Some people are in their gardens on a daily basis, taking joy in simple garden maintenance tasks. Others want to spend minimal time working in the garden so they can sit and enjoy the garden. Regardless of the type of gardener you are or the type of companion planting you are looking to practice, there are some simple tasks that will need to be done.
Maintenance Tasks
In the spring, it is time to pull weeds, remove mulch that was put on in the fall, and turn the beds over. Spring happens at different times around the world so understand the growing season for your area so you know when to get started. There are a couple of Web sites that will show you the last expected frost dates in your location if you are in the United States. The first one is through the Farmer’s Almanac at www.almanac.com/content/frost-chart-united-states. Another Web site called Dave’s Garden lets you put in your ZIP code and it will tell you the expected frost dates for both spring and fall for your area http://davesgarden.com/guides/freeze-frost-dates.
Early spring – pre-planting season
When it is too early to plant because the ground is still too wet or the danger of frost is still present, you can start weeding if you already have a garden bed to work on. This is a good time, provided the frost is out of the ground, to pull weeds that will cause problems later on as the ground is soft and the softer the ground, the easier the weeds will be to pull. When you can, trim the perennials that survived the winter. Some take longer to show growth than others so do not immediately throw away a plant that has not started to sprout new growth. Pull up the old leaves and plant debris, and if you left the seeds in place for the birds, cut the branches back now.
As the garden dries up, add in compost if you have it and start to dig your beds over. If you do not have a garden already, this is the stage you should be laying out your design, building raised beds if that is your choice, and starting to work the area into a garden. You can start seedlings indoors if you can offer them enough light, and you can plant early crops outdoors if you have the ability to keep them safe from frost. Otherwise, hold off a few more weeks until the weather warms.
Another thing to do is to sort out your watering system and lay down hoses that you are going to use. You may want to have timers regulate your hoses to cover all your garden areas. You can have them go off each evening after the sun has gone down so the plants have the benefit of the water overnight during the cooler hours. If you water during the day, most of the water evaporates, robbing the plants of the necessary moisture.
You should be sorting through the plants you are interested in having in your garden and considering which plants should go where. Consider if you are going to have separate gardens for vegetables, herbs, and flowers or if you will interplant for maximum space usage. Will you need to put up trellises for plants to climb, or use another plant like corn stalks for beans and nasturtiums to climb up instead? If you know your garden will have insect problems based on your experiences from past years, consider which companion plants will help to solve these problems this year.
Once the ground has warmed up enough, it is time to plant.
Late spring – planting season
This is the busiest season next to harvest time for your garden. This is the time to make sure your garden has been dug over, enriched, raked, and is ready to put down seeds and plants. At this point, you can plant most plants with the exception of the tender ones like peppers, basil, and eggplant. Certain plants may need a cover to keep them warm for a few more weeks, like tomatoes.
You can put down the seeds, buy seedlings, or plant the seeds you started in the house. You can also buy annuals for window boxes and containers. If you are doing garden bed rotation and planting a cover crop in one bed, now is the time to get those seeds in the ground. This is also the time to keep weeding so the weeds do not have a chance to get established. If you notice certain bugs creeping into the garden area, such as slugs, it is time to remove them and start attracting the predators you want to have in your garden. Set up toad houses, create rock piles as hiding places, and have bird baths and bird houses as well as tall perches for the birds to sit on.
Digging the garden over
To dig the garden over effectively, the ground should be dry and crumbly. If you can squeeze it and form it into a flat cake of mud, chances are it is too wet. You can still dig it; however, it will take extra effort and it will not be as effective. The purpose of this stage is to break the crust that has formed over winter, kill the growing weeds, and open up the grubs and seeds to the birds.
To dig the garden over, put your shovel into the ground, lift up a hunk of soil, turn it over, and put it back down on the same place, breaking it up slightly before moving over to the next piece. You can use a piece of equipment called a rototiller to do this same job if your garden is too big to dig by hand. Work the garden over about one to two weeks ahead of planting. Any longer than this and the ground can harden again; any shorter than this and the birds will not have had a chance to pick up the grubs that you have moved to the surface. When you are ready to plant, you may need to break the dirt up slightly again. This is particularly helpful when growing plants with long roots like carrots. The ground needs to be well dug and preferably sandy to grow the long carrots. If the ground is dense and full of clay, the carrots will be stumpy and short. This is also a good time to work any organic matter like peat moss or compost into the garden to improve the soil. It is also a good time to add fertilizer as you work the ground. As companion planting often means making the most out of the space available, the soil needs to be rich in nutrients to sustain the plants throughout the long growing season.
