Last year nearly 40 percent of American families planted a garden. With the unusually cold winter weather in the traditional fruit-growing regions of the United States, is this another good year to grow food locally?
Yes, very cold temperatures hit areas that we depend on for off-season vegetables, like Florida, Georgia, Texas, Arizona and California. A great number of our favorite vegetables, such as tomatoes, were frozen. Home-grown vegetables taste better, anyway, so let’s get those gardens going this year.
I put bulbs in storage last fall. Should I be checking them now?
Yes, now is the time to go through the box or bag of bulbs you put in storage. Those which are light weight and don’t look healthy should be discarded. They will never grow, nor produce a flower.
Soon it will be Easter and I plan to get several Easter lily plants. Can I plant them outside once they have finished blooming?
Yes, by all means, these can be planted once the ground temperature warms up and the frost is out of the ground. Try to plant them on the east side of your house if at all possible. Do not plant them near any other lilies, namely Oriental lilies, that you may have planted before. Planting them in your sunniest area is your best bet as you will get the most flowers. After the first year, you will not need to cover them with a mulch.
I want to reseed some of my lawn this spring. When should I do this and what kind of grass should I seed?
The right time to seed a new lawn, or seed spots that are thin, is once the ground warms up. Kentucky bluegrass is a good one to plant, or one or two of the fine fescues are good to seed. Do not seed zoysia grass, as this is for Zones 7 and 8 in the southern part of the Unites States.
If you have a sunny area try to purchase seed which is for sunny areas. Or if you have a shady area, always purchase seed for a shaded area. Don’t seed too deep or it will not grow. Also keep the area moist until the grass begins to germinate before watering a whole lot. Do not apply fertilizer until you have good growth and you have mowed the grass several times.
In mowing the new grass, let the growth get at least 3 inches, then only mow this at about 2 inches in height. Later in the summer, if there is a lack of rainfall, raise the mower height to at least 3.5 inches. Watch for my future columns; I always try to advise gardeners with current conditions.
With all of the snow we’ve had, how late can I prune my fruit trees?
Try to have the pruning done by the end of March. It is not necessary to cover the pruned branches off with any solution. The University of Minnesota agrees with this advice.
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Plant several extra plants or an extra row of vegetables for that person in your life who no longer has the strength to garden. Take some of your excess vegetables to your church to share with others. Have a great gardening season, everyone.
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Hank Wessels is a Master Gardener in Watonwan County. He welcomes questions and comments from readers. He may be reached at 601 1st St. SW, Madelia, MN 56062, hwdw@madtelco.net or (507) 642-8479.
