Start the season off right with a few early spring garden chores

Gardening chores come fast and furious once warm weather hits and sometimes you don’t have time to fit it all in. That’s why late winter is a great time to get a few of the spring jobs started. It’s a great way to reduce stress later.

That’s why I asked Daryl Beyers, an instructor at The New York Botanical Garden and author of The New Gardener’s Handbook: Everything You Need to Grow a Beautiful & Bountiful Garden, to share a checklist for getting a jump start on the season.

6 Tasks for your early spring checklist

1. Start with your garden soil

Soil is, quite literally, the foundation upon which every garden grows, and spring is a great time to prepare it for the season or make improvements. If you amend your soil early in the year, the plants will have the nutrients when they need them most. “Most plant growth takes place in those first few months of the season, so add a layer of granular organic fertilizer like Espoma^® Flower-Tone on top of the soil and then protect the soil from erosion with a light layer of mulch to get your small trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials off to a great start,” he says. In addition, check for bare spots in ornamental beds where mulch has decomposed or shifted and add an inch or two of fresh mulch or compost.

Don’t start spring cleanup too early

But don’t start too early: “If you live in a region with snowy winters, you’ll have to wait for the snow to thaw before working on your beds,” he says. “Soil is fragile, and you can irreversibly compact yours if you stomp around in your beds before they have time to thaw and drain.”

2. Clean up winter damage in the garden

In early spring, even before the snow thaws, Daryl suggests a walk through the garden to inspect trees and shrubs for winter damage, like broken branches from heavy snow or ice or damage to young tree bark from critters like woodchucks or deer. If you find broken limbs, prune them while plants are still dormant.

Always use clean, sharp tools meant for the size of the cut: Hand pruners are best for branches with a diameter no larger than a pencil; employ long-handled loppers for any limbs up to 1½ inches in diameter, and use a handsaw for anything bigger than 3 inches in diameter.

Protecting & dealing with winter damage

• If you find winter damage to a tree’s trunk, Daryl suggests loosely tying burlap around the wound to protect it. Just be sure to check on it monthly and remove it as soon as the wound has healed.

• You might also come across winter burn on evergreens, such as the boxwood above. This is caused by winter winds drying out evergreen foliage. These stems won’t recover so go ahead and prune them off as well.

• By the way, late winter’s dormancy is also the best time to transplant trees and shrubs. So as soon as the ground can be worked, dig and replant them before buds break.

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3. Treat perennials early for common disease

Garden phlox and peonies often have beautiful blooms like those you see in the photos above, but then after they bloom, their foliage succumbs to ugly powdery mildew like this or blackspot. “You can stop these diseases before they start by treating them with a store-bought organic fungicide or make your own by mixing 4 teaspoons of baking soda into a gallon of water with a few drops of dish soap,” Daryl says. Spray plants after they have sprouted several inches from the soil and you should be set for the season.

The trick is to inoculate them when they are young so the fungus never gets a foothold. “Keep in mind that fungal infections can be prevented,” he says, “but not cured. So once you see it, it’s too late.” The only remedy then is to cut off the infected parts and dispose of them. Never put diseased plant parts in your composting pile. It may contaminate your compost and when you spread it on your soil, it could be a problem throughout your garden.

4. Clear the way for spring-blooming bulbs

Flower bulbs like tulips and daffodils are the harbingers of spring, so be sure to go outside in those early weeks of the season and look for yours. Clear away autumn leaves as bulb foliage emerges to encourage strong growth and avoid long, pale weak stems (although if you find those, they will recover).

Consider transplanting bulbs after they bloom

As your bulbs finish flowering, be sure to let the leaves finish too. They will photosynthesize and recharge the bulb for next year. “I try to deadhead the flowers too, so the plant doesn’t put energy into making seeds, but puts everything it can into making a strong bulb for next year,” he adds. “After the flowers fade but before the foliage finishes is a good time to transplant bulbs,” says Daryl. “Simply deadhead them, then dig them out with their leaves intact, and transplant the whole plant or divide it into several clumps and replant those.”

5. Check in on tender plants and bulbs in storage

Savvy gardeners don’t treat dahlias and cannas like annuals. Although these tubers and rhizomes are cold hardy in USDA zones 7 and 8, gardeners in colder zones can store them indoors over the winter and replant in spring. “But you’ll need to check on them as spring approaches to make sure they aren’t starting to sprout too soon,” says Daryl. “If you do see sprouts — they will look pale and ghostly — try to slow them down by keeping them in the dark as best you can.” The pink growth points on these cannas are still just fine to tuck away until you’re ready to plant.

Plant them up!

But if you see sprouts that are more than 4 inches long, you’ll need to plant them right away. Be careful, because at this stage they are very delicate. “If you break the shoots off you will set them back and delay their progress as they expend energy to make new ones,” he adds. In colder regions with late frosts, pot them up and set them in a cold frame or a place where you can protect them, like a sun room or a greenhouse, if you are lucky enough to have one. After all the threat of frost has passed, plant them in prepared beds and you’ll be good to go.

6. Prep your containers for the season

Spring is such a busy time in the garden. Get simple chores done beforehand so you have time for more labor-intensive tasks later on. “Growing lots of plants in pots is one of those things,” he says, “so to get a jump on that spring task, fill pots with potting mix a few weeks before you bring home the plants.

Sanitize containers

If you forgot to clean out last year’s containers, be sure to sanitize them by scrubbing them out with a solution of 1 teaspoon of bleach diluted in a gallon of warm water. Scrub them inside and out with a stiff bristle brush and rinse them a few times before you fill them with fresh mix.

Give your container garden a head start

Get ahead of the game by filling each pot to the rim with dry, fluffy potting mix — and a few scoops of organic fertilizer — then set them outside. Spring rains will saturate and settle the mix, leaving the perfect amount of space for the root balls of your new plants.

