| Final spring cleaning | The last frost date in our area is right around Mother's Day. Here is a list of the chores you should finish before then in order to be ready for the most beautiful weeks of spring in the garden:
Place stakes or plant support cages around your plants while they are still small.
Enjoy your Tulips, Daffodils and other flowering bulbs and resist the temptation to remove the foliage when the flowers die. The foliage gathers nutrients to feed the bulb and should be allowed to die naturally.
Mulch lightly to keep seeds down. Resist the temptation to mulch too deeply or too close to the plants so you don't smother them. You can use grass clippings for mulch if you have not treated your lawn with chemical seed killer.
Prepare any containers you will plant after the danger of frost is past. Put styrofoam pieces or empty plastic water bottles in the bottom if your containers are large. This reduces the weight of the container and saves you on planting medium. |
| In our next issue |
Planting the edible garden
Mowing techniques for healthy lawn
Container gardens
and more! |
| Contact us | |
Lurvey Landscape Supply & Garden Center
2550 E Dempster St.
Des Plaines, IL
847-824-7411
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| Featured plant: Rhododendron | |
 | Mother's Day Azalea
Photo courtesy of Northscaping |
What would spring be without Rhododendrons and Azaleas? They add showy color to the spring border and compliment flowering bulbs. Most retain their leaves in winter and are referred to as broadleaf evergreens. Rhododendrons come in many colors and sizes, too. Larger varieties make beautiful foundation plantings. Smaller ones provide great accent in the spring garden. They thrive best in partial shade. Plant them in a protected spot where they will not be subject to drying winds and dramatic temperature changes. They have shallow roots and should be planted just at or above the soil line. Some gardeners create raised beds for their Rhododendrons for this reason. Add compost and humus to the planting hole before setting in, as these plants like soil rich in organic content and acidic rather than alkaline.Since our soil tends to be more alkaline, you will need to add supplements around the base of your plants from time to time. We have several types available. |
| Want butterflies? Start now | |
Butterflies add whimsy and color to the garden. Who wouldn't want them? And it's not too early to plan how to attract them to your garden this year.
We typically think of butterflies as a summer delight, but many visit in the spring if conditions are right for them. Lilacs, muscari, Chives, Virginia Bluebells, Creeping Phlox, and even the clover in your lawn provide them food in the spring. They also need water and shelter from rain and wind this time of year. Provide additional shelter by making sure that you have some plants with large foliage. Redbud trees are an example.
To keep the butterflies coming all summer, include Butterfly Bush somewhere in your garden. Then add the following perennials (plants that bloom once each season and return every year): New England Aster, Butterfly Weed, Garden Phlox, Joe Pye Weed, Coreopsis, Coneflower, Liatris, and Goldenrod.
Each season you can also plant annuals to attract butterflies to your designated "butterfly garden" or to other areas as well. Zinnias, Lantana, Verbena, and Pentas are a few that will be irresistible. |
| Overseeding for a lush lawn |
 One of the best techniques for eliminating weeds in your lawn is called overseeding. The idea is that the more grass you have, the less space there is for weeds. To create a lush weed-free lawn in your own yard, adopt the habit of overseeding at this time of year. It's best done as follows:
Rake thoroughly and then have your lawn core aerated to help reduce soil compaction.
Lightly spread compost over the lawn to add organic matter to the soil. Remember, a healthy lawn depends on healthy soil more than anything else!
Overseed the entire lawn with grass seed. Use seed appropriate for your yard. We have seed for sunny or shady conditions. To distribute the seed evenly, use a spreader.
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