Seeding
Seeding is the process of sowing the seeds of the plants you want to see in the summer and fall. Generally, this refers to vegetable seeds but this is also the way many wildflower and annuals are started. Water the ground well before putting out the seeds.
If you are sowing in a row, gently create a trench using your fingers or a hoe and lay the seeds evenly spaced in the dirt as per the directions on the package of the seeds you are planting. Cover with a light layer of dirt. If you are scattering the seed in a general area, try to sow them evenly throughout the area. Once the seed is covered, label the garden row or bed and note the date planted. When planting is done for the day, water the area with a gentle mist so as to not disturb the seeds. Water daily until the seed is sprouted.
Transplanting
Transplanting the seedlings that you have bought or grown in the house is simple but requires a gentle hand because these young plants are easily damaged. Start by letting your seedlings acclimatize by setting them outside during the day and then bringing them in again at nighttime. This is a process called hardening off and will help the plants adapt to the outdoor cooler weather. It is best to transplant on a cooler, preferably cloudy day, as the transplants will transplant easier when they are not in the hot sunshine.
If you are planning to use newspaper or black plastic/landscape cloth to keep the weeds down, then cut holes in the center and dig big enough holes for the seedlings to settle into easily. You do not want to force them into the ground as the young roots may break off. Water the seedling well, remove it gently from its current home, open up any matted roots slightly, and place it in the new home. Form a slight hill of dirt around the base of the plant and press the dirt down firmly.
Thinning seedlings
When you sow seeds, it is easy to sow too many in one spot. In fact, it is almost impossible to not sow them too thick. That is where thinning comes in. Once the seeds have sprouted and have tops that are several inches high, then the process of thinning starts. This is the process of pulling out the plants that are too growing too closely together. The seed packet will tell you how far apart the plants need to be for optimum growth and you will have to pull any plants that are closer than this recommended distance. The idea is to have a couple of inches minimum between two healthy seedlings. You should look for the healthier of the seedlings and pull all plants out of that healthy plant’s space. By doing this, you avoid overcrowding. If you do not thin the seedlings, the plants become so overcrowded that they will not grow properly and will eventually die. This is particularly important if you are going to add other plants to maximize your space in your garden.
Divide mature plants
After several growing seasons, some plants need to be divided. You will know they need to be divided because they have reached the point where they begin to die off in the center and leave a brown ring. It is better if you catch the plant before it gets to this point. You can start when the plant has grown several times its size over a couple of years. Division is done by dividing the plants into several smaller versions of the original to keep the plants vigorous and happy for a long time.
Any time these plant have outgrown their location, they can be divided and moved. The best times to divide plants are in the spring and fall. The reason for dividing the plants in the spring is because the roots have not started actively growing yet and will be able to recuperate from the disturbance faster. In the fall, the growing season is over and the plants can be moved to a new location where they will have the winter to put down roots.
Before dividing the plant, soak it well because disturbing the roots will affect the plant’s ability to take in water and nutrients for a short time. If the plant you are dividing has a lot of foliage on top, you may need to cut the leaves back by a third because this makes it easier for the plant to recover. Make sure you have the new location picked out, dug out, and well watered to receive the new plant because the plant will respond better if it is not left out of the ground for any length of time. Make sure to give the new plant sufficient space. Treat the new plant piece like a seedling and give it extra care until it is established.
The actual division process can take several different forms. The right way to do this usually involves digging out the entire plant and slicing around and through the roots to separate off a healthy chunk. Some plants like daylilies have twisted roots that can be gently pried apart with two pitchforks. Some people will take a sharp spade and make a clean cut through plants (especially grasses) while they are still in place. Regardless of the method, after cutting the plant, lift it out of the ground, keeping as much roots and dirt attached as possible, and place it into the new location so the roots of the main plant have only a minimal disturbance. When you are done, hill the dirt around the new plant and the main plant’s exposed roots and water them thoroughly.
Keep in mind that large plants can be divided several times and spread throughout the garden to create more plants. Also realize that some plants are so overgrown and root bound, like large ornamental grasses, that they will require an axe to help split the plant into two.
Taking cuttings
Another way to divide or create new plants is to take cuttings from a healthy plant and planting them in a pot full of potting soil. There are different types of cuttings that can be done. The most common methods include:
• Stem cutting — a piece of stem that needs to include one leaf node is planted in the soil and will produce new roots
• Root cutting — this is a section of root that when separated and planted elsewhere will produce new shoots
• Leaf cutting — a leaf is placed on moist soil and will need to produce both new roots and new stems
Some species, such as blackberries and geraniums, will produce new plants easily, while others will require more care. For more information on how to work with cuttings, see the Hortus USA Web site (www.rooting-hormones.com).