Another great idea is to shop for your pots early in the season. Some garden centers put last year’s stock on sale before the new shipment arrives, so you can often find a real deal. If you are growing your container collection, but have to keep to a budget, Daryl suggests simply buying one really nice new pot every year.

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Ever been to the garden center and browsed through the tools just to see what’s there? Maybe a couple look interesting, but what you have at home still works fine. Still, seasoned gardeners know that the right tool can change everything. Our staff has put plenty of tools to the test over the years — here are 13 that have become our go-to favorites!

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1. Multipurpose soil knife

You may have an old-school skinny trowel to do most of your garden work. But the Leonard Deluxe Stainless Steel Soil Knife is even better. It’s the perfect tool to make a hole for transplanting starter plants, dig out a long taproot and cut plant roots out of tight spots. Its sharp, pointed tip digs into soil easily. The serrated edge is also useful for dividing plants, cutting off a green stem or woody branch or even opening a bag of soil. And the sharp cutting notch slices through twine like butter.

Where to Buy:
Deluxe Stainless Steel Hori Hori Knife from A.M. Leonard
A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo on Amazon

2. Auger attachment

Planting a ton of spring bulbs? Use a Power Planter^® auger attachment on a battery-operated drill to dig the holes. You’ll be done in a fraction of the time it would take to hand-dig all of them!

But don’t stop there: The same tool can be used for a variety of garden chores: to blend your own potting mix, speed up transplanting of annuals and perennials and even till up a small area. You can find this auger in several sizes and lengths to core just the right hole.

For larger ones, simply dig a couple close together to enlarge the area. The best part is, the soil is broken up and easy to backfill into the planting hole. Start with the drill in the slowest setting to avoid wrenching your wrist. A side handle on the drill adds even more stability and safety.

WHERE TO BUY:
Power Planter Ultimate Gardener Starter Bundle on Amazon
Auger Attachments from PowerPlanter.com

3. Stainless steel nursery spade

A solid flat-edge nursery spade can carve out planting holes, skim sod, cut a neat edge and split a perennial. It can also scrape ice and scoop snow and gravel. I’ve had this one so long that I don’t remember the brand, but there are many good options available. Look for a stainless steel nursery spade (also sometimes called a digging spade) because it keeps a sharp edge and resists rust. I like a short handle because it makes the tool more manageable.

WHERE TO BUY:
Berry&Bird Stainless Steel Digging Spade on Amazon
Stainless Digging Spade from Kinsman Company
Local garden centers and hardware stores

4. Battery-powered shear

For spring perennial cleanup, I can’t live without my WORX^® Garden Shear Shrubber. The hedge shear attachment makes cutting down dead foliage and ornamental grasses a breeze. Later in the season, use it to deadhead shrubs and cut back tall perennials to keep them shorter and fuller. Switch to the grass shear attachment to snip multiple tiny spent flowers in no time at all.

WHERE TO BUY:
WORX 2-in-1 Cordless Shear & Trimmer on Amazon
Power Share Cordless 4" Shear and 8" Shrubber Trimmer from WORX Tools
Local garden centers and hardware stores

5. Sprinkler

You’ll be giddy playing with all the features on the Gilmour^® Pattern Master sprinkler. It is adjustable to length, direction and pattern of spray, so you can target just a few plants that need extra hydration, a wide border or the whole lawn.

WHERE TO BUY:
Gilmour Sprinklers on Amazon
Local garden centers and hardware stores

6. Tripod sprinkler base

Once plants get taller, try using an Orbit^® Brass Impact Sprinkler on Tripod Base to get the sprinkler above the foliage for better coverage. This works especially great on slopes, where you can shorten or lengthen each leg to level the sprinkler.

WHERE TO BUY:
Orbit Brass Impact Sprinkler on Tripod Base from Amazon
1/2-Inch Brass Impact Sprinkler on Tripod Base from Orbit Irrigation

7. Expandable garden hose

If you’ve spent years fighting with stiff, heavy hoses, try an expandable hose. This lightweight fabric-covered latex hose stretches as it fills with water. When empty, my 75-foot-long Pocket Hose^® contracts into a 5-gallon bucket for easy storage, with no coiling!

Expandable hoses are not always the longest lasting, but for small areas or transporting from the front yard to the back, they are really convenient. Look for a model with brass fittings, as they are usually more durable. To get the most life out of your expandable garden hose, turn the water on slowly so there isn’t a burst of water pressure when filling, don’t use shut-off valves where water pressure builds in the hose (I let mine run the whole time I use it) and drain all the water out when finished.

WHERE TO BUY
Pocket Hose^® from Amazon
Flexi Hose PLUS from Amazon
Local garden centers and hardware stores

8. Retractable hose reel

You’ll never want to wind up a hose again after using a retractable hose reel. The spring-loaded HoseLink^™ retractable hose pulls out of the housing easily, and a quick tug reels it back in seconds. The swivel mount allows you to move different directions and the hose follows along. I like that you can mount the unit high enough that it will clear the tops of plants without dragging over the foliage. And the housing is easy to lift off the mount to store the hose away for winter.

WHERE TO BUY
HOSELINK Classic Charcoal 100ft Retractable Garden Hose Reel from Amazon
Retractable Hose Reels from HoseLink

9. Hand hoe for weeding

The angled blade of a hand hoe slides beneath the soil surface to shear off weed roots or cultivate small areas and plant seeds. It’s excellent for getting out tiny weeds or plants that spread out and root down in multiple places on the stem. I like to carry a hand hoe in one hand to loosen roots and keep my other hand free to pull weeds out. You can also turn the pointed edge downward and etch a line for rows of seeds, dig a hole for transplanting seedlings or pull up weed taproots.

