Trish Hoff

The May Marathon

Keep weeds at bay – hoe regularly. Choose a dry, sunny day and the uprooted seedlings will shrivel up. Remove established perennial weeds with a fork – get all the roots. Then mulch bare areas to discourage new seedlings. Add mulches to the soil under trees and shrubs (but not touching the trunks) to help conserve moisture and reduce weeds.

Monitor plants for signs of disease and watch that beneficial insects are keeping insect infestations under control. Remove slugs and snails feeding on newly emerging shoots. Check for aphids on roses’ new growth.

Bulbs

Fertilize bulb plantings and allow bulb foliage to die back naturally. Mark any holes in bulb plantings with plastic garden markers (make your own from plastic yogurt tubs or plastic forks) to guide fall bulb planting.

Plant summer flowering bulbs and tubers.

Perennials

Plant new perennials anytime in May. Divide and move plants as they emerge from the ground. For late transplanting wait for a cool, shady day and water thoroughly. Add lots of compost and well-rotted manure to planting holes.

Tidy up spring flowering perennials and feed them to improve their size and quality for next year.

Stake tall perennials now before they mature. Use hoops or twiggy branches to support potentially floppy plants and wooden stakes for tall or fragile plants such as delphiniums or dahlias.

Annuals

Sow hardy annuals directly into the garden.

Harden off tender annuals before planting them outside. Place them in a shady spot gradually exposing them to more sun each day. Cover them at night so they gradually adapt to cooler temperatures.

Pinch out the growing tips of annuals, asters, cosmos, zinnias and mums to promote bushy growth.

Plant containers and hanging baskets. Consider using potting soil with water-retaining gel crystals to reduce watering requirements. Use larger pots that hold moisture longer and arrange containers in groupings to reduce watering frequency and labour.

Set up or test any drip irrigation systems to ensure that they are working properly.

Vegetables

Save your back and consider the “No Dig” method of planting. Spread mulches, composts, manures, and other additives over the surface of your planting area, just as Mother Nature does and leave it to the earthworms and other soil residents to pull the nutrients and amendments down into the soil to improve its tilth.

Plant cool-season vegetables such as radishes, peas, onions and carrots, early in the month and warm-season vegetables after the risk of frost has passed at the end of May or early June. To start earlier in the month, use row covers and cold frames.

Plant broccoli in mid-May but leave cauliflower until night temperatures are warmer at month’s end. Mix sand into the garden soil where you sow carrot seeds.

Avoid transplant shock – water seedlings well and plant on an overcast day.

Try pots of herbs near the kitchen for both ornament and quick access for cooking.

Lawns

Mow often, adjusting the mowing blade as the temperatures warm up. Or adopt “No Mow May” to encouraged grasses and wildflowers to help feed pollinators.

Fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer.

Trees and Shrubs

Prune early flowering shrubs such as forsythia, rhododendrons and spirea after flowering. Trim evergreens, hedges and topiary specimens. Check for nesting birds first.

Plant trees and shrubs as early as possible – preferably before they leaf out. Make sure to check the mature size of new trees and shrubs and give them lots of room to grow.

Dig a planting hole three times wider than deep and only as deep as the root ball. Back fill the planting hole with native soil. Too rich soil will discourage roots from growing out of the enriched area and cause circling of the roots. Loosely stake the plants in areas that are windy. Do not restrict the movement of the plant too much. Research has shown that plants that can move slightly with the wind develop stronger roots and trunks.

Water new woody plants every week for the first growing season (depending on local rainfall).

The club’s annual plant sale will be held on Saturday, May 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Alberni Athletic Hall in conjunction with the Rollin Art Centre’s Giant Book sale.

There will be a variety of plants for sale at very reasonable prices. Look for tomato plants as well as other vegetables, annuals, perennials, house plants, tubers and bulbs. There will also be pots and garden implements as well as several draws.

By Trish Hoff

April is one of the busiest months in the garden but take some time to enjoy the warming weather and enjoy the blossoms. Look for cherries, spring flowering shrubs – rhododendrons, daphnes, viburnums, star magnolias, clematis – and a vast array of spring flowering bulbs and early perennials.

Seeds:

Sow half hardy and tender annuals indoors 6 – 8 weeks before your last frost date to get an early start on the season. Thin or transplant seedlings started earlier. Begin hardening off vegetable and annual flower seedlings by moving them into cold frames or outside on warm days and back inside for the night towards the end of the month (as the weather warms up to 10C during the night and 18C during the day when it is safe to leave them outside). Don’t leave them in hot, direct sunshine until they are fully hardened off.

Vegetables, Fruits and Herbs:

Clear your planting beds of any weeds that have germinated. Add 4 to 5 cm of compost if you have not already done so. If the soil is not compacted, there is no need to dig it in, worms will do the work for you.

If the soil is too cold, cover with black plastic sheets for a couple of weeks to warm up the soil.

Plant cool weather root crops, peas, brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower…) lettuce, spinach, onions directly into the garden or sow indoors under grow lights.

Bulbs, tubers and Corms:

Fertilize your spring bulb as the flowers fade.

