May Not Be Warm Enough For Planting
By Jos Van Hage
Saturday, May 17, 2008 03:45 AM
The long weekend in May has been the planting weekend for many local gardeners over the years but this year may be the exception.
With our late spring and cool temperatures the soil in many areas of town is still quite cool and in the case of my own garden too wet to plant in. I am planning on waiting to plant my garden for a week or two until the soil has warmed up and is dry enough to work with.
I have noticed from past years that putting the garden in a week or two after the long weekend does not make a lot of difference when it comes time to harvest the first crops. This is due in part to our long days of sunlight and the heat which seems to make plants grow quickly enough to catch up. Many plants and seeds do not do well in cold soil and will only sit there until the temperatures warm up.
If you want to work in the garden this weekend you can get rid of the first crop of weeds before planting by digging them up with the hoe or spraying them with glyphosate the chemical found in Round Up. After the weeds have been taken care of the garden can be tilled and be ready to plant.
Although it is a little cold for planting annuals and vegetables it is good weather to be planting trees, shrubs and perennials.
We have a new product on our shelves this year called ‘Myke’ which should help in growing healthier, stronger plants. Myke is a naturally occurring soil fungus which colonizes on the plants roots making them grow bigger which in turn will grow a healthier plant. It is simple to use as you only need to sprinkle the recommended amount on the plants roots before planting the tree and shrub. If you use Myke when you plant your trees and shrubs the company will give you a 5-year warranty on your trees and shrubs as it is stated in their warranty plan.
Another gardening job that can be done this weekend is plant up your containers if you haven’t already done so. The nice thing about container growing is that you can control the environment that the plants grow in as you can move the containers to a protected location in case of freezing temperatures. Both flowers and many types of vegetables grow very well in containers.
The ‘Tumbler’ tomato is perfect for containers as it is a hanging tomato that produces hundreds of cherry tomatoes throughout the summer months if cared for properly. Most tomatoes grow very well in containers if the container is large enough and you are able to stake the staking varieties. Cucumbers, peppers, all your different salad greens are excellent for container growing. Vegetables that grow underground such as potatoes, carrots, beets are better if planted directly in the garden as they require the room. Herb gardens are very popular and these also do well in a container that can be left outdoors over the summer and then brought inside in the fall.
Have an enjoyable long weekend!
-Jos
Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Garden Centres in the Prince George area:
- Highway 16 West at Kimball Road
- Highway 97 North at Northwood Pulpmill Road
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Posted on Saturday, May 17, 2008 03:45 AM in
Home and Garden by
Jos Van Hage
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Posted by: robichal on May 17 2008 11:23 AM
I found that surprising as many people are trying to get away from harmful chemicals.