Ready to get your hands in the dirt this gardening season? The first few warm days of late winter beckon many gardeners to begin landscape and garden tasks. Instead of engaging in planting or garden cleanup activities on these random fair weather days, use the time to look closer at the yard or garden and make solid plans for the season and future.
Lists of items or areas that need improvement in the landscape and garden are a good place to start. Review last year’s successes in the vegetable garden to make decisions of species and varieties for this year. Consider adding raised beds or using soil amendments to improve drainage in areas that need it. Look at adding more native plants or replacing high maintenance plantings with species that are drought and/or pest tolerant if desired. Or perhaps this is the year to build a patio and outdoor fireplace to create a space for outdoor entertaining.
Think about projects for short-term and long-term. This year’s goals might be as simple as adding plants that bloom in August and September to provide late summer color if the garden is lacking then. A patio, pool or other large project might be done this year or on the long-term list.
Garden catalogs, magazines, books and websites are full of ideas for thriving landscapes and gardens. They are also a great source for ideas for hardscapes.
For plant selection, remember that gardening is very regional and resources may provide recommendations better suited to areas with more or less rainfall and other climatic variances. Look for plant species and varieties known to perform well in northeast Kansas. Visit local garden centers that produce their own plants, source local plants and/or have knowledgeable staff. Some common nursery plants are sold regularly because they are easy to produce and perform well in pots rather than because they are well suited to Kansas. Also remember that catalogs and websites offering plants for sale will always describe plants at their best. Seek unbiased resources when possible.
For hardscape structures such as raised beds, retaining walls, paths and patios, determine if the project is do-it-yourself or best completed by a professional. If planning to DIY, spend some time learning how to best accomplish the end goal before gathering materials and beginning the work. If planning to hire out the project, get more than one estimate and opinion.
Retaining walls are a great example of a project that people often try to DIY that requires more than stacking rocks. Walls are most likely to stand the test of time when built on a level base with appropriate drainage set up behind the wall. This may require loads of aggregate and gravel, special drain lines, redirection of downspouts, or other work.
Published in the Lawrence Journal-World 2-4-2023
Think about projects for short-term and long-term. This year’s goals might be as simple as adding plants that bloom in August and September to provide late summer color if the garden is lacking then. A patio, pool or other large project might be done this year or on the long-term list.
Garden catalogs, magazines, books and websites are full of ideas for thriving landscapes and gardens. They are also a great source for ideas for hardscapes.
For plant selection, remember that gardening is very regional and resources may provide recommendations better suited to areas with more or less rainfall and other climatic variances. Look for plant species and varieties known to perform well in northeast Kansas. Visit local garden centers that produce their own plants, source local plants and/or have knowledgeable staff. Some common nursery plants are sold regularly because they are easy to produce and perform well in pots rather than because they are well suited to Kansas. Also remember that catalogs and websites offering plants for sale will always describe plants at their best. Seek unbiased resources when possible.
For hardscape structures such as raised beds, retaining walls, paths and patios, determine if the project is do-it-yourself or best completed by a professional. If planning to DIY, spend some time learning how to best accomplish the end goal before gathering materials and beginning the work. If planning to hire out the project, get more than one estimate and opinion.
Retaining walls are a great example of a project that people often try to DIY that requires more than stacking rocks. Walls are most likely to stand the test of time when built on a level base with appropriate drainage set up behind the wall. This may require loads of aggregate and gravel, special drain lines, redirection of downspouts, or other work.
Published in the Lawrence Journal-World 2-4-2023