Deadhead the spent flowers but leave the foliage to mature and feed the bulb for next year. Only remove or mow the foliage after it has turned yellow or brown.

Take pictures of your bulbs in bloom so you will have a reference of what and where to add new bulbs in the fall.

Remove tender bulbs and tubers from storage. Pot up summer and fall flowering dahlias, gladiolas, cannas or alocasias/colocasias. Start them growing and use later for container displays or spots in the borders. Add any necessary stakes and labels at planting time.

Perennials:

Divide and move any perennials as needed. Weed and mulch the beds.

Begin moving over-wintered tender perennials outdoors as weather temperatures permit.

Stake tall or heavy perennials such as peonies and delphiniums now before they get too large. Staking when they are larger makes the plant look awkward and stems can easily break. Use twiggy branches, stakes, wire or plastic mesh cages that will disappear into the foliage as the plant grows.

Shrubs and Trees:

Prune early flowering shrubs as soon as they finish blooming, many of these set next year’s flowers on the newly emerging wood. Pruning them later may remove next year’s flowers.

Add mulches (compost under trees and shrubs but do not cover the crowns or trunks.)

Feed rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias before and after flowering.

Fertilize roses.

Clip hedges to maintain their size and shape before the birds start nesting. Shear winter flowering heathers.

Lawns:

Begin cutting lawns that do not have spring flowers or bulbs growing in them. Use a sharp lawnmower blade. Rake and overseed bare spots.

Pest Patrol:

Keep ahead of weeds in the vegetable and flower beds. They are stealing your plants’ food!

Patrol for slugs and snails, particularly around newly emerging perennial growth tips.

Check for aphids on the new growth of roses.

Watch for cut worms and insect larvae in the planted beds.

Indoor Plants:

As indoor tropical plants start to put out new growth, tidy up and feed the plants with half strength fertilizer. It is a good time, now, to divide and pot-on overgrown plants.

Trish Hoff

March 20^th – Spring’s Return

With spring at hand, it’s time to put plans into action.

Gardeners are anxious to get out in the warmer weather and the lengthening days but remember to warm up your muscles before you begin any heavy work. It may have been a while since some of us have had a strenuous workout. You don’t want to ruin your springtime enjoyment with the miseries of a sore back.

Indoor Plants

Plants are coming out of dormancy and starting to put on new growth.  Increase water and start fertilizing at half strength by the end of the month. Check plant roots and re-pot severely root-bound houseplants. Increase pot size by only a few cm at a time. Many houseplants will fail in too large a pot.

Replace the top 2 to 3 cm of soil in plant pots with fresh compost or potting soil. Leave 2 to 3 cm of freeboard above the soil in the pot to allow for easier watering.

Bring plants such as pelargonium (geraniums ), fuchsias, and summer bulbs out of storage.

Start cuttings from overwintering tender plants.

Bulbs

Early spring bulbs are emerging.Deadhead and fertilize them as they finish flowering but do not remove the foliage until it turns yellow.

Mark the position of the bulbs and make notes of where you wish to make improvements in the fall. Taking pictures will help you remember where to add new bulbs and where not to dig next fall.

Pot up tender summer-flowering bulbs such as dahlias, begonias, lilies, alocasias and callas to get them started into growth.

Water and fertilize leafy amaryllis for next year’s bloom.

Containers

Freshen up containers of spring bulbs; remove any tired winter materials and add spring flowers. Keep pansies deadheaded and compact.

Replace the soil in the top 5cm of the container with fresh compost. Leave enough space to water the container.

Perennials

Divide and relocate perennials and plant new nursery stock.
Train vines and climbers as they begin growing. Prune clematis as required.

Annuals
Sow tender annuals indoors and hardy annuals indoors or directly into the ground. Check the seed packages or catalogues for correct planting times and instructions.

Trees and Shrubs

Cut branches from early flowering trees and shrubs such as forsythia, quince (chaenomeles) cherry (prunus) and pussy-willow (salix) to force into bloom indoors.

Spray dormant oil on flowering and fruiting trees, before flower or leaf buds open, to kill overwintering insect pests such as aphids and scale.

Remove any burlap wraps from shrubs but leave roses mulch-protected until forsythia is ready to bloom.

Wait until after the shrubs flower to prune early flowering trees and shrubs.

If you need to drastically reduce overgrown shrubs, now is the time. Hard pruning in spring will stimulate bud growth in old wood.

Prune roses when the forsythia bloom; and complete pruning of fruit trees.

Prune red and yellow-twig dogwood shrubs (cornus sericea, alba etc.) to the ground for best stem colour in fall.

Remove winter damage on evergreens, mulch with compost or well-aged manure.

Planting a new tree? How high will it grow and will it interfere with overhead hydro and telephone wires when it reaches its mature height? It may be cute and small now but what is it going to be in ten years?

Lawns

Rake turf areas when dried to remove moss or thatch, then aerate, fertilize and top dress.

Repair damaged areas, edge and lime established lawns.

Overseed thin patches if necessary.

Vegetables, Fruits and Herbs
Tidy up established herb plantings and sow annual herbs.

Feed and mulch rhubarb and berry plants or start new plantings. Prune raspberry canes.

