The Gardens are alive!

It’s April, and right now though the weather changes constantly the gardens are starting to be alive with color. As I’ve walked around just my little neighborhood in this city I can once again call home, I’ve been amazed by the amount of color I see around me. Not just the fact that everything is such a brilliant green, but the reds the blues the yellows and the purples. Seems everything is alive and ready for action!

The daffodils & dahpne’s have reached their peak and the tulips are taking over. I’ve seen such gorgeous colors of reds and yellow tulips out there. It’s amazing to see all the leaf action happening on the trees (notably the Japanese maples), and other trees are starting the process too. I’ve also seen some nectarine trees already doing their thing. Bring on the fruit.


I’ve seen the verbena’s starting to brighten up, and I have to say I’m really impressed with how many lawns have been removed and replaced with hardier perennials. And yes, dare I say.. people have planted vegetables in their front garden spaces. Who needs all that grass anyway?

This is one of the reasons I love Portland so much. People are willing to see their space as more than just a lawn to be mowed. It’s a place to grow, to bring in a diversity of plant and wildlife.

What to do in the garden:

It’s about this time of year one should start looking at their fertilizers, their equipment and once more turning their compost piles. Get those suckers warmed! If you haven’t already, apply a thick layer of compost on all your soil, even if you’re not going to plant there. For all the places you will be digging in, I would also recommend an organic All Purpose fertilizer as a layer under the compost. No need to “double dig” the beds. Nature doesn’t double dig, work with her not against her. Layer fertilizer then compost. 


And when I say fertilizers, I don't mean something synthetic. Stop putting that fake-oil-created-nitrates into the ground. It's bad for the soil, it's bad for the plant. Did you know that after sitting only a few weeks a "fake" fertilizer will turn into a salt? Salt will burn the root system. Synthetic ferts will developed after WWII in order to start mass producing food. Sure, it does increase the volume of the plant faster than a natural organic fertilizer can, but then if you eat enough fast food burgers you'll increase in volume too, right? Compost and an organic all-purpose fertilizer is all you need. May take a bit longer but the results will be more favorable.


When you’re ready for tomato’s just dig a hole about 2-3 times the size of the root ball and put that sucker in. Make sure to put the soil far up the plant stalk (the little hairs on tomato’s will form roots as the plant grows).


You should also take note of what fruit trees need to be pruned, consult the books for that particular variety and before they have much of a chance to bud out clean ‘em up.


I’m sure there’s more to do but that should keep the weekends busy for a bit.

Have fun out there.. and keep growing!