When digging into a new garden, what are the first steps to take?

A design should be a reflection of what your family’s needs are, the architectural style of the home and how much time you are willing to spend maintaining your landscape. If you thought step one was buying plants and digging in the ground, you might find yourself overwhelmed. All too often homeowners have a bunch of plants that they thought looked good when they purchased them, but there is no harmony to their placement in the landscape. You need a plan.

What mistakes do people often make when prepping for spring?

Not properly preparing the soil before planting. A soil test should be conducted every three to five years. You should not be adding amendments to your soil without a soil test first, because you may already have the proper nutrients. Another common mistake is working in the soil when the ground is too wet. You should be able to grasp a fist of soil in your hand, squeeze it to make a ball and then crumble it your hand. If it’s too wet to crumble, it’s too wet to work in the soil. People often add too much mulch or use improper mulching techniques. Perennial beds should receive no more than two inches of mulch. Trees and shrubs can receive three inches, but avoid piling it up against the trunks or base of the shrubs.

What should be done if a hard freeze hits some early blooms?

The good news is the plant will probably not die if it is hardy in our area. For a light frost, putting a bed sheet, blanket or drop cloth over your plants will protect them for a night or two. However, if temperatures during the day get above freezing, you should remove the cover so they can absorb light and heat. Don’t forget to re-cover them in the early evening before the temperature begins falling again! Your best option for blooms that have already opened is just to cut the blooms off, bring them inside in a flower vase and celebrate spring early!

What measures can help prevent pests and diseases?

The best defense against pests and disease is a healthy plant. A healthy plant is like a healthy person — they have a better immune system to fight off certain environmental factors. If the plant is stressed out, (i.e. under-watered or not planted in the right environment) it is more susceptible to pests and diseases because it lacks the energy to fight off stresses. Make sure the soil has plenty of moisture in it. To determine how wet the ground is, get down and check it out (with your bare hand!). Pull back the mulch and then dig at least two inches into the soil. It should be damp, but not wet. If there is a proper amount of water in the soil, the plant is going to have a higher tolerance for adverse environmental conditions.