WHERE TO BUY:
Japanese Weeding Sickle
Local garden centers and hardware stores

10. Two-wheeled garden cart

The quintessential garden hauler, the wheelbarrow, is made even better with an extra wheel for stability. You won’t have to worry about the AMES^® Total Control Yard Cart tipping sideways with a heavy load. It travels easily over rough ground with less arm strength to balance the load, and you can even pull it behind you with one hand.

WHERE TO BUY:
Dual-Wheel Home Utility Yard Wheelbarrow Garden Cart on Amazon
Total Control 5 cu. ft. Yard Cart from AMES
Local garden centers and hardware stores

11. Leaf collection chute

Dreading leaf-collection season? A chute like this Leaf & Lawn Chute is invaluable when filling those big municipal paper yard-waste bags. This plastic sheet folds into the perfect shape to fit in a standard yard-waste bag, holding it open and upright for easy filling. Or lay it down and rake leaves right into the chute. It also folds flat for storage.

WHERE TO BUY
ATROFY Leaf&Lawn Chute-3 Pack on Amazon
Local garden centers and hardware stores

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12. Collapsible yard bag

Gardeners are always hauling things, and this 30-gallon Kangaroo® Garden Bag is great for collecting weeds to toss in the compost pile, carry produce to the kitchen or move plant divisions to the other side of the garden. It’s lightweight, durable, easy to wash and dry, and handles on top and bottom make it easy to tip and dump.

WHERE TO BUY:
Collapsible Garden Bag with Hard Bottom on Amazon
Fiskars Kangaroo® Garden Bag from AM Leonard
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13. Container dolly

If you pot up a lot of containers, PotWheelz^® can be a lifesaver. This heavy-duty mover might cost more than a regular two-wheel dolly, but it is hands-down worth it if you have big containers to move around. Set almost any size container on the rounded platform, then lean the cart backward on the third caster without fear of the pot tipping off the front. A curved rail keeps the container from rolling side to side. Large pneumatic wheels give a smooth ride over rough ground.

WHERE TO BUY:
Small red Potwheelz from Potwheelz.com
Standard green Potwheelz
Potwheelz Pot Mover from AM Leonard

Summer in the garden is not just about watering, though that is often a top priority. Here are six things that will make a dramatic difference in keeping your flowers and vegetables happier and healthier so you can enjoy the season in your garden too! 

1. Pinch back leggy petunias

When first planted, petunias (Petunia spp. and hybrids) grow and bloom vigorously. But when summer temperatures rise, stems stretch and flowering tapers off as blossoms fade and plants focus on producing seed.

What to do

Once blooming slows and plants get leggy, you can revive petunias by trimming off up to one-third of the length of the stems. The photo above shows how to use your thumb and forefinger to pinch the end of each branch just above a leaf node. Pinching back removes some of the spent blossoms so the plant doesn’t waste energy producing seed. This encourages it to set more flower buds. Also, it forces growth of side shoots, which keeps the plant full. Watch our helpful video on deadheading and pinching back petunias at the test garden to see how it's done.

If you pinch a couple of branches on each plant every week, your petunia will always have fresh growth and more flowers, and the job won’t seem so overwhelming. Don’t like getting sticky hands while pinching? Use scissors or garden snips for the job.

2. Provide shade for vegetables during extreme heat

Though they need full sun, plants like tomatoes and peppers may suffer in extremely hot conditions, resulting in wilted plants, scorched leaves or fruit with sunscald. Flowering and fruiting also stalls above 80 degrees F.

What to do

When temperatures rise above 90 degrees F for more than a few days, erect temporary shade above vegetable plants to protect them from intense, hot sun that causes damage such as leaf scorch or sunscald. Shading also cools the soil and conserves moisture.

Good shading materials include shade cloths or row covers. Hang the shading material over PVC hoops, bamboo stakes, or any kind of structure that can withstand some wind. Position the shade where it will protect the whole plant when the sun is at its highest and hottest and at least 2 to 3 feet above the top leaves. White shade cloth or row cover reflects light and heat, providing a cool space underneath. Black shade cloth blocks light, but absorbs heat, so it may still be hot beneath the shade. Lattice structures, a little umbrella or even a patio shade sail can be used to cool your plants as well.

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3. Trim asters midsummer to keep them from flopping

Some fall-blooming asters (Symphyotrichum spp. and hybrids) can get really tall and have a tendency to flop over in the garden.

What to do

To get a fuller, bushier plant that won’t flop, trim asters by just a few leaves with a pinch midsummer. Or give them a harder cut using garden snips or pruners to remove one-third to one-half of the stem, as shown above. Cut stems at different heights — shorter in front and gradually taller in back, or in a mounded shape — so you can see more of the flowers when they bloom in the fall. Within a few weeks, side branches will fill in.

Be careful not to cut back asters too late in the summer when plants start setting flower buds, or you might cut off the season’s flowers. If you have missed the window to pinch back plants, you can still easily add support to asters if they flop in the garden with half hoop stakes.

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4. Keep lettuce from bolting

Cool-season vegetables often bolt due to high temperatures, longer summer days and dry conditions, focusing their energy on flowering and setting seed.

What to do

Once temps rise and bolting starts, spinach and lettuce become bitter tasting as the plants elongate and form flowers. Other cold-loving crops, such as kohlrabi or radish, develop pithy, woody roots. At this point, it is best to pull up the plants and compost them. Before your plants reach that point, however, there are tricks to extend the season and hold off bolting.

• Choose bolt-resistant varieties, which is often noted on seed packets.
• Water plants regularly and mulch the soil to avoid stress by keeping the roots moist and cool.
• Shade the plants as temperatures rise — the air temperature under a shade can be up to 10 degrees F cooler and slow the bolting process.
• If you see flowers forming, pinch them off to gain a couple more weeks of harvesting.