Summer – heavy growing season
In the summer, your garden will be an explosion of color and produce. The more you harvest, the more your plants will produce. They will need ample sun and nutrients, but if you have prepared your beds properly, they will grow beautifully.
Watering
During the summer months, it is important to keep up a regular watering routine. Keep an eye on your garden and try to avoid overwatering. Also remember that with companion planting, the nutrient and water requirements are heavier when you plant a lot of plants in a smaller space as they have to share the resources among themselves. It is also easier to revive a dried-out plant than to dry out and save a waterlogged plant.
You should water your plants when the soil is dry several inches below the surface. To see if you have watered your vegetable and flowers sufficiently, use your fingers to check that the ground is damp at least 4 to 5 inches below the surface. In some regions of the country where fungus is a problem, morning watering will minimize the fungal growth. The normal rule of avoiding watering during the daytime should be ignored if your plants are wilting and stressed due to the heat. If your schedule does not allow you to water early in the morning or in the evening after the sun has gone down (which is the preferred time to water your plants), watering the plants during the day is still better than not watering them at all. Some plants will need more water than others and tomatoes are definitely one of them. These fruit are full of juice and you cannot have big, plump tomatoes without regular, preferably drip-type, watering. The problem is when you forget to water then attempt to make up for it with an extra heavy watering the next time, particularly if the plants are not mulched, they will take up a lot of water faster, causing the inside of the fruit to grow faster than the skin and the tomatoes will split. You can tell if your plants are not getting enough water because the foliage will wilt and the stems will hang limp.
Staying ahead of the pests
Always keep an eye out to monitor your garden’s pest population. If you are companion gardening and have done so for a while, there should not be any major problems. If you have just started companion planting, it will take a bit of time for the balance of prey and predator to establish itself. It is important to keep an eye on the situation. Walk up and down the rows and inspect the plants by checking the undersides of the leaves, the tops of the leaves, the growing tips, and at the base of the stem for insects.
You may also find signs of disease, but this does not have to be a major problem. If you find a plant that is heavily diseased, pull it out of the garden and throw it away. Do not put it into the compost pile as the disease could spread. If there is just a leaf that shows signs of disease, pluck it off and throw it away.
Pinching off/deadheading
The process of snapping of dead blooms and in some cases growing tips is called pinching off or deadheading. The reason for pinching off the dead blooms is to encourage more flowering. Some plants, like coleus, are grown for their foliage and not their flowers so when the plant shows signs of flowering, you pinch off the starting blooms to encourage the plants to become bushier and thicker. The decision of whether to promote more flowering needs to be determined by whether you have enough flowers in the garden now to attract in the pollinators like birds and bees. If you are cutting flowers for vases, make sure you leave enough for the pollinators as well.
Some plants bloom and leave only beautiful dry pods full of seed that are often left in place. An example of this is the astilbe, which only blooms once a season. Pinching off the finished bloom will not bring on more flowers. Deadheading is normal with annuals like petunias, pansies, and even roses will benefit from having the dead blooms removed to promote new growth.
Cutting back
Some early-blooming plants start to get tired and scrawny looking in the summer and the older leaves start drooping and looking worn and damaged. The hardy geranium is a prime example. In the spring, it is a thick, beautiful clump but by the time the heat of the summer sets in, it is no longer as attractive. This is a great time to cut the plant back and have it regrow.
Some of these early bloomers will have new growth coming out of the center of the plant, which is a sign that the plant is ready to start again. You can cut the old foliage back to where the branches look livelier or you can cut it all the way back to the new growth, which is basal growth. Many plants will bloom a second time after you cut them back and coreopsis is another example. Wait until the plant has finished blooming then shear the plant down and wait for it to bloom again. All plants are different and require a little care to make them look gorgeous all summer long.
Another reason to cut back is because sometimes plants become tall and spindly and when they are ready to bloom, their stalks are not strong enough to support the flowers. To encourage the plants to grow stockier and stronger, you cut the plant back to about a third of its height once it has reached 8 to 10 inches tall. Let it grow again and then cut it once more. When the plant grows for the third time, it should be strong enough to support big, healthy flowers. The flowers may bloom a bit later than if you had not cut the stalks but there will be more flowers than ever. By doing this, you also allow the plants around to spread out and maximize their growth.
Fertilizing throughout the growing season
If you are growing a garden heavy with vegetables, you may want to fertilize mid-way through the growing season. When you fertilize mid-season it is called side dressing. The garden will need this second boost of nutrients to keep some long-producing plants like tomatoes growing and producing strong throughout the season. To apply a commercial product, you can make a trench along the row of vegetables that you want to fertilize. You should never put fertilizer directly on the plants because it can burn the plants. Apply the fertilizer and then cover the trench. Because companion gardening makes heavy use of the available nutrients in the soil, it is important to replenish these nutrients on a regular basis.
