Spring Gardening – Making Your Beds Beautiful

It’s spring! The trees have finally leafed out, the bulb flowers are blooming, and the weather is glorious here in North Texas!

It’s the busiest time of the year in the garden. If you’re new to gardening, or new to Texas gardening, here are a few tips to help you get your garden beds in shape and looking gorgeous!

First, get acquainted with Neil Sperry. His name is synonymous with Texas gardening since 1970. He publishes a weekly newsletter (e-gardens newsletter) outlining what needs to be done outdoors in any given week, based on the weather, the season, and years of experience. You can subscribe here – it will quickly become a valued resource for you!

Now, lets talk garden beds. When the weather warms up, we attack our beds in a certain order. It seems to work well and give us good results.

1. Stretch. Yes, you read that right! Gardening is great exercise, but if you’ve been sedentary this winter, that first gardening trip outdoors can be tough on the body! Take a few minutes to stretch – your body will thank you! Unsure how to stretch? Do a google search – there’s videos, articles, etc that will help you avoid injury and sore muscles.
2. Trim the shrubs. Let all the debris and droppings fall – you’ll take care of that later. If you have blooming shrubs, here’s a guide to when to prune: If they bloom in spring, prune immediately after they finish flowering. If they bloom in the summer or fall, or are non-blooming, prune in January or February. Minor reshaping can be done any time of the year.
3. Pull the weeds.  If you’re new to gardening, you need to know that the way to remove a weed forever is to pull the entire plant, including roots. In Texas clay, the easiest way to pull weeds in when soil is moist. Always wear gardening gloves! Pull the weed from the top of the root rather than by the leaves, and twist slightly as you pull. Keep a bucket next to you and put your pulled weeds in it, as well as any debris from your earlier shrub trimming. Also, if you’re planning to mulch later, you can leave the young short weeds, as the mulch will block light and prevent their growth.
4. Buy the Flowers. Now that your garden beds look so nice and clean, think about what you’d like to plant to enhance your yard. We could write volumes about the best type of flowers / shrubs / trees to plant, but there are so many variables to consider! Our best advice is to head to your local nursery with pictures of your yard and knowledge of sun exposure. We have several nurseries in the area, such as Calloway’s, Schmitz Garden Center, Blooming Colors Nursery in Grapevine, Shades of Green and Strong’s Nursery & Garden Center. A google search will turn up many additional resources, and asking your neighbors is probably the best reference of all!
5. Don’t forget hanging baskets! Look around your house and yard, and consider a couple well placed hanging baskets of flowers or greenery. We’ve even seen them hung from trees! (Sturdy branches only, of course!) You’ll want to consider, when choosing a spot for the baskets, where the watering run-off will land!
6. Plant the stuff you bought. Once you’ve brought home your flowers, shrubs & goodies, it’s time to plant. We suggest you get them into the ground as quickly as possible, to maintain the good health of the plants. If you can’t get them into the ground right away, place them in a shady area and water them well at least twice a day. We encourage you to ask your nursery-man about planting techniques, including fertilizer, watering, etc.
7. Mulch. Mulch is a Texas gardeners best friend! Be sure to use it, and apply it thickly. With our heat, mulch is necessary to keep your plants roots cool and healthy. It also will help maintain moisture in your garden, ultimately saving you time and money on watering. Choose a mulch color that will coordinate with your home. Also, organic materials are preferred over inorganic. Mulch will need to be refreshed annually. Pssst – you ALWAYS apply mulch LAST .. it hides a bunch of things, like those little weeds, the odd droppings from shrub trimming, and it makes your landscape beds look neat,  clean and fantastic!

There you have it!! Now doesn’t that look nice!!?? Happy Gardening!!

Gardening information provided by The Seay Realty Group, dedicated to service and exceeding your expectations. Call us today!! 214.636.8485