Preparing for Spring

Advice From Local Experts

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).

Why is the type of soil you use so killing certain plant and tree species. Alex important? The soil you use now can says this is becoming particularly relevant affect your yard for years to come. Using these days as climate change stresses quality, organic materials in your soil will plants and trees, making them more help replenish vital nutrients that keep susceptible to pathogens. Because of this, your plants healthy and happy, and it will it is recommended to also take this time to also kick start your soil into maintaining its sanitize your own yard tools in preparation own healthy equilibrium into the future. for spring. It’s worth noting that some Recommendations for Benicia soil are soils can also harbor pathogens, so it’s a Harmony Organics’ Growers Premium Soil good idea to ask your soil provider if their or Mo-Betta Soil Mix. You’ll know you’re in product has been sterilized. good shape for planting when you have Once you’ve taken care of the 18-24 inches of fluffy soil to work with. cleaning, amending, and pruning, it’s

Another important part of preparing the time to tend to planning and planting. yard for spring is pruning and removing Joy recommends choosing native plants debris. Summer blooming that will best weather the shrubs should be on your hot, dry summers here. pruning list, as should any trees on your property. If “The soil you Considering our extended fire seasons, choosing you have any dead plants plants that hold water, like or dead or problematic use now can succulents, and leaving trees, it’s a good idea to space between your remove those ahead of affect your yard garden and your home can spring, especially as the help you build a natural fire season comes quickly for years to fire break. Other general on spring’s heels these tips include restricting days. For assistance in all things tree-related, who come.” watering times to early morning or late evening, better to turn to than Sexy mulching your beds to Trees? help retain moisture and

Sexy Trees is a company that truly is suppress weeds, dividing perennials, passionate about trees. The owner, Alex and deadheading flowering plants to Llamas, gave us some signs of risk to look encourage new growth. One tip she says for while preparing your yard for spring. novices and experienced gardeners alike Any trees with fungus growing on them sometimes get wrong is picking the right in the rainy season, that show cracks location for your plants. Make sure your along the limbs, or that have branches sun-loving plants are planted in a spot that hanging over the house are ones that you actually gets a lot of sun, and should have assessed. In addition, if you that your shade-loving plants have trees on your property that have go in a majority shaded cables installed in them, these should be area. Acid soil-loving plants inspected annually, ideally by or with the should be planted around a assistance of whoever initially installed redwood tree. Planning your it. Take the time now to make sure the garden around the particular trees on your property are up to fire code. conditions of your yard, Luckily, Sexy Trees handles everything or cultivating your yard to from risk assessment, to pruning, to tree support the garden you want, removal. will help ensure success. For

Another bit of advice from Alex relates to those whose gardening yard health. He recommends that readers includes potted plants, now who plan to hire a yard work service this is a great time to up-pot spring ensure the service in question root-bound plants, flush with regularly sanitizes their equipment. Why? rainwater to dislodge salts, Think of a lawnmower like a shopping cart and give them fresh soil. at the grocery store. One person uses it Joy’s final recommendation and leaves whatever germs are on their is to simply get out and be hands behind on the handle. Then another present in your garden: person uses it, picking up those same “Gardens have so much to germs. In the same way, a lawnmower teach you. You’ll come away or other yard equipment can pick up feeling more connected pathogens from one yard and spread with the earth and with them to another, infecting and potentially yourself.” For those whose gardening includes potted plants, now is a great time to up-pot root-bound plants, flush with rainwater to dislodge salts, and give them fresh soil. Joy’s final recommendation is to simply get out and be present in your garden: “Gardens have so much to teach you. You’ll come away feeling more connected with the earth and with yourself.”

Harmony-organics.com

707.747.5051

SexyTrees.com

925.233.6877