Sherri's Helpful Hints

Spring Gardening Tips

Now is the time to prune almost everything.

In cooler climates, herbs such as catnip, horehound, winter savory, oregano and lavender are more likely to survive a winter if the old stalks are left uncut in the fall. So by now, they are ready for a cleanup.

In warmer climates, sweet marjoram, pineapple sage, velvet sage (Salvia leucantha), Mexican mint marigold (Tagetes lucida), and scented geraniums also overwinter better if left uncut. If you live in the warmer climates, just snip off the winter-burned tips of sage, rosemary and your other herbs to encourage new growth and a bushier shape. If you have a compost pile, just toss them in the pile or if you have a fireplace they make a fragrant blaze.

With newly sharpened clippers, cut the old, dead stems down to the ground, making way for the new shoots that will emerge from the crown. This is also a great time to do rejuvenation pruning of any overgrown shrubs.

Working Your Soil

Exposure to alternating freezes and thaws kill many insects and their larvae and eggs, as well as weed seeds. This is an excellent time to begin preparing seedbeds after the ground has thawed. Often, however, the soil is too wet to cultivate without compacting it and destroying its structure. To determine whether the soil is ready to work, squeeze a lump, then tap it-if it crumbles apart, then it's ready. If the soil remains in a stick ball-take care of other garden chores for a few days until the area dries out.

In the spring, dig into the very bottom of the compost pile and scratch it into the gardens. Herbs also benefit from an application of bone or blood meal, scratched in lightly. These organic additions make the soil richer, lighter and more crumbly...characteristics that promote excellent root growth.

Now is also the time to fertilize herbal trees and shrubs with a light application of a complete, slow release organic fertilizer, which can be repeated in May and again in July. However, you can have great luck just using the compost and blood or bone meal.


More Cleaning Up

This is the time to rake the mulch off the perennial herb gardens. Those in warmer climates can pull back the mulch now so that the returning sun will warm the soil more quickly. Gardeners in colder areas generally wait until early April or even later to start removing mulch.

You can use straw for the mulch. Some people have had great success with this method. In a lot of the front garden areas, fern beds and around the garden 'edges', you can use good old leaves. Leave a fine layer of these leaves each year and by the time fall comes around again, the leaves have been worked into the soil. Great for fern beds and garden edges where the fern and shrubs hide the leaves anyway!

We will throw the raked up straw and leaves into the compost pile....where it will cook and be ready for next year!

Transplanting

As soon as the ground is dry enough you can start transplanting. Overcrowded perennial herbs need to be divided as soon as new growth starts in the spring. "Traveling" herbs such as bee balm and the mints need to be lifted and replanted elsewhere in the garden or potted up. Adjusting and readjusting of plants is really good as it does make them grow better.

When dividing overgrown perennial herbs, begin by digging up the entire clump with a spading fork and shaking off the soil. Then ease apart sections of the crown or cut it into sections with an old serrated bread knife. Generally, it is good to save the vigorous shoots in the outer portion of the crown and discard the tired center.

Disease is seldom a problem at this time of the year because the plants are growing so fast, but, if you can't get to dividing until later in the season you can dust the cut surfaces with a fungicide to prevent the entry of disease organisms.

Taking Care of the Odds and Ends

Tall, top-heavy perennial herbs, which tend to flop over and are vulnerable to the assaults of wind, rain, and hail, are best staked now, before the new growth emerges.
You can use tomato cages cut in half horizontally with wire cutters and push them into the ground. The new shoots grow up and conceal the wires. Fennel, blue salvia, tansy and peonies are good candidates to get the tomato cage treatment.

Now is a good time to update the plant labels (if you use them). And, now is the time to go through your tools, cleaning them, sharpening and oiling them as needed.

As the plants start coming up check the gardens for losses and make a list of herbs to fill any bare spots or for new beds.

And finally, while you are at the gardening center or ordering through the catalog, include a plant that you have never grown before. Some are great additions to the gardens. Each new plant widens your experience as an herb gardener.