Getting the Jump on Spring
Saturday, March 31, 2012 @ 3:45 AM
Left, Bountiful Harvest, at right, Mariposa Skies
Do you want to get a head start on spring, and save money too?
The packaged perennials, tubers, bulbs, etc have arrived in the garden centre and are ready to be planted. Many varieties of Dahlias, gladiola, and perennials can be planted indoors now and then later when the weather warms up they are transplanted or moved outside. Planting them now will give the plant a chance to grow and so by the time it is May there will already be a good sized plant and maybe some blooms.
When planting tubers, bulbs etc choose a pot that will be large enough. Gladiola are smaller so these can be planted into a 4 inch pot but most of the other packaged perennials and dahlias would do best in a 1 gallon pot. If possible, try to use peat pots or fibre pots as these will break down when planted in the soil. Using these environmental friendly pots will mean less damage to the plants roots when it is time to transplant as the entire pot and plant is placed into the soil. It is always important to use a good quality potting soil when planting as this is the foundation for the plant.
When it comes to planting, follow the instructions given on the package. Plant to the same depth in the pot as you would if you were to plant it outside. After the bulb, tuber etc has been planted gently pat the soil down and give it a good drink of water. Don’t forget to put a label in the pot with the name of the plant if you are planting more then one variety so that plants don’t get mixed up.
To grow a healthy, strong plant you will need to give it lots of light. South or west facing windows work best, or you can use fluorescent lights that hang a few inches above the pots. Plants grown near a window tend to grow uneven as they grow towards the light, so rotating the plant every few days help promote even growth.
When you begin to see growth, start fertilizing with a plant start fertilizer such as 10-52-10 and then later switch to an all-purpose fertilize such as 20-20-20. When to place the plant outside will depend on what you are growing and what the weather is like, as some plants such as Dahlias can take no frost. Before placing the plant outdoors you want to harden it off so that it becomes acclimatized to the cooler temperatures. Hardening off is done by placing the plant outdoors during the day when temperatures are warm and then bringing it in at night. By the end of May, depending on the weather, the plant should be ready to be planted outdoors.
As I was looking through the packaged Bearded Irises I noticed three new varieties among the others. ‘Bountiful Harvest’ and ‘Mariposa Skies’ both have purple and white flowers but with different variations. Both are re-blooming and the Mariposa Skies have fragrant flowers. The third new variety is ‘Foreign Legion’ and this variety also has fragrant blooms that are deep black purple on the bottom petals (falls) and golden upper petals (standards). Irises are easy to grow and do well in local Prince George gardens.
*Don’t forget about the annual tree pruning clinic being held this weekend at the Kimball Road (West location). This morning at 10:00 a.m and Sunday at 12:00 p.m There is a $10.00 sign up fee – proceeds to go to the Child Development Center. To register please call 250-964-6056
** Check out Art Knapps Plantland and Garden Centre on Facebook for regular updates on what’s new, also our website is now up and running.
-Jos
Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Garden centres in Prince George:
- Highway 16 west at Kimball Road
- Highway 97 north at Northwood Pulpmill Road
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