There’s plenty of spring pre-gardening work to do

By Bev Johnson | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, April 28, 2007

Even though you may not be able to rake yet, there are still spring jobs that you can do in this nice warm weather. Cut off the old asparagus stalks now before the new shoots pop up.

Get the lawn mower blades sharpened up and mow off your fall bearing raspberries. This will ensure a larger crop in the fall as the canes will not have to have a crop in July.

It will also ensure that you will have to resharpen the lawnmower blades. Those canes are tough.

Take about one-half of the mulch off the flowerbeds. Leave enough so you will have little or no weeding to do this summer. There are many reasons to mulch beside weed inhibition.

Mulch saves water by preventing evaporation from the soil. Light colored mulch, like straw, reflects sunlight underneath the plants — repelling aphids and many other flying pests.

It prevents soil borne diseases by preventing soil from splashing up onto the plants. This is especially important in the vegetable garden.

Mulch keeps the soil cooler and that makes the roots happier and usually larger. As organic mulches decompose, they add micro nutrients to the soil.

Mulch preserves the soil structure. Have you ever been out in a rain storm? It really pounds down, packing the soil.

Mulch keeps the rain from not only packing down but also eroding. Mulching around small trees keeps the wicked machines away from the tender bark and keeps competing weeds and grass from taking the nutrients the tree needs to grow.

Did you know that your plants have a defense system? When a plant is attacked by a bug, it produces methyl salicylate, a distress chemical.

This is a signal for ladybugs, big-eyed bugs, (yup, that is their official name) and other predatory bugs to come rushing to the rescue.

If you spray at the first sign of a bug, you well may be doing more harm than good in your garden. The first step in bug control is to know what the bug is. There are some you want even though they may cause a bit of damage.

Tomato horn worms come to mind. They will eat all the leaves off your tomato and start on the spud down the row. Simply pick them off and take them to Theresa at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center. The worm turns into a moth that is the only pollinator of some wild flowers. Better call first, as this may be a bumper year for them.

Did you know that dahlias are the national flower of Mexico? That is why you need to wait to plant them until the soil is at least 60 degrees. They don't like cold weather.

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Bev Johnson is a master gardener for West Otter Tail County.