Page 59 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 124
P. 59
www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #124 May 2023 59
Let It Grow...Preparation, Planters, and Perennials
other nutritional supplements. Together
By Marion Dalley
this will create a well- balanced soil,
t is that joyous time of year for ideal for your planters. Ensure that
Igardeners, the opportunity to get our your planters have a drainage hole if
hands and shovels into the soil again. you are planting directly into the pot,
Listening to the songbirds as they arrive as you will not want water sitting in
to serenade us, watching the grass turn the bottom. Often gardeners will buy
green again, and seeing our perennials beautiful decorative pots, place an
poke their heads above the ground. empty plastic pot upside down in the
It has been an interesting, or maybe planter for height, and then sit a cheap
frustrating, April and beginning of May. black nursery pot on top. This way you
At the time of this writing, there is protect your expensive decorative pots
another week or so of less than favourable and can easily store them away after the
temperatures predicted, and gardeners season is over. Plant according to the
are beginning to get antsy. Let’s face it, size of the pot, do not overfill, as with
it is so much more enjoyable to work in the right soil mixture, your plants will
warmer temperatures. thrive and fill out perfectly. Photos Submitted
There are those of us who do not Consider where your planter will be.
wish to disturb the gardens until there For example, in full shade – ensure that For those of you who are vegetable a matter of fact, lettuces and spinach,
has been a consistent week or so of the plants you choose are suited to that gardeners, this is the time to plant cold upon getting temperatures that are too
10 C degree nights, in order that the growing condition. Also, consider the weather plants and seeds. Vegetables hot, will bolt and that is the end of the
insects have had a chance to wake moisture requirements of the plants. Most such as beets, carrots, radishes, crop.
up and skedaddle. The rest of us have plants are sold with labels indicating cabbages, kale, spinach, broccoli, and So much to do, so little time! Get out
been diligently raking and gathering, the optimal growing conditions for the potatoes will all withstand the cooler there and get busy.
to prepare the gardens for planting and particular plant, so you will have good nights and daytime temperatures. As Happy Plotting.
transplanting. Remember that leaves guidelines. When choosing your plants,
and fall debris is good organic fertilizer think in terms of thrillers, fillers, and Mike’s contact Karate
for the soil, so it is best not to clean all spillers. Thriller (upright) will be the
this off the garden. focal point of the planter, fillers (broad)
Having recently attended a few are medium height and weave and twine
Horticultural Society events, I have or bush, and spillers (trailing) will
learned a few things from Master cascade down the side of the planter.
Gardeners. There is no need to dig up, Also consider the type of foliage and
or till your soil in the gardens. Tilling the colour combinations. The sky is the
can damage microbial and fungal life, limit when you are planting, don’t stick
nature’s way of providing the optimum to just a few well known plants like wave
soil. The life that is happening in the petunia and potato plant (nothing wrong
top10-12 inches of the soil is exactly with these, but…), broaden your scope
what should be happening. Turn that to include some more diverse plantings.
soil, and there is a greater chance for Late spring (April/May) is also
compacted soil, and the nutrients that a good time to do some perennial
have been provided by leaves and mulch dividing. This will keep your perennials
are now a foot underground. Better healthy, allowing space for the roots,
to add some good quality compost/ and it helps to fill out your gardens
manure and then some mulch to keep as well. Do be diligent and read a bit
the moisture in and prevent erosion. about which plants are hardy enough
With regards to preparing your for spring dividing. Perennials that are
planters, it is recommended that you summer and fall blooming are usually
use fresh soil every year. Use a quality fine to divide. It is best to do this when
mixture of three/four bags triple mix the leaves are just emerging, as this will
to one bale agro mix. The triple mix help you to determine where best to 613-932-9054
generally contains peat moss, compost, split. Ensure that each section has a few
and topsoil. The agro mix will contain good leaves for their fresh start. Always or 613-577-9054
peat humus, perlite, lime, and several water thoroughly when transplanting.
