The warmer weather has many people eager to dig in and get to work in the garden, but according to a master gardener from Peterborough, Ont., there are some things you should avoid until later in the season.
“A lot of bulbs are blooming right now and any of the early blooming perennials, Hellebores especially,” said master gardener, Mary-Jane Pilgrim. “But it is still too early to plant most annuals,” she added. “They have no tolerance for frost, they would be gone.”
READ MORE: Take advantage of the outdoor season with garden expert Carson Arthur
But there are still a few things to do in the flowerbeds this time of year. Now, Pilgrim said, is the perfect time to get rid of any leaves left there from the fall.
“The first job is to get anything on that garden off — that’s the first job. Second job is to get any weeds that have started growing,” said Pilgrim.
As for your vegetable garden: “Some vegetables don’t mind this weather already and you can be planting something. You can plant spinach, you can plant carrot seeds,” Pilgrim said.
As for the rest, it is best to wait until the risk of frost is over and determining when that could be is the next trick. Pilgrim said it is typically around the May long weekend, but this year a full moon late in May could push the date into early June.
READ MORE: Gardening tips: yard and garden preparation
Until then, she said, enjoy the process.
“The thing that I like the most about gardening is that it’s so creative. Everything just appears, it’s beautiful and then watching it grow.”
Comments