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Greetings!
After months of waiting we finally got our first official snow - two inches. Not quite enough for a snow day in our school district, which disappointed the two boys in our house, but snow none-the-less. Just enough to say "Ah, it's so pretty". I was glad to see the sun melting most of it away by yesterday followed by a gentle cleansing rain today. It looks as if the weather pattern is changing in our favor. Rain today, a slight chance this weekend and maybe some more early next week. We need it as we are still playing catch up to the large amounts of moisture we received last winter. Snow, rain, preferably rain, as long as it's wet, I'm happy.
We have a big house being built right next door to us. The owners had to take down a large oak tree to accommodate the new structure. I was sad to see the tree go as it was close to 30 feet tall. The disappearance of the tree has prompted me to watch the sun on the south side of our house. Before the tree was taken down we had early morning sun and late afternoon shade. Guess what? Now we have full sun! Guess what else? I think we finally have enough sun to grow some vegetables! Kevin and I are going to establish some raised beds this spring! Can you hear the excitement in my voice? I have never had a large area that gets full sun. We will still have to contend with the crazy chipmunks, rabbits and squirrels but I am ready to give it a shot. Kevin will keep you posted with photos once we get started. I can hardly wait! |
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Shrub Pruning Calendar...
 When we started Savvygardener.com one of the things we wanted to provide was information that was truly useful to area gardeners based on our weather, our climate, our everything. A great example of this is one of our most popular and informative articles - The Shrub Pruning Calendar. A Savvygardener.com exclusive, this is the Kansas City area gardener's definitive guide to when, and when not, to prune a wide variety of shrubs. Check it out! We'll bet it answers some questions and clears up a lot of mystery. |
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Too Early Bloomers?
South facing gardens with lots of sun may soon see adventurous bulbs pushing through the ground - especially snow drops, crocus, and early daffodils. Keep an eye out! Matted leaves and dead grass left over from fall may create a barrier to these upstarts. Help them a little by gently raking away any debris and allowing the foliage and flowers to break through the soil more easily.
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Clues In The Melting Snow...
It's funny how important the winter can be to gardening. Recent snow is fading fast but did you notice where it melted away fastest? Those are the sunniest and warmest spots of your garden. Knowing the location of these microclimates may be important for future plantings. These warmer areas might be good choices for your more tender plantings or even a perennial that is only marginally suited to our growing zone.
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A Clean Start...
Here's another important tip for seed starters. Make sure you thoroughly wash last year's plastic seed-starting containers. Believe me it makes a difference! And if your seedlings have had disease problems in the past, you'll need to use a mixture containing 10 percent household bleach and water to really sterilize the containers.
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Spring Into Sweet Peas...
Sweet peas are perfect for gardeners who can't wait for spring. They can go into the ground any time the ground isn't wet from early March to late April. They'll wait until conditions are favorable to germinate. Top performers in our area include:
- Little Marvel, Green Arrow, Frosty, Knight, Sparkle, Sugar Bon or Sugar Snap
- Thin-podded Oriental types - often called snow peas - broaden the possibilities to include the Dwarf Grey Sugar and Mammoth Sugar varieties
Peas usually do best where you can plant two to three rows, 4 to 6 inches apart, to allow the weak, spindly vines to support each other. Otherwise, you generally need a trellis.
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Begonias, By Golly...
Savvygardeners who want to have tuberous begonias for summer-long flowering in pots, beds, or hanging baskets outside should start the tubers indoors during late February or early March. Sprout the tubers by placing them, hollow side up, fairly close together in shallow, well-drained pans. Use a mix of equal parts perlite, sphagnum, peat moss, and vermiculite; or chopped sphagnum moss and perlite. This should be kept damp (not soggy) in a shady window with a temperature in the lower 60s. Transplant the tubers to pots or baskets when growth starts, normally within 3 weeks. Place them outside only after all threat of frost has passed.
Source
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Whiteflies and Houseplants...
This time of year whiteflies can become more prevalent and attack your houseplants. Worse yet, if infected plants are moved to the garden in the spring, the whiteflies can spread to other plants in the garden. Control them now with insecticidal soap applied to the underside of the leaves every few weeks.
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Finally...
"A modest garden contains, for those who know how to look and wait, more instruction than a library."
~ Henri Frederic Amiel
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