Harvesting tip

Peas, beans and zucchini don’t bolt but will stop producing if you let fruit stay on the plant and ripen.

5. Manage garden weeds in summer

Annual weeds compete for water and soil nutrients. Remove them to allow garden plants to thrive.

What to do

If you can eliminate annual weeds, such as crabgrass, lambsquarters or ragweed, before they set seed, you can reduce problems in the future. Pulling is easiest when unwanted plants are small and the soil is moist. But tugging out mature weeds with extensive roots disturbs the soil, which can cause moisture loss and may even bring buried weed seeds to the surface, where they could germinate. You can also adjust your mower to cut the lawn higher as taller grass shades the soil, inhibiting weeds and helping to conserve moisture.

Try the chop-and-drop method

When weeds get too big and the soil is dry and hard, an alternative to pulling is to cut them off at or just below ground level. Cutting won’t disturb the soil like pulling does. Since these plants are annuals, they may regrow a bit but won’t come back next year. If they aren’t diseased or haven’t developed a seedhead, you can simply drop the cut-off tops (the chop-and-drop method) back where you cut them to serve as a mulch, cooling the soil and conserving moisture. They’ll even compost in place and help improve your soil.

6. Keep garden containers happy while you’re on summer vacation

Heading out of town for a week or two? Don’t let your container plants suffer while you’re away! If a garden sitter isn’t an option, try one (or a combination) of these tricks to keep them hydrated until you return.

• Water all pots until it runs out the drainage hole before you leave.
• Move containers to a shady spot out of the wind so they won’t dry out.
• Cover any exposed potting mix with 1 to 2 inches of mulch to reduce evaporation.
• Fill a clean soda bottle with water and flip it upside down, burying the opening (without the lid) in the potting mix, where it will slowly release water into the pot over time.
• Set up a drip irrigation line on a timer to water pots once a day. Or get a smart timer for your phone to monitor irrigation from a distance.
• Plant in self-watering containers and fill reservoirs before leaving.

Hand trowels for different jobs in the garden

Just when you thought a trowel was a trowel, a trip to the garden center might prove you wrong. Who knew there were so many variations on the basic design? Each of the hand trowels above has a reason for its shape and a job it will do best.

Choose a comfortable handle

No matter what style you choose, a good hand trowel’s handle should be smooth and fit to your palm. You may have to try a few out to see how they feel — one may have cushioning or a curve in the handle that doesn’t work with the size and shape of your hand. Look for adaptive tools available with features to accommodate different needs. Telescoping handles can help folks who have trouble bending low. And curving ergonomic handles can give gardeners better leverage or ease discomfort for those with arthritis in their hands.

As you build your garden toolbox, you might decide to tailor your choices of hand trowels to the tasks you do most often. Let me show you how different types of trowels can make gardening less work.

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Different types of garden trowels

Basic garden trowel

A basic garden trowel is wide toward the handle, tapering to a point that may or may not be sharpened but will dig into soil easily. The blade has a curved shape, allowing you to scoop soil. The Corona CT 3314 Premium Stainless Steel ComfortGEL Garden Trowel is etched with measurements to make it easy to tell how deep you’ve dug a planting hole, and you can lay it on the ground to measure spacing between plants. It also has a sharpened edge near the neck that opens bags easily.

A garden trowel works for almost any task. If you have only one hand tool in your shed, it should be a basic garden trowel. But spend a bit of money and get a good one made of carbon steel or stainless steel — cheaply made garden trowels can bend easily where the tang, or neck, meets the handle.

Best used for:

• Transplanting
• Digging up small plants or weeds
• Planting containers
• Turning soil in a small garden bed

Garden trowels we recommend:

• Corona CT 3314 Premium Stainless Steel ComfortGEL Garden Trowel
• Garden Shovel with Ergonomic Walnut Handle
• Garden Guru Heavy-Duty Garden Trowel

Potting trowel

With its wide, flared blade and sharp, pointed tip, this hand trowel can easily dig a hole to plant larger annuals or perennials from 4- or 6-in. pots. But it is especially handy for potting up containers, doing dual duty as soil scoop and transplanter. Finding a potting trowel with a sharpened edge makes cutting through roots easy when replacing failing plants in a container, while the almost-heart-shaped blade is big enough to hold a delicate root ball intact when transplanting.

Best used for:

• Digging larger holes
• Planting containers
• Taking apart containers at the end of the season

Potting trowels we recommend:

• DeWit Potting Trowel
• Berry & Bird Perennial Trowel, Oversized Garden Potting Trowel

Soil knife

Though the slightly curved blade is too narrow to scoop soil effectively, a soil knife's serrated edge is great for slicing through perennial crowns to divide them. Most will have sharp, pointed tips, but others feature a sharpened notch at the end of the blade that efficiently grabs and pops up taproots of weeds. A hook on the side by the handle (in the inset photo) is useful to shear off a stray branch, slice bags open or cut off roots growing out the bottom of a pot.

Best used for:

• Weeding
• Digging narrow, deep holes for transplanting small plants or bulbs
• Dividing small-rooted perennials

Soil knives we recommend:

• AM Leonard Soil Knife with Sheath
• Hori Hori Garden Knife, Garden Tools with Sheath
• Fiskars Soil Knife with Forked Tip
• Ames Planter 7-in-1 Hand Tool

Bulb trowel & weeder

You might not know what to do with this odd-shaped trowel, but it comes in handy. The thin, serrated blade and slight “V” shape can tackle tough weeds with long taproots, cutting efficiently through mulch, tangled roots, and even gravelly soil in rock gardens. Its narrow profile helps you target only one weed, with less damage to surrounding plants.

Though it doesn’t hold a lot of soil, a narrow bulb trowel makes it easy to fill in small crevices between plants with potting mix when planting containers. The Radius^™ Ergonomic Hand Weeder has an easy-on-the-wrist curved handle that you can flip around and use to tamp down the potting mix.

