The good weather of the last few days gives us a taste of summer. In order to fully enjoy your yard, here are some useful tips for opening up your garden.
The vegetable garden
Although it is too early to plant most vegetable plants, we can start working the soil and gently acclimatize our seedlings outdoors.
After cleaning up any debris that may have accumulated over the winter, add a thin layer of compost (~1/2 inch) that you will incorporate into the soil of your vegetable garden. You can also mix shredded dead leaves which will enrich your soil. Avoid mixing the soil too much, which disrupts the biodiversity found there and which is very useful to your plants.
If many weeds have accumulated, you can cover the area with opaque black cloth or newspaper. After two or three weeks, this process will have the effect of eliminating the weeds. If you have mulch, two weeks before transplanting your vegetables to the garden, simply clear the planting areas to help warm the soil.
You can also take advantage of the beautiful spring days (where temperatures are above 15 degrees) to acclimatize your seedlings started indoors to the sun. Protect your young plants from wind and direct sun. Place them in the shade for a few hours and extend the time spent outside each day. Gradually expose them to the sun and bring the pots where they will be transplanted in late spring. At the same time, you will be able to see whether your vegetable garden plan suits you.
When the nights reach 5 to 10 °C and all risks of frost have passed, you can sow your first seeds directly in the ground: carrots, beets, lettuce, etc. These vegetables appreciate freshness and will be vigorous to give you a harvest quickly.
The lawn
It is only when the snow has completely melted and the ground has had time to dry well that the lawn can be worked. Start with a leaf rake to remove debris left behind by winter. On the areas that need to be sown, spread a thin layer of marine compost combined with lawn soil. Do the first sowing by broadcast, with quality seeds to ensure optimal germination, then with the back of your rake pressed lightly to make the seeds adhere to the soil. Be sure to keep the area moist, but not soggy while the seeds germinate. Re-sow two weeks later to ensure a vigorous lawn that will better fight insects and weeds.
Maintaining your lawn
Fertilize in spring to give your lawn a little boost and give it everything it needs to be green. Choose the Passion Jardins® staged fertilization program and follow the manufacturer's dosage instructions. In May, the first stage of fertilization should be carried out. Don't add more, you risk burning your lawn and harming the environment. What is not absorbed by your lawn will be leached into waterways.
Trees and shrubs
Although it is best to prune your plants in the fall, it is possible to do so in the spring before the new growth mixes with the old ones. Cut dead wood and broken branches: you can cut up to a third of the branches without affecting your plants. For spring-blooming trees and shrubs like lilacs, wait until after flowering to prune.
All that's left to do is clean your pots and take out your patio furniture and you'll be ready for summer!
