Early May garden chores

By Melanie Mathieson
Gardening Guru

I know people are very anxious to get the garden and yard chores underway so here are a few ideas to get you started, as we enter the first couple weeks of May.
•A gardening friend from Winnipeg wanted me two warn everyone of this unrealized hazard that has become a real problem in Winnipeg, over the last few weeks. Due to the dry weather, planters, seasonal arrangements and bark mulch has become very dry. If you have a smoker in the family or one that visits frequently make sure they do not throw their cigarette butts in your planters or areas with bark mulch. Planters with soil-less mix, which contains mostly peat moss, and dry bark can ignite quickly and cause a serious fire. In recent weeks, this has happened in Winnipeg destroying one house completely and causing over a million dollars in damage to an apartment building. Make sure to warn the smokers and provide an appropriate ashtray; dispose of any dried up fall/winter seasonal plant displays; clean up any areas of dried leaves, needles and/or grasses and ensure that eavestroughing is free of debris, in case of flying embers from a fire pit or brush burning.
•You can start trimming any trees or shrubs but remember not to take off more than 1/3 of the tree/shrub at any time, always trim back tightly to a branch intersection and to base of the trunk or branch. Use sharp and clean tools for a clean cut that will heal itself over time and do not apply any paint or tree wound dressing. If you have maples to trim, wait until they are in full leaf because you do not want to trim while the sap is still running in the tree.
•In the spring, your lawn requires nitrogen which is the first number in the fertilizer number sequence. Make sure when choosing lawn fertilizer that the first number is the highest. Lawn fertilizer is made strictly for your lawn so make sure you use it only on the lawn. When choosing a lawn fertilizer, compare the coverage on the back of the bag and be very careful, as coverage of 400 square feet can easily look like a coverage of 400 square metres. Some brands may only cover 400 square feet which is only a space of 20 feet by 20 feet, and you will need many bags to do your yard. The quality brands will cover a place in your yard 1200 feet by 1200 feet. (400 square metres) therefore only one bag would be needed for the average yard. Remember these easy rules for fertilizing and you cannot go wrong.
•Never, ever add more fertilizer than the directions say. Too much fertilizer will kill your lawn not make it better. Always follow the directions exactly and apply fertilizer following the schedule on the package.
•Choose a fertilizer specific to your needs, with the right percentages of nutrients for your specific use. Buy the brands that give you the most coverage using the least amount of product.
•Read the directions about how your fertilizer will react with rain and water. Some brands need moisture to activate while others need to be on the lawn a few days before rain. This will help you plan accordingly.
•When in doubt ask questions (your local nursery can help you) and always read the labels.
•It is a bit too early to plant your containers but you can get them prepped and ready for when the danger of frost has passed. Pick your container and invest in a potting mix in a bag suited to container gardening. You can choose a formula called patio mix, container mix or soil-less mix. These formulas are relatively the same and are designed to not compact when used in a container. Do not use the soil from your already established garden as this soil tends to compact over time in a container garden. Before adding the soil to your container, place a piece of window screen, a coffee filter, nylon pantyhose or a few rocks over the drainage holes to prevent the soil from washing out. If your container is really large you can add foam packing peanuts or bark mulch in the bottom of the container before adding soil so you do not have to fill the whole container with soil. This also makes the planter much lighter if you have to move it around. Now you can start planning your designs and picking up the plants as they become available. With containers you are only limited by your imagination as many vegetables, herbs, perennials, small trees, and house plants as well as endless annual plants can spend the summer planted in a container. I have already started planning my containers for the 2012 season and am planning some really interesting designs.
•If you do not have a composter already this is a perfect time to start one. Decide on the method you prefer to keep the compost material under control. You may choose a plastic molded model or construct one from scrap wood or pieces of chain-link fencing. Make sure your container has ample airflow and is on level ground with good drainage. Composting activity will take place whether you place the composter in full sun or the shade but heat from the sun will speed the process. You need two main ingredients to begin your garden compost recipe, nitrogen-rich “green” materials such as fruit and vegetable scraps, tea bags, eggshells, coffee grounds with the filter, nut shells, fresh grass clippings, garden vegetation and trimmings, wood ashes and some carbon-rich “brown” materials such as, dry leaves, straw, sawdust (in thin layers), dead grass or plants and wood chips. Once you have both types of compostable materials collected you are ready to begin composting. Alternately layer your “green” materials and “brown” materials until the composter is three quarters full. It is important to add “green” and “brown” material together throughout the composting process otherwise you will slow down the composting process considerably and end up with a pile of rotten, slimy green stuff or a dry pile of brown material that will not break down. When starting a fresh compost pile I like to add a little soil from the garden in the bottom of the container just to get things started. As the volume of the compost settles you can add more material as needed.
These activities will help you get started on the gardening season. Just remember, it is still only early May and a little too early for planting as we still have the danger of frost and over the last couple of weeks it was going below freezing overnight.