Best used for:

• Transplanting and weeding in small spaces
• Adding soil in tight spots

Bulb trowels & weeders we recommend:

• Radius Ergonomic Hand Weeder
• Kbenison One-Piece Aluminum Gardening Weed Tool
• Garden Guru Hand Weeder Trowel with Ergonomic Handle

Soil scoop

The deep bowl shape of a soil scoop makes its purpose obvious: filling containers with potting mix. Look for a soil scoop that has a pointed tip and partially serrated edges that can break up packed, root-filled potting mix in containers so they are easy to empty at the end of the season, too. Stirring in compost, fertilizer or other amendments, and even planting, are a breeze with this tool.

Best used for:

• Filling and emptying containers
• Planting in soft soil mix

Soil scoops we recommend:

• The Original Soil Scoop
• Fiskars Soil Scoop for Potting and Transplanting
• Berry & Bird Garden Loose Soil Scoop

Smart staking solutions for plants

When flowers are flopping and stems are leaning, stakes come to the rescue. These simple garden tools come in a range of styles and materials, from commercial products you can buy at the garden center to DIY projects made from leftovers in the garage.

Whichever type you use, the way to get good-looking results is to install them early and match the stake to the plant’s habit. Let’s take a look at some effective staking solutions that keep annuals and perennials standing tall.

1. Go with grow-through hoops for floppy flowers

Sometimes bushy, multistemmed plants tend to fall over or splay open. A grow-through hoop can help keep them upright. Most are commercially made in a range of sizes and heights. Some have an open hoop that’s great for slender stems with single flowers, such as Shasta daisies.

Others have a grid that’s helpful when you’re growing plants with large, heavy blooms, such as peonies, or really tall stems like the false indigo (Baptisia australis) you see above. Choose a grow-through hoop that’s two-thirds the mature height of the plant when the stake is pushed 6 to 12 inches into the ground. That way it still provides support but is hidden by the foliage.

Best staking technique for:

• Peony (Paeonia hybrids)
• Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum hybrids)
• Spurge (Euphorbia characias)

2. Use DIY hoops for statuesque plants

The Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa) in the photo above can grow to 6 feet, so it might be a challenge to find a commercial stake that’s tall enough. But bamboo or plastic-coated metal stakes are easy to find in longer lengths. For stability, you’ll want to push about a third of each stake into the soil, so don’t skimp on height!

Set three or four stakes around the plant you’re propping up, and using twine, encircle the posts to create a hoop. Start a few inches from the ground and add more hoops every foot or so as the plant grows. Crisscross the twine in a random pattern for added support if needed.

Best staking technique for:

• Aster (Symphyotrichum spp. and hybrids)
• Goldenrod (Solidago spp. and hybrids)
• Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum)
• Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa)

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3. Make fencing for plants that tend to splay or flop

Metal garden fencing formed into a cylinder is an easy solution for perennials that grow a mound of foliage. The openings provide support for stems at all levels. The open spaces in the support above are wide enough for the thick tall sedum (Hylotelephium hybrid) stems to grow through.

Best staking technique for:

• Amsonia (Amsonia tabernaemontana)
• Artemisia (Artemisia schmidtiana)
• Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii)

4. Single loop stakes work for plants with tall stems

Made of heavy wire with a loop at the top, these stakes are great when you have a single-stemmed plant to keep upright, such as the lily above. They help protect against strong winds but hold stems loose enough that they can move with the breeze for a more natural look.

You need one loop stake for each stem, so if you have a whole bunch of lilies, the DIY Hoops for Statuesque Plants mentioned above is a more practical approach. Choose a loop stake that’s about two-thirds the mature height of the plant when it’s pushed at least 6 inches into the ground.

Best staking technique for:

• Delphinium (Delphinium elatum)
• Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
• Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)

5. Bamboo stakes are economical for any plant

Bamboo stakes are inexpensive, easy to find, and come in lots of sizes. A bundle from the hardware store is really handy when you’ve purchased a bag of those large-flowered gladiolas that always seem to fall over.

Add the stake at the same time you’re planting the corm, keeping it close so it’s easy to secure the foliage later. Staking early helps you avoid bent flower spikes that keep growing up even when they’re lying on the ground. When leaves are a few inches tall, start attaching the stem with a piece of twine or garden tape, forming a figure eight as the photo above shows. Secure additional ties every 6 to 12 inches as needed.

Best staking technique for:

• Dahlia (Dahlia hybrid)
• Foxtail lily (Eremurus x isabellinus)
• Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

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6. Try using cut stems to stake climbing plants

Tying several flexible cuttings from a shrub together can help plants with a tangle of growth to climb. Those are yellow-twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) stems in the photo above, but willow (Salix spp.) also works.

This structure gets the sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) blooms to grow up where it’s easy to enjoy the pretty, fragrant blooms at eye and nose level. And the colorful yellow dogwood stems are ornamental rather than something you want to hide.

Best staking technique for:

• Black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata)
• Clematis (Clematis hybrid)
• Hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus)

7. Nylon netting supports straight flower stems

If you’re growing cut flowers, straight stems are a must, but that’s a challenge with a mass of plants like this row of dianthus above. Nylon netting is a great solution.

Attach the fence to stakes at both ends of the row and pull it snug to create a sturdy grid that holds the flowers upright. Secure the fence two-thirds the mature height of the plant above the ground with zip ties.

Best staking technique for:

• Lupine (Lupinus hybrids)
• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
• Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

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Spring is full of anticipation and hope for a successful garden season. But it only takes a small hiccup to derail your grand garden plans. If you can predict a problem and take preventive steps, you’ll save time and labor (and frustration) fixing it later. Here are a few troubles that might come up in the spring garden and how to head them off before they become big problems.

