Tag Archives: spring equinox

Design trends

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day & Spring Equinox in the Garden this Week

Fatsie japonice aka False Aralia displaying many shades of green.

Everywhere I look, it’s green- forest green, apple green, olive green, fern green, sage green, chartreuse green. Even all those showy flowering trees blooming now will soon be sporting bright green leaves. Since moving to the Santa Cruz Mountains in the late 80’s I have always lived in the forest, first in Felton, then Bonny Doon or now Boulder Creek. The green backdrop of redwoods, oaks and firs make us appreciate all the other colors around us. The calendar says it’s spring and I have “Spring Fever’ like everybody else.

On Tuesday, March 19th at 8:06pm the day and night will be almost equal. That’s why it’s called the Spring Equinox. Some years it falls on March 20th. It would occur on the same day every year if the Earth took exactly 365 days to make a complete revolution around the Sun. But it takes the Earth 365.25 days on average to go around the Sun once. Whatever the exact date and time it’s spring and with St. Patrick’s Day also in a few days I plan to add something green to my garden and tick off a few tasks on my to-do list.

There endless shades of green in nature because color is dependent on light. Humans can see more shades of green than any other color. This is an evolutionary trait handed down from our ancestors who needed to differentiate the shades of green in order to know which plants to eat and which to avoid. Wearing something green on St. Patrick’s Day has been a tradition since emigrants, particularly in the United States, transformed the holiday into a largely secular event celebrating all things Irish. Cities with large numbers of Irish immigrants staged parades going back to 1737 in Boston and in New York City since 1762. Although blue was the color traditionally associated with St. Patrick, green is now commonly connected to this holiday with shamrocks high on the list of things to wear on this day.

I often get a request for green to be in the color palette of plants that go into a garden. There are green flowers that you can grow and of course, many shades of green foliage. The low wavelength of green promotes calm, relaxation and restfulness.

If you’re looking for a heat, drought and deer tolerant plant that attracts birds, butterflies and hummingbirds you should grow Golden Leaf Salvia (salvia officinalis icterina). The fragrant foliage is good to flavor soup, sausage, dressings, cheese dishes and stuffing. The young leaves can even be eaten fresh in salads or cooked in an omelet or with beans, cabbage and garlic.

Another great greenish flowering shrub to try is Safari Goldstrike Conebush. This leucadendron is a vigorous compact grower to 6 feet tall and blooms during the winter and spring. Its bracts are excellent as a cut flower and foliage harvesting. They grow in full sun and have low water needs.

This chartreuse green hosta can take more sun than other varieties and the thick foliage resists slug and snails.

Some of my favorite plants that have green flowers or shades of green foliage are green hydrangeas, green hellebore, lime green coral bells, Lady’s mantle, Sum & Substance hosta, fats japonica, green gladiolas, Mediterranean spurge and Bell of Ireland, of course

So besides all that clover that is flourishing with all these spring rains, enjoy everything green in your garden. The Irish have observed this day for over 1,000 years and so can you.

Design trends

Is Spring Really Here?

Old fashion Bleeding Hearts are in full bloom.

Spring IS here at least according to the calendar. Weather Underground has predicted rain or the chance of rain for many of the remaining days this month.There are so many things I want to do out in the garden and the weather is getting in my way. Being outside playing in a rain jacket is not what I picture when I think spring but whatcha gonna do? I can hear the songbirds singing to each other. They are timing their activities by daylight hours, not Weather Underground.

On Saturday, March 20th the day and night were almost equal. That’s why it’s called the Spring Equinox. Some years it falls on March 19th. It would occur on the same day every year if the Earth took exactly 365 days to make a complete revolution around the Sun. But it it takes the Earth 365.25 days on average to go around the Sun once. Whatever the exact date and time it is officially the first day of spring.

This year, especially, think of gardening as therapy. Every moment you put in your garden is paid back with fresh vegetables or fragrant flowers. Think about it- stir up the soil, plant some seeds and you have flowers and vegetables in a few months. The satisfaction you get from cultivating living things is priceless.

Get started on this free therapy by tending to your garden this week:

Plant low water use plants in place of those that have been struggling. Use your precious time, space and sun to grow the plants you most want to look at, pick or eat. As a reminder, never work with soil that is very wet and keep off your lawn the, too, as this can compact the soil.

Cut back deciduous shrubs and vines except those that flower in the spring. Don’t prune rhododendrons, camellias, or azaleas until the last flowers have started to open and green growth has started. Prune frost damaged shrubs if you can tell how far down the die back goes otherwise wait until growth starts. For your shrubs, test bark for viability by scraping with a sharp knife.

If you are interested in being less of a slave to your lawn, consider reducing the size. If you’ve decided that you don’t need a traditional grass lawn anymore at all, replace it with a sustainable alternative.

Check drip systems for leaks or clogged emitters. Flush sediment from filters and check screens for algae. You may need to add emitters if plants have grown significantly.

Spread fresh compost around all your plants. Good soil is the secret to successful gardening. The first principle of organic gardening is to feed the soil and it will feed the plant. Remember that all gardens used to be organic. Layer compost or wood chip mulch on top of the soil and let it slowly decompose and filter down into the earth.