Dig in cover crops if you haven’t already. Leave for two weeks before planting for weed seeds to germinate. Add lime now and wait at least two weeks before adding any fertilizers.

Weed beds then improve the soil with compost, sea soil/well-aged manure or organic fertilizer beginning new crops.

Plant cold season crops such as lettuce, radishes, broad beans, spinach, Chinese vegetables, turnips and onions and peas with row-covers or cold-frame protection if necessary.

Harvest winter crops as they mature and before they bolt as temperatures rise.

Pest Control
Keep up the patrol to eradicate slugs, snails and weeds.

Snowdrops (Galanthus)

Snowdrops (Galanthus) are a welcomed sign of the arrival of spring. Around twenty species exist. All are immensely promiscuous and hybridize freely to produce thousands of varieties. These tough little plants can pop up through the snow anytime from December to late January or February depending upon the weather.

Snow drops grow from a small corm planted in the fall or a division of an existing plant. The corms dry out quickly and are often in poor condition by the time gardens buy and plant them in the fall.

If you missed the opportunity to plant snowdrops for this year, your chance for next year is right now. The most reliable way to establish snowdrops in your garden is to buy or beg plants growing “in the green” (that is just after they have finished flowering). Knock them out of the pot or pull apart a clump given to you, separate them and plant the bulbs into clumps of 3 – 5 bulbs. Large clumps should be divided every five years and can be done either “in the green” in spring or as late as July or August while they are dormant. The bulbs will multiply quickly and grow into large drifts.

Some snowdrops like the common snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis and its double form, G. n. ’Flore Pleno’, have a light honey-like scent. G. ‘S. Arnott’is also valued for its fragrance. G. elwesii is the supersized species with broad leaves and large flowers.

Snow drops grow in shady, moisture retentive but not waterlogged soil. Chose places as under deciduous trees, in the lawn, if you can leave the lawn unmown until late spring or lining pathways that can be seen from inside or as you leave the house. They also do well in containers. Plants are deer and rabbit resistant and go dormant over the hot summer months of drought. If you are going to use mulch, use a light organic medium like leaf mould rather than a heavier manure.

Other Jobs for February:

• If you did not plant bulbs in the fall, you can buy pots of growing bulbs and insert them into containers or borders near the end of February (weather depending).
• Cut back clematis – large flowering group B (or 2) – Trim back to several fat buds on the lower stem
                                                  –  late flowering group C (or 3) – hard prune to 15 – 30cm off the ground
                                                  –  do not prune spring blooming group A (or 1) until after they bloom
• Assess the structure and design of your garden while the “bones” are visible. Review areas that you have noted need upgrading. Look at photos you may have taken. Start planning for this year’s garden. Order the seeds you will need.
• Clean up your greenhouse, potting shed or indoor growing area to be ready for seed starting. Check and replenish your supplies of seedling mix, potting soil, containers and trays. Reuse as many plastics as possible.
• Clean up and wash any dirty pots. Recycle those you do not need keeping only enough to pot on seedlings if you plan to grow plants from seeds in the upcoming months.
• Make sure your tools are clean, sharp and in good condition.
• Tidy up garden plants that have become mushy or unsightly.
• Prepare vegetable beds by adding a layer of compost and dolomite lime two weeks later. Start cool weather vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, green onions, oriental greens and leeks in cold frames, poly tunnels or under lights in a garage, basement or shed. Check stored summer bulbs, corms and tubers (dalhias, gladiolas, begonias …) for signs of rot or dehydration.
• Remove winter weeds before they self-seed.
• Start sowing perennials that need a longer growing period.
• Pot up geranium cuttings or stored roots in late February. Begin feeding with half strength fertilizer. Place under lights or on window sills.

Our group entry received a blue ribbon this year. Many visitors to our display signed up to receive more information about the Club. We look forward to meeting many of these people at our next regular meeting on Thursday, January 9, 2025 in the Cedar Room at Echo Centre. Meetings start at 7:00 p.m.

Many thanks to the members who put the display together and also to those members who contributed fruits, vegetables, and flowers to our display. Also many thanks to our head organizer, Gerrie Pavan, for adding whimsical items to the display as suggested by the the Fair’s theme of Growing Fun for Everyone!

Check out the visuals from Connie’s excellent presentation “Planting All Year Round”. Thank you Connie for sharing these with our members.

Check out this article in the Alberni Valley News. Thanks for the tip Suki.

Plant sale success!

Note the new extended hours of operation

Owner: Shayla Lucier

Shayla specializes in creating custom hanging baskets and planters.  She carries a great assortment of shrubs, perennials, veggie starts, annuals and houseplants (requests are always welcome). 

    Her approach is to always keep things interesting.  You will find inspiring displays on site that change throughout every season! 

Shayla is now offering a ten percent discount to all Mount Klitsa Garden Club members(card must be presented) 

New hours of operation are Wednesday to Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Directions:  left after the orange bridge, follow the river to Rowe road,  keeping left. Rowe turns into Benjamin. Last driveway on the left. 4951 Benjamin road. Ample parking. 

You can also follow Shayla @leaveherwildcontainerdesign on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated with all the goings on! Happy gardening!