Mindful Gardening

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Here are a few tips to make your garden more bountiful!

This year take a more mindful approach when gardening that is safer for the environment as well as the birds and the bees.

Hold off clean out those flower beds and gardens until the temperature is consistently above 50 degrees. Pollinators may be taking shelter under dead leaves or in hollowed-out stems until the weather is more inviting. The more pollinators there are the more abundant your flowers and garden will be!

When shopping for fertilizer and insecticide products know that they are not only harmful to insects but also humans and pets. Certain chemicals have a lasting harmful effect on soil for years, they can also cause toxic levels in runoff water. Another important issue to remember is a few of these chemicals are also linked to the decline of the bird along with the especially important bee population. There are several less toxic choices are out there such as: (Bt) Bacillus Thuringiensis, Nematodes, rotenone, 2 4-D, insecticidal soaps or oils, ladybugs, and even vinegar. An excellent way to alleviate this problem is to not spread chemicals over your entire yard and focus on the problem areas. Enriching the soil with compost along with proper mowing will help bring about a healthy lawn that will consequently choke out various weed problems. Cutting your lawn too short or too often is shown to be further susceptible to weed growth. Also, lawns that are watered less often for longer periods of watering tend to have longer roots than lawns watered daily for brief periods tend to have shallower roots. When it is time to start mowing do not throw out those grass clippings it is a great source of nutrients for the lawn and your compost bin! If you have not cleaned out your fireplaces yet the ashes hold a significant amount of ph boosting nutrients that is much more water-soluble! 

Now is the perfect time to prune those roses, it is almost planting season as well! Keep an eye out for mildew or black spot. Once the chances of the last freeze have passed you can plant new roses. 

Before planting in your gardens this spring, it is important to test the soil. Testing will identify acidity, nutrient deficiencies, soil texture, and organic materials that are present. The Farmer’s Almanac has a few easy DIY tests you can perform or pick up a test kit in any garden section. Having the right pH makes a vast difference in keeping your plants healthy as well as increasing production. Happy gardening!