1. Seedlings don't germinate

Seeds planted outside when the ground is too cold often fail to germinate and may rot in wet soil.

Solution

Before sowing seeds, use a soil thermometer. Insert the probe into the soil 1 to 3 inches deep and give it a few moments to get an accurate read. Do it in the morning for three days in a row to determine an average. Cold-tolerant crops can be planted when the soil is 45 degrees F, while crops like corn or beans need at least 65 degrees F. Consult a seed germination temperature chart, to find the ideal range for your crops.

2. Wet soil in spring

When early spring rains or melting snow leave the ground saturated, stepping into a perennial bed or tilling your vegetable garden too soon can compact the soil. Compacted soil reduces air movement and creates hard, clumpy soil that is difficult to plant and stifles root growth.

Solution

First, relax and try not to rush out and plant when it’s too wet. Next, grab a handful of soil and squeeze it into a ball. Toss it gently in the air and catch it—if it crumbles apart, it is dry enough to till or plant. If you must step into the garden while it’s still wet, lay down a board to distribute your weight.

3. Contorted crops

If twisted carrots, small onions, or barely-there radishes have been your veggie garden experience, overcrowding may be the cause. Overcrowded seedlings compete for water and space, often resulting in stunted or distorted growth.

Solution

To prevent overcrowding, thin the plants when they have one to two sets of leaves to the spacing listed on seed packages. If you don’t want to thin, try biodegradable seed tapes with seeds glued to the correct spacing. Also, if growing in containers or raised beds, give plants ample soil depth. Most vegetables need 12 to 15 inches of soil.

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4. Irrigation frustration

Tangled hoses, drippy connectors and clogged emitters can be an irritation. Who wants to waste valuable time fixing hoses and laying out irrigation lines when your plants need water?

Solution

Organization is key! Label each hose end, irrigation line, coupler and emitter with a tag or tape and permanent marker so you know which hose goes where, which coupler attaches to what spigot, and even what emitter goes in which pot. This will save tons of time when you’re laying the lines out in the spring. Before you need to use it, turn the water on and check for leaks in your irrigation lines. Have extra parts on hand for repairs so you can get the system up and running with no interruptions.

5. Underperforming flower bulbs

Spring bulbs, such as daffodils (Narcissus spp. and hybrids) or hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis), have fewer and smaller flowers when they are overcrowded and ready to be divided.

Solution

Take pictures or mark with tags to remember where the bulbs are growing so you can divide them in the fall. Or, dig up and transplant them in late spring as the foliage collapses and before you forget where they were. Once the foliage turns yellow to brown, the bulbs have stored enough energy for the next year and can be transplanted. A benefit of spring division is you can plant near later-emerging perennials before they fill out and impede your work.

6. Lanky herbs

When left unpruned, woody herbs don’t put out new stems and leaves, which means that in spring, you might have leaves only at the tips of long, woody stems.

Solution

To prevent that look, herbs with woody stems, such as rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), sage (Salvia officinalis) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris), should be harvested regularly throughout the growing season. Additionally, cut back by a third in early spring as new leaves emerge to encourage branching and a fuller appearance. Avoid cutting back to the woody stems because they will not sprout new leaves there. If it is too unsightly, just replace the plant.

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7. Rabbits & deer eating garden plants

Fresh spring growth and new transplants are especially tasty to rabbits and deer.

Solution

Deter rabbits and deer from tender new plants with barriers made of chicken wire, wicker, metal fencing or row cover fabric. Depending on how often these unwanted guests come to dine, the barriers may need to be in place for the duration of the plant’s lifespan, so make sure it can accommodate the mature size if critters continue to be a problem. Granular or spray repellents can be effective — start applying early in spring to deter pests before they establish a regular stop in your garden. Reapply often and after every rain.

8. Overgrown ground covers

If you grow ground covers, you may find that they can look stringy or tangled, encroach on a path and catch dead leaves and debris. Even though many are evergreen, they could use rejuvenation in spring.

Solution

Mow or shear off ground covers, such as mondo grass (Ophiopogon spp. and hybrids), periwinkle (Vinca minor) and plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides), close to ground level in early spring before they bloom. This tidies up the planting and keeps it under control. Rake off clippings and toss them in the compost pile, or let them fall to the ground. If the clippings are small enough, they will self-compost.

Permaculture basics

People, plants, animals, insects — we all belong to a giant web of life. Permaculture, or “permanent agriculture,” is an all-encompassing way of thinking about how to promote the natural interaction between all of these players. And it’s been practiced for thousands of years. But in the late 20th century, environmentalist David Holmgren distilled these concepts into 12 principles that you see represented here:

• Observe & Interact
• Catch & Store Energy
• Obtain a Yeild
• Apply Self-Regulation & Accept Feedback
• Use & Value Renewable Resources & Services
• Produce No Waste
• Integrate Rather Than Segregate
• Use Small & Slow Solutions
• Creatively Use & Respond to Change
• Use & Value Diversity
• Design From Patterns to Details
• Use Edges & Value the Marginal

Ethics of permaculture

These ideas center around three ethics: caring for the earth, caring for people and fair shares (meaning every living being gets a piece of the pie). You’re probably already practicing permaculture on some level in your own garden, but if you’d like to incorporate a few of these principles into your plantings or design, here are four easy ways to start!

4 Ways to practice permaculture in your garden

1. Collect water in a rain barrel

Make your own rain barrel using a 50- to 80-gallon plastic barrel or garbage can with a lid and a spigot or faucet at the base of the barrel to attach your hose. Place your rain barrel underneath a downspout to collect water from your roof and use it to water your flower beds and potted plants.

Do I need to sanitize water from my rain barrel?

Roofs and gutters will accumulate debris and other contaminants, such as bird droppings, throughout the year. This water isn’t a problem for flowers and shrubs, but you may want to sanitize the collected rain water before you use it on the vegetable garden.

