April Rain (or snow) Showers brings Growth⛈️❄️🌬️

As winter gives way to spring, it’s time to consider improving your landscape. With the earth waking up from its winter slumber, it’s the perfect time to divide and conquer- er, transplant. And, how about low-maintenance and eco-friendly landscaping for your yard? Planning (covered in last month's blog), is essential for a beautiful outdoor escape. This month we’ll discuss a few tips on how you can spruce up your outdoor space this spring.

Dividing Perennials

So what types of perennials need to be divided and how often?

Think bulbs, summer/fall blooming, and any leggy or floppy plant. Perennials, such as Hostas, Daylilies, Black-eyed Susan's, and Cone flowers, should be dug up and divided every two to three years. Dividing keeps the plant from taking over the garden and is a great way to acquire free plants for friends. As soon as you see new growth poking out of the ground, it's time for digging.

Dig it:  Choose an overcast day, so the hot sun isn’t beating on stressed plants, with open root systems. A long spade works well for digging up the root ball, and a garden fork for dividing the roots. Use the garden fork to separate the plant into equal sizes, leaving a fair amount of leaves on each.

Transplanting

The new spot should have the required sun, shade, and protection. It's advised to get the new spot ready, before dividing. This safeguards the plants’ success. Dig as deep as the original plant, leaving plenty of room for the roots to spread. Mix the existing soil with compost or leaf mulch, bury the roots, and plant no deeper than the original. Leaves should be peeping at you! Water generously.

The Lawn That Never Needs Mowing

Three great lawn ideas for low-maintenance and eco-friendly lawns:

🍀Clover Lawn for Good Luck: With what you’ll save on maintenance, Planting a clover lawn can be a pot of gold. No chemicals or fertilizer needed, mowing twice a season, and little water. Oh, and those little white flowers are naturally pollinating, so . . .bees, watch your toes! It also does need to be replanted every few years. However, as Clover is a natural fertilizer, it's eco-friendly and stays green all season, feeding our crucial pollinators. 🦋

Save Time with Creeping Thyme: Drought tolerant, no mowing needed (unless it’s a non-creeping variety), smells great and this one doesn’t need reseeding. It also chokes out weeds. What’s not to love? Plus, just like grass and clover, you can walk on it. Thyme blooms in various colors, which spreads your lawn with a colorful show of green, lavender, and pink. Finally, it attracts pollinators and repels mosquitos, rabbits, and deer.

Wild 🌼Lawn for the

Wild at Heart: Wildflowers (native plants) are vast pollinators and habitats for birds and small mammals. Like the needs described for clover and thyme, wildflower lawns need little water or mowing, no fertilizer, or pesticide. They’re not for everyone but do boast an old-world charm and beauty.

Fun Fact: Native plants = archaic, being 89-90 million years old. Around the 20th century, urbanization in Cities, such as New York, destroyed the habitats of many wildflowers. Thankfully, conservation efforts are helping native plants sprout back.

Do you need help planning your garden landscape? Contact ADK Gardens for a low-maintenance landscape.

Fertilizing established perennial gardens – feed ‘em and weep. (n.d.). MSU Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/fertilizing_established_perennial_gardens_feed_em_and_weep

Vinje, E. (2022, November 19). Creeping Thyme Lawn (Pros and Cons and How to Plant). Planet Natural. https://www.planetnatural.com/thyme-lawn/

Nunez, C. (2021, April 27). 4 tips for planting wildflowers in your own backyard. Environment. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/paid-content-why-planting-wildflowers-makes-a-difference