Feature Advice From Local Experts n
Preparing for Spring 18 • Benicia Magazine
Genevieve Hand
The Bradford pears have bloomed, smacking us in the nose with their (not so wonderful, to many) pungent aroma, and reminding us that spring is on its way. The days are getting steadily longer, and it won’t be long before it’s time to plant that garden you’ve been dreaming of. With that in mind, we spoke with a few experts on what all you should be doing in your yard now to prepare for spring. Joy Alberts is a local Master Gardener and owner of Joyous Spaces, once a garden boutique with a downtown storefront, and now a landscape design company. She reports that it is key to get on top of weeds this time of year. The reason for this being that the ground is still moist from what little rainy season we have, making it easier to remove roots from the soil than, say, if you were to wait until sun has baked our clay-heavy soil compact. Start this process early and stay on top of it throughout the season. Beyond weeding, this time of year is also key for doing general clean up and maintenance on the yard. Remove excess leaves, clean beds, and take the opportunity to do some soil maintenance. For this, Joy recommends Harmony Organics, a local company specializing in organic soil, soil amendments, and fertilizers. Harmony Organics utilizes a proprietary microorganism and the KISS philosophy (Keep It Simple, Stupid) to make back-to-basics products that are trusted by the likes of Avant Garden, The Cellar, and the Diablo Valley College and Solano Community College campuses (the minds behind Harmony Organics also hope to engage with the local school system in an educational capacity in the future).
