Garden Therapy! Spring Gardening!
I really can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t love helping with yard work, either with my parents at our home when I was growing up, or helping my cute grandma in her garden! Everything about gardening holds such happy, joyful memories for me–maybe that’s why when the hectic schedules of life get me feeling a little frantic, I can’t wait to grab my bucket and yard tools and head outside so I can go recover my “zen” –so to speak, and enjoy a little “Garden Therapy”!
One of my children asked me once why I loved yard work so much–and since it had been one of those days…I responded–perhaps a little too quickly, “Because nothing talks back out here!”
I’m not a professional by any means, and the things I’ll share in these Garden Therapy features are just a culmination of tried and true things that my husband and I have found worked well for us over the years. We always seek out expert opinions when we’re trying something new and still hire the pros for jobs that are just better done by those that are more skilled and knowledgeable!
Spring Is In The Aer-ating!
I didn’t use to see the need for punching holes in your grass that left little dirt pellets all over that had to be raked up. I have come to realize however, that doing this helps air circulate down to the lawn’s roots, helping fertilizer applied be more effective, thus establishing a stronger root system that will hold water much better when the weather warms up–resulting in thicker, greener grass! Healthy grass also tends to withstand pesky lawn grubs that can cause some serious damage later in the summer season. Speaking of fertilizers, there are many good commercial brands out there, but my husband and I have found that by contacting the grass specialists who take care of the local golf courses, (they obviously have to know their stuff) we are able to get a fertilizer blend that is best suited for lawn care in our area.
Put A Little Pep Into Your Spring Gardening!
Soil pep that is…I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this stuff! Soil pep is a wood byproduct compost that is mixed with other organic materials. Where I live, there is quite a bit of clay in the soil, so mixing soil pep into the dirt makes it a lot more pliable–I know, it sounds like I’m talking about a hair care product! Soil pep helps plants retain moisture better, so overall you will water less–but the thing I like the very most about it is that as you mix it in your flowerbeds each growing season, weeds become practically nonexistent…if any dare to pop up, the soil is so soft they’re easily pulled out! I also love that soil pep is a natural looking mulch and has such a nice, fragrant smell that you almost feel like you’re in the middle of a pine forest!
Let Your Spring Gardening Go To Pot!
We all know how finicky spring weather can be, and because there is so much fluctuation in temperatures where I live, it’s not usually recommended to plant flowers until after Mother’s Day. Bulbs seem to have a short lifespan here as well, so for me, they’re not something I want to spend a lot of time and effort doing. I find that the easiest and best way to get the color I crave in my yard this time of year is to plant some container pots and planters. The flower selections that are available during the spring season seems to expand more and more each year. Plants that don’t do well out in the cool, spring evening air can also be put into a few smaller, more mobile flower pots that are easily brought inside at night. It’s always fun to add seasonal holiday decor to these planters too!
After a long winter, it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed when thinking about all that needs to be done in our yards. I do my darndest to live by the “don’t eat the whole elephant in one sitting” philosophy that my parents taught me, and try to concentrate on just one area at a time. Luckily, my husband loves working in the yard almost as much as I do, so we make a good team. Often our biggest problem is that we need to do better at reminding ourselves to take the time to kick back and relax and enjoy the fruits of our labors more!
Next up in Garden Therapy, I thought I’d share some of my very favorite plants in my yard that look beautiful and thrive with very little work!
Happy Spring Gardening!
I’d love to get in on any great spring gardening tips you might have!
–Mary