Sanitizing rain barrel water

To do this, add 1 ounce of chlorine bleach per 55 gallons of water and wait 24 hours to allow it to dissipate before irrigating. Try to water only at soil level in the vegetable garden and avoid the foliage the best you can.

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2. Plant for pest protection

Gardeners have noticed over the years that some plants really attract pests, and other plants seem to repel them. Plant “trap crops” to lure pests away from susceptible plants, and use “repellent crops” to encourage those insects to stay away from your garden. For the best results, plant trap and repellent crops 3 to 8 feet from susceptible plants. Place them around garden borders, intercropped in alternating rows or mixed randomly within beds. Here are a few to try:

Try these trap crops to attract specific pests

• Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
  ATTRACTS: Aphids, cabbage moths, cucumber beetles, whiteflies, squash bugs

• Petunia (Petunia hybrids)
  ATTRACTS: Aphids, asparagus beetles, tomato hornworms

• Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
  ATTRACTS: Ants, aphids, beetles

Repellent crops

• Catmint (Nepeta spp. and hybrids)
  REPELS: Aphids, cabbage loopers, Colorado potato beetles, flea beetles, Japanese beetles, squash bugs

• Garden mum (Chrysanthemum spp. and hybrids)
  REPELS: Japanese beetles, nematodes, spider mites

3. Use a rotating compost bin

If you don’t have room in your yard for a large compost pile or you’re looking for an easy way to begin, invest in a rotating compost bin. You’ll need both green and brown material to make this amendment that both improves soil texture and feeds plants.

Add 3 or 4 parts brown material to 1 part green material to the compost bin, place it in a sunny location and turn it weekly. It may take a while to get results, but in the end, you’ll be putting debris you generate back into your garden to make it better.

Green materials for compost:

• Food scraps,
• Grass clippings
• Fresh leaves and stems
• Used coffee grounds

Brown materials for compost

• Paper
• Straw or hay
• Wood ash
• Newspaper
• Dry leaves
• Cardboard

Composting tip

If you notice the compost starting to smell bad, add more “brown material” to your bin.

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4. Grow plants with secret superpowers

Permaculture gardeners look for plants that can do more than one thing. You may already be growing some of these plants with secret superpowers without realizing all the extra benefits they provide: Those pollinator magnets you love might also have edible leaves or petals; ground covers or low-growing ornamentals and edible plants can also help suppress weeds and hold in soil moisture; some even have medicinal properties. Here are a few of the many garden plants with multipurpose uses:

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Easy upcycled plant support

Don't toss those political signs into the trash after campaign season wraps up; instead, consider upcycling them into a practical solution for your garden. Edwin found a smart use for these metal frames when he planted a red banana trees (Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’) in his entry container.

With a few simple steps, Edwin transformed the discarded yard sign into an effective plant support system. He carefully removed the sign from the frame and then took a moment to bend back the sharp metal ends to avoid damage to the banana leaves.

Sturdy plant support

Next, Edwin sunk the modified metal frame legs into the potting mix right at the base of the banana tree. The upcycled support provided just enough support to keep the top-heavy plants with large leaves from whipping in the wind and flopping over until they could form sturdy root systems.

Tip submitted by Edwin Flick, IA

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Take care of this fall garden prep for a better spring growing season

Late fall and early winter are not the time to give up on the garden and go inside. Get outside for a breath of crisp, fresh air and tackle a couple of tasks that will make your spring garden workload lighter! Watch the video above to see how our test garden manager, Jenny, prepares the garden for next year with a few basic garden tasks.

1. Amend your soil

Fall is the perfect time to amend your soil. One of the best things you can apply is a topdressing of compost. Whether you buy it or make it yourself, it will add nutrients and organic matter to keep your soil healthy and productive.

Add compost to garden beds

Simply pull back mulch and spread ¼ to ½ inch of compost around plants in your garden beds, then fluff the mulch back in place. The compost will have all winter to blend into your existing garden soil with natural freeze/thaw cycles. That extra layer can also help insulate and protect roots of newly planted perennials and shrubs from harsh winter temperatures, just like mulch does.

Grow cover crops to improve soil

Another great way to build better soil, especially for vegetable gardens, is by planting a winter cover crop. This can be done right after you harvest your last summer vegetables, or at least 4 weeks before the first hard freeze in your region. Clear away spent plants and lightly till the soil to prepare the bed, then sow cover crop seed and water in. For an easy cover crop to start with, try oats (Avena sativa) or red clover (Trifolium pratense).

Growing oats as a cover crop

Oats grow thick roots that reduce compaction, hold moisture, and add organic matter before dying off in freezing temperatures. In spring, cut back dried top growth (or mow to chop it into finer bits) and plant through the resulting mulch, or till it into the soil before you plant early spring vegetables.

Growing red clover as a cover crop

Red clover, in the illustration above, will grow in the fall, then go dormant through winter. Allow it to sprout again in early spring and just as it begins to bloom (it will be the most beneficial from a nutrient standpoint at this time), till it under. Wait until midspring, about 2 to 3 weeks after tilling, then plant warm-season vegetables in soil amended by the nitrogen-fixing clover debris.

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2. Continue to manage weeds

Though it might seem useless to keep pulling weeds in late fall, do it anyway. There will be less cleanup in spring, fewer weeds to pull in the future, and spring plants will emerge unencumbered by debris.

3. Transplant a tree

Fall is also great time to plant or move a tree — the weather is cool and less stressful on the plant than in summer, and you don’t have to baby it through the heat. Evergreen trees can be transplanted any time after the candles (new growth) harden off by early fall, to at least 6 to 8 weeks before the ground freezes. Deciduous trees, such as maples (Acer spp. and hybrids) and oaks (Quercus spp. and hybrids), can be dug and moved as they begin to go dormant — after the foliage turns color and the leaves drop.

