I pinched, pruned, planted,
Mulched, manured and mowed;
Dug, dressed, divided,
Harvested and hoed.
Thinned, trimmed, transplanted,
Sprayed, sowed and staked;
Wheeled, watered, weeded,
Rototilled and raked.
Loosened, limed and layered,
Gardening by the book;
But one thing I neglected-
I forgot to look!
-Bonita Laettner
Ms. Laettner’s poem is an excellent 2016 pre-garden check list! As the gardening catalogs start filling your mailbox or inbox, and stores begin to stock their shelves with the latest gardening trends-START PLANNING. Grab a blank 2016 calendar (hang it in a visible area with a pencil attached). When you’re in the habit of writing down your garden plans they are more likely to happen in a timely manner. (“A stitch in time [truly]saves nine [in the garden!],” Ben Franklin) Make notes on the calendar when specific garden tasks need to take place. Need some help? Contact us and our Green Team will be happy to answer your questions. When you implement a well thought out plan for your garden, you will reap what you sow and don’t forget to sit back and enjoy the fruits AND vegetables of your labor.
Noted below is the poem in order of when garden tasks generally occur;
sow – seeds indoors usually February
rototill/loosen – when soil is not frozen or wet
wheel/manure/layer – when soil is not frozen or wet
hoe/dig – when soil is not frozen or wet
transplant/plant – check appropriate date for specific plants
thin/pinch/prune/stake/mow/trim – think “haircuts” for plants
mulch/dress – keeps moisture in and weeds out
spray – as needed for what’s bugging you
water – on a regular schedule, not too much, not too little
weed – get ’em when they’re young (saves times and trouble later on in the garden)
divide – plants when they have outgrown their spot
harvest – the “reap what you sow part!”
rake – what’s left when it’s all said and done (and start all over again the next year)
