Providing Expert Advice
For the Home Gardener
“Sweet April showers, do spring May flowers”
Notes from my Garden - April
I don't know about you, but I am chomping at the bit to get going in the garden. And yet, there is still snow on the ground and the weather has only hinted occasionally of warm spring breezes. Sigh... And then, there is much wanted rain but it makes the ground soggy and prone to compaction if we venture out too early. Added to these barriers to gardening, is the importance of not removing leaves, mulch, stems, stalks etc until the pollinators and beneficial insects are ready to vacate - usually consistent temperatures of 10-15’c. So, sometime this month, hopefully.
I will be getting some of my tree pruning done in the next few days, especially my fruit trees. I couldn't get to them earlier because of the deep snow. The Government of Canada has a useful handbook you can download. Remember that when pruning, you remove dangerous, dead, diseased or damaged branches and no more than 25% of the tree/shrub at a time.
A general rule of thumb for pruning shrubs. Most spring flowering shrubs should be pruned after blooming as they typically bloom on last year's (old) growth. So, if you prune a branch with buds, you are unlikely to have spring blooms (e.g. forsythia, rhododendron, virbirnum, etc.) Shrubs that bloom in the summer, typically bloom on new growth so they can be pruned in early spring (e.g. ninebark, spirea, some hydrangeas). Knowing the specifics of your shrub's habit is important. As I many shrubs and trouble remembering, I have started a speadsheet that identifies when I should prune and what. This saves me from having to look it up each year!
This April, I'm still indoor seed sowing and now having to transplant or pot up some seedlings that need more room before they can go into the garden later in May. For seed starting, I used a sterile, soiless mixture but for repotting, I'll use an organic potting soil. Hopefully May will be cooperative and warm up early enough that I don't have to repot more than once! Until the seedlings can go into the garden, I'll need to keep a close eye to monitor for insects, disease, fungus, etc. I don't want to lose any seedlings at this point!
One of my biggest pleasures in April is seeing the bulbs come up and start blooming, especially daffodils. Crocuses, snowdrops and primula are already blooming now in places where the snow recently melted. Amidst the brown, they look bright and cheerful!
Wishing you a wonderful April.
Happy Gardening!
Susan Cox
Group Co-ordinator
Grey County Master Gardeners
Part of an international non-profit community service network, Grey County Master Gardeners is a group of approximately 20 trained horticulturists who volunteer their time to provide advice to home gardeners in the Grey and Bruce area. This is accomplished by providing info to the public in various forms, including in person or virtual, through presentations, clinics and workshops, or through written work such as articles, posts, blogs or social media.
All Master Gardeners have successfully completed university horticultural studies and must meet ongoing continuing education requirements to make sure that our advice to gardeners is based on current horticultural knowledge.
There are over 25 local Master Gardener groups in Ontario, focusing on sustainable gardening information for the public. There are also Master Gardener groups in many provinces, most states and in some international locations. More information about the Provincial organization can be found at (MGOI – Motivating and Inspiring Gardeners in Ontario).
Not in Grey County? Don’t despair. You can find your local MG groups, including Toronto, Guelph, Collingwood and others, at www.mgoi.ca.
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Established in 1996, Grey County Master Gardeners are part of the province-wide Master Gardeners of Ontario (MGOI). Grey County Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who offer non-biased, science-based horticultural information and advice to home gardeners and community groups in both Grey and Bruce Counties.
Our Vision
An Eco-Responsible focus in the garden
Our Values
We believe in the importance of having an eco-responsible focus when gardening. This means we encourage gardening practices that enhance biodiversity, mitigate against climate change, are healthy for the environment and support human health. As a group, we prefer consensus whenever possible, however there are times when a majority rules. We value inclusiveness, collaboration, engagement of community and cooperation.
