chipmunks are the preferred cat TV channel, encouraging much window-sitting. Goldfinches are in full color. Robins are pulling worms from the gardens. The little red-capped woodpecker is still hanging around, as are the pair of cardinals. The usual crowd of sparrows and chickadees gather at the feeders.
To do this week:
Finish pruning
Rake out beds
Fill the last two raised beds with soil mix
Plant lettuce, onion sets, and radishes
Pot up perennials
Continue weed control efforts
Put out garden decorations and birdbaths
Buy more critter chow
Take photos and post them
Crocus were in bloom on Sunday, but the heat wiped them out by Monday. A few more crocus opened, and the squill (both blue Siberian and white/blue Pushkinia) are in bloom now. A few daffodils are blooming, and the Cornelian cherry dogwood is awash in tiny yellow blossoms. Hyacinth are up and preparing to open - and after 5 years in the ground, they have finally multiplied from the original six to more than a dozen. Maybe I should fertilize them more often.
I spent the week pruning shrubs and small trees, cutting back the Nippon grass, digging dandelions (some of the tap roots look like overgrown carrots!) and digging plants for division and donation to the Southeast Wisconsin Master Gardeners' annual plant sale in May. So far I've got sedum 'Autumn Joy', sedum 'Brilliant', nepeta 'Walker's Low', and lady's mantle to pot up. Other perennials are slow to break ground - the weather has been unseasonably cold this Spring.
The chipmunks are out and about, competing with the squirrels and rabbits for the critter chow I supply. Chipmunks are the preferred cat TV channel, encouraging much window-sitting. Goldfinches are in full color. Robins are pulling worms from the gardens. The little red-capped woodpecker is still hanging around, as are the pair of cardinals. The usual crowd of sparrows and chickadees gather at the feeders.
To do this week:
Finish pruning
Rake out beds
Fill the last two raised beds with soil mix
Plant lettuce, onion sets, and radishes
Pot up perennials
Continue weed control efforts
Put out garden decorations and birdbaths
Buy more critter chow
Take photos and post them