Spring in the Mountains is often a long-awaited time for gardeners. The garden is starting to wake up, and now is the time to start the Spring prep and plan for the year. As temperatures rise, winter thawing brings hope of new life and immense joy.
"This season of life is busy for gardeners and homeowners as they prep for the season ahead, and checking on our plants as they break dormancy is often the highlight of my day," says co-owner and creative director Danielle Stewart.
In your garden, use this time to prepare for the annual April fertilizing and mulching. Dead and damaged limbs from winter-exhausted trees and shrubs need to be trimmed, dormant woody shrubs need to be pruned back, ornamental grasses cut to their bases, and old perennial foliage removed, all in the hopes of new growth. At the Mustard Seed, we value organic fertilizers and double-shredded hardwood mulches. In addition to fertilizer and mulch, applying compost as a top dressing adds another layer of organic food that improves the soil structure and makes all the plants happy!
Here are a few tips to remember in early Spring in zones 4-5-6:
Avoid overwalking on cold, wet soil—the compaction of saturated soil results in compacted soil, which can harm plants.
Do not prune any "spring-blooming" trees and shrubs, as they have already set buds for this Spring's blooms. These plants, such as forsythia, weigela, lilac, azalea, rhododendron, viburnum, and daphne, get pruned immediately after they bloom.
Learn your region's planting zone. Look up the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for your exact location. Zones are important in Spring for the last frost date, and warm summer plants do not like late freezes!
Spring is the perfect time to sow cool-season seeds, such as lettuce, spinach, kale, and peas.
Bulbs for summer blooming plants are soon to be available, but not to plant yet!
Now is a great time to plan your summer garden by choosing dahlias, gladiolus, anemones, litium, callas, elephant ears, and canna. Store in a cool spot until the soil is warm enough to plant. For us in the mountains of NC, that is the end of May!
One fabulous way to have gorgeous color and interest early in the Spring is to plant perennial containers. We mix hardy perennials like coral bells, primroses, hellebores, and foxgloves with cool-season annuals like violas, pansies, snapdragons, English ivy, and alyssum in all our pots. These plants can withstand unexpected cold weather and thrive until summer arrives. Then, we plant the perennials in our garden and add heat-loving annuals for summer!
We aim to encourage successful gardening at the Mustard Seed Market & Home. Our designers love to create seasonal beauty no matter what the weather brings.
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