Tree planting tips

The rule of thumb for transplanting a tree is to dig a root ball 10 times the diameter of the trunk in both width and depth. For instance, a 1-inch diameter trunk should have a root ball 10 inches wide and deep. The more roots that can be dug intact, the better to lessen the shock of transplanting. Water thoroughly after planting.

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4. Move & transplant perennials in fall

Some perennials move better in fall than spring. It's also the perfect time to pick up a few bargain plants at the garden center during an end-of-the-season sale.

Here’s a list of perennials that are best to transplant in fall:

• Carex (Carex spp. and hybrids)

  Foliage plants like carex (above) can be easily moved and divided in fall by simply digging a chunk out of the plant and replanting. Next spring, trim back winter-damaged foliage and new growth will fill in without an abrupt flat side where you dug into the plant that might show if you did this in spring or summer.

• Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata)

  Perennials like garden phlox get dead centers when it is time to divide, so it’s easy to see in the fall which ones need to be moved. Cut back the plant in late fall and dig chunks of the roots out for transplanting. They won’t miss a beat in spring, and you won’t have to baby them in the heat of summer if you do it now.

• Hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos)

  Hardy hibiscus is slow to start in spring, so transplanting in the fall 4 to 6 weeks before a frost allows roots to become established and they won’t be set back even further in spring. To divide an especially large hibiscus, cut the root ball into just two pieces (any more could be hard for the plant to recover) with a sharp knife and replant at the same level as before.

• Lily (Lilium spp. and hybrids)

  Once lily foliage begins to fade, the bulbs have stored enough energy to sprout again in spring. Cut back the stalks 5 to 6 inches above the ground and dig to transplant. Pull off smaller bulblets and replant them as well to get more lilies.

• Peony (Paeonia spp. and hybrids)

  Peonies don’t like to be disturbed, so it’s best to move them when they are not actively growing, giving the roots ample time to recover and grow new shoots in spring without disrupting the plant’s flowering cycle. To divide, simply cut the root ball with a sharp knife into two or three chunks and replant the roots no more than 2 inches deep.

Tree roots can lead to problems

You might be surprised to know that a tree’s thick anchoring roots can grow one and a half to three times the width of its canopy. And many of the moisture- and nutrient-absorbing feeder roots are in the top 18 to 24 inches of soil. This extensive root system can lead to occasional problems in the garden. Let’s take a look at three common issues.

1. Surface roots can be a hazard

Large roots that show aboveground beyond the normal root flare (the spot where roots begin to grow out of the trunk at soil level) are usually anchoring roots and can be tripping hazards. They can also be damaged by lawn mowers that shave off the exposed wood, leaving the tree vulnerable to insects or diseases and dulling your lawn mower blades.

Trees with shallow root systems, such as maples and white pines, may be more prone to this problem. Freeze/thaw cycles can push roots to the surface, but erosion on a slope or grade changes due to construction or landscaping can also expose roots.

What to do with shallow tree roots

Your first impulse might be to cover the roots with a thick layer of soil, but this can smother small underground feeder roots, preventing them from absorbing moisture and oxygen. A better solution is to spread a 2-inch layer of mulch or compost, which is airier and drier than soil. This discourages new roots from growing there and repeating the problem.

Disguise tree roots with ground covers

Try planting shallow-rooted ground covers, such as epimedium, wild ginger and lilyturf to disguise surface roots. These plants are able to compete with the tree for resources, especially with a light layer of mulch to help hold moisture.

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2. Problems caused by girdling tree roots

If your tree is dropping leaves early, dying back, leaning or wobbly, roots may be girdling the trunk. Trees grown in pots can become rootbound and often begin circling in the container.

After being planted, roots may continue in a circular path, especially in hard, compacted soil where they can’t easily spread out beyond the planting hole. Then they tighten around the trunk and constrict the flow of water and nutrients. Also, if planted too deeply with the root flare covered by soil, a tree’s feeder roots will grow too close to the trunk and cause girdling.

How to prevent circling roots

When you plant a new tree, slide it out of the pot (or pull back the covering if it is balled-and-burlapped) and inspect the root system. Cut off circling roots close to the trunk, spreading remaining roots to grow beyond the planting hole and anchor the tree.

In the photo above, circling roots are becoming embedded in the trunk of a mature tree at the soil’s surface. This is a problem that a professional arborist should evaluate.

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3. Tree roots can cause obstructions

Like the one in the photo below, most tree roots grow in the path of least resistance to avoid an obstacle, rarely causing a problem. But they will take advantage of construction flaws and cause damage by invading water pipes, cracking foundations and buckling driveways and sidewalks.

Tree roots can make existing problems worse

For instance, if a water pipe is already cracked, tree roots will easily grow into that space, seeking the moisture within (and extra nutrients if it’s a sewer line) and eventually clog up the pipe. Similarly, tree roots will only break into a foundation that is already damaged.

Pavement and sidewalks pose a different problem, as roots will seek moisture that doesn’t evaporate under concrete as quickly as it does in bare ground. Then as anchoring roots grow and increase in diameter, they push up and buckle or crack the pavement. Feeder roots don’t typically grow large enough to cause these problems.

How to deal with problem roots

First, fix what’s broken. Roots may have to be pruned during this process. Cutting a large root off a mature tree is not advisable, and you should have a professional arborist do the job. Learn more in this article.

Once the underlying issue is corrected, prevention is key. Keep trees that love moisture, such as willow, aspen, elm and maple, away from water lines. Try to plant trees at least 20 feet (or 12 times the mature trunk diameter) away from foundations and at least 4 feet away from sidewalks and driveways.

Tree roots can be sneaky — always have a watchful eye to keep them out of trouble!