If you are fertilizing with garden teas, they can be poured around the plants every week throughout the growing season and your plants will appreciate it. You can also add compost that is ready for the garden any time. This soil can be place around plants or up and down the rows.
Late summer – harvesting
Harvesting is the fun part of gardening and every plant has a different time to harvest. Here are some basic tips to keep in mind when you harvest:
• Pick only the items that are ripe – like tomatoes. Leave the others on the plant to ripen a little later.
• Pick the produce every few days. Plants like beans, peas, okra, and cucumbers will produce more if you pick often.
• Avoid picking vegetables in the rain or when the plants are wet to avoid spreading disease.
• Avoid damaging the plants when harvesting.
• If the plants are wilted, water and wait until they recuperate before harvesting.
• Once harvested, put the fruit and vegetables into a cool place. Enjoy the harvested fruits and vegetables as soon as possible.
• Disturb the plants as little as possible. If you are reaching under the potato plant to steal the new potatoes, make sure to avoid disturbing the roots. You can pull the whole plant if you want, but if you leave the potatoes you missed in place, the smaller ones will continue to grow. If you want potatoes for storage, you need to leave them in the ground until they have a firm skin. The potatoes will often continue to grow under the ground even after the plant above the ground has died.
• Some plants need to stay in place until after a frost before you harvest because a light frost will convert the starch in some vegetables like parsnips to sugar, improving their taste. Brussels sprouts will keep better after a frost as will the flavor of kale and collards. Pumpkins are not generally picked until a light frost kills the plant so the pumpkins can reach their maximum growth.
• Harvest for your taste. Some people like zucchinis only a few inches long and others prefer them when they have grown bigger than a foot.
• It is also okay to let some of the plants go to seed; the insects and birds will thank you for it.
Fall – cleaning up/preparing for next year
The fall is the best time for garden cleanup. This is also the time to cover the soil for winter and set up havens for the insects and wildlife.
Some plants will have an extended season – at least until a hard frost occurs. Many flowers will still be blooming throughout September like the asters, mums, stonecrop, pansies, and some of the clematis varieties. Plants like carrots, spinach, and Swiss chard can survive several frosts so do not be in a hurry to pull those plants. In fact, if you cover these plants with a thick layer of straw, cover the straw with a waterproof tarp to stop the straw from getting wet, and place heavy rocks on the tarp to stop the tarp from blowing away, you will be able to harvest these vegetables throughout the winter.
Sheltering insects
Many of the insects that have helped you throughout the summer are going to stay in your garden over winter. If you plan on using cover crops and mulch, they will burrow into these during the winter. Leave water dishes out in the garden until the water has frozen. If you have boards around the garden, leave them in place. You can clean them up in spring and the insects will move into the garden then as well.
Planting fall plants
If you have new perennials, trees, or shrubs, this is a good time to plant them. It is also a good time to transplant and divide plants to set them out in new locations if you did not do it in the spring or if you find you have to do it again. Remember to deadhead the flowers of the perennials and keep in mind this is the right time to plant spring-flowering bulbs like tulips.
Taking care of perennials
In the fall, trim or prune back your perennials. You can either cut off any seed heads left on the stalks or you can leave them on for the birds.
Cleaning up the garden
This is the time of year that the plants look old and worn out; some are crumpled to the ground and the others sag because of the effort of producing all summer long. Clean out all the old and dead plants in the garden and put them into the compost pile.
When you are going through the garden beds, check for plants that have suffered from insects or diseases. If you find one, pull the entire plant including the roots to make sure the problem is not there next year. Remove all the plant material of the cabbage and squash family plants as well, as they are prone to disease and can cause problems in the garden next year. If you have potatoes or tomatoes in the garden, be sure to harvest the plants completely and if you are planning on composting the plants, make sure you have an active compost going. Some diseases can survive winter in the compost heap as well so you want to make sure the compost is actively breaking down the plant materials.
Putting the garden to bed
Once the garden has been stripped and the perennials have been taken care of, it is time to lay down compost and fertilizer and either till the soil or dig it under. This will add nutrients to the garden that will decompose in time for spring planting.
If you are still in the mood for gardening at this point, you can prepare the beds for spring, plant a simple cover crop to add nutrients to dig over in the spring, or just let it all sit for the winter as it. This is time to relax and enjoy the silence of the winter. Spring will be here soon enough and the process will start all over again.