Check for early aphids and blast them off with a hose or use no-toxic sprays like horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. Check for snails and slug damage and apply organic iron phosphate bait. Earwigs and sowbugs can be controlled by organic spinosad. Reduce their numbers by eliminating hiding places. Clean out leaf litter and garden debris where they hide. Copper pennies in your containers can also deter them. Note – the pennies must be dated prior to 1983 when the copper content was reduced. Modern pennies have a high contest of zinc which can cause problems in your garden.

Get weeds out of the garden early and you’ll save yourself a lot of digging later. Weeds rob your plants of precious moisture and nutrients.

Fertilize if you haven’t already done so. Citrus, shrubs and fruit trees just emerging from dormancy are begging for their first meal of the season. Perennials benefit from both a fresh layer of compost and a light application of balanced fertilizer. They respond to phosphorus especially in the spring for root growth, stem sturdiness and flower development. Wait until azaleas, camellias and rhododendron have finished blooming before feeding them.

Plant cool season vegetable like peas, chard, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, onions and other greens. You can also sow seeds of beets and carrots. The soil is still too cold for tomatoes and other warm season vegetables.

Plant a spring flowering tree such as a flowering cherry, dogwood, crabapple, plum or a native western redbud to welcome the new season and make your spirits soar.

The most important to-do for March is to take time out and enjoy your garden and our beautiful surroundings. Those last few weeds will be there tomorrow but you’ll never get another today.

Design trends

Tasks for the Spring Equinox

Spring blooming trees like this magnolia soulangeana say spring is here.

Spring is in the air, flowers blooming everywhere, birds singing in the trees, bees buzzing in the breeze. What’s a gardener to do on a day like this when just being outside is a celebration of life? On Saturday, March 20th the day and night will be almost equal. That’s why it’s called the Spring Equinox. Some years it falls on March 19th. It would occur on the same day every year if the Earth took exactly 365 days to make a complete revolution around the Sun. But it it takes the Earth 365.25 days on average to go around the Sun once. Whatever the exact date and time it’s the First Day of Spring.

This is what I recommend doing in the garden this month:

  • Check drip systems for leaks or emitters clogged by dirt or earwigs. Flush sediment from filters and check screens for algae. You may need to add emitters if plants have grown significantly and move the emitters farther away from the crown of the plant and out closer to the feeder roots which are under the drip line.
  • Spread fresh compost or wood mulch around all your plants. Good soil is the secret to successful gardening. The first principle of organic gardening is to feed the soil and it will feed the plant. Remember that all gardening used to be organic. Layer 2-3″ of compost or mulch on top of the soil and let it slowly decompose and filter down into the earth. Bark nuggets do not increase your soil’s fertility like compost or wood chips do but they do conserve moisture and help keep weeds at bay.
  • Transplant any plants in the garden that have outgrown their space or are not with other plants requiring the same water usage. Now is a good time because plants are full of growth hormones and recover quickly from transplant shock. As you plant new additions to the garden add organic matter to the soil if it’s sandy. Organic matter enriches and allows it to hold water more efficiently. If your soil is sandy, organic matter will allow your soil to hold more moisture longer. If your soil tends toward clay, organic matter will loosen it and improve drainage. In fertile soil, plants grow deep roots, are hardier for cold, more resistant to disease and more drought tolerant. Organic matter such as compost, planting mix and well-rotted manure boosts nutrition and improves soil structure.
  • Fertilize – Citrus may be looking yellow from lack of nitrogen and iron which is not absorbed easily during the cold season. Shrubs and fruit trees just emerging from dormancy are begging for their first meal of the season. Lawns -if you still have a small section- and ground covers begin their spring growth now also and benefit from a boost of organic nitrogen. Spread a thin layer of compost over everything. Leave grass clippings on the lawn to shade the roots as it get warmer and as they break down they help feed it, too. Perennials benefit from both a fresh layer of compost or composted manure and a light application of balanced fertilizer. They respond to the phosphorus from bone meal especially in the spring for root growth, stem sturdiness and flower development. Wait until azaleas, camellias and rhododendron have finished blooming and you see new leaf growth starting before feeding them.
  • Weed – Pull weeds regularly before they set seed. They pull out easily from moist soil. Weeds rob your plants of precious water. Think of weeding as free gym time. And don’t remind me of how many spiny-ball hedge parsley weeds have germinated all over my property last year. I truly picked every single one before they set seed but November rains have exposed more of the seeds that were down deeper. Oh well, I’m on it and will not be defeated.
  • Check for aphids. They are out in full force sucking plant juices from the tender new leaves of everything from roses to hellebore to Japanese maples. A strong spray from the hose may be enough to dislodge them. If they still persist, you can spray organic insecticidal soap, neem oil or horticultural oil to kill them. As with all pesticide sprays, do this early in the morning or later when they are not in the sun. Be sure to test first to make sure the spray doesn’t burn the new growth and always mix according to the directions.
  • Ants can also bring aphids up into trees and shrubs such as camellias, citrus and roses. Ants feed off honeydew secreted by aphids, scale and other plant-juice sucking insects. Ants also protect these pests from natural predators. To keep them off, wrap trunks with a 1-2″ wide strip of masking tape and coat with a sticky barrier like Tanglefoot. Keep the barriers free of dirt and check them periodically for breaks. Reapply when necessary

Plant cool season vegetable like peas, chard, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, onions and other greens. You can also sow seeds of beets and carrots. The soil is still too cold for tomatoes and other warm season vegetables.

The most important to-do is to take time out and enjoy your garden and our beautiful surroundings. Those last few weeds will be there tomorrow but you’ll never get another today.