The winter has been long, and we have certainly been blessed with a lot of rain. Homes in the Rancho Communities have done well, soaking up the long needed moisture. Our hillsides have abandoned the brown draught conditions and now enjoy green grasses and trees. After years of extremely dry conditions, are soils have been replenished with much needed water, all provided from the skies above.
Now is the time to get your garden ready for a wonderful spring. Did you prune your plants as we entered winter ? If not, get it done now so you can enjoy beautiful spring growth and blooms. Last fall, my rear slope ground cover was thin and leggy, showing mostly grey wood stems. I trimmed the whole slope to about an inch off the ground, removing all the grey branches. Why ? Because new growth only happens at the end, so it just didn’t look nice. Then I had a load of mulch spread across the whole area, covering the remaining stock. With the rains came new growth, and now it is filling in as a completely fresh, green, slope.
This is also a great time to put in new plants where they are needed. Our normally hard soil will be moist and soft, making digging those holes very easy. Also, the moisture in the soil will help the new plants root quickly and grow right away. I always start with the small size plants and find they will grow very quickly the first year.
Finally, you may have some plants that “clump” in tight batches. Anything with bulbs, or succulents, can tend to do this. It is a perfect time to separate them so they fill in more space. I have some plants that were in small containers ( tubs or pots ) and I’ve now removed them, separated the main stalks, and transplanted them into my garden. I’ve watched my neighbors do this with great success.
So … here we go … heading into a spring of vibrant colors, and a summer of lush landscapes. Hopefully our hills will remain green for many months, but we can nurture our yards to look beautiful all the way until winter. Have fun, and enjoy the results.