Oakville Ontario News, Articles and Reviews

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Spring has sprung – and it’s time for everyone out there with green thumbs to start getting their hands dirty.

Marjorie Harris – garden blogger and author of How to Make a Garden The 7 Essential Steps for the Canadian Gardener – weighs in on what Oakville residents should be doing right now to make their lawn and garden the best it can be.

Vision

Roses or Tulips? Vegetables or summer flowers? Great questions.

“First of all have some sort of vision of what the heck you want from your garden,” Harris said. “Don’t just go into a nursery and pick out stuff, you’ll end up wanting everything. You’ve got to have a pallet in mind.”

“If you’re keen on vegetables or roses, make sure you have six to eight hours of sun a day,” Harris added.

Toss It

Chances are after a winter of salt and snow, some of your lawn might be better in that biodegradable compost bag. “Right now you can cut back grasses, cut out anything that is damaged. Re-seed it, put down compost and put down the correct kinds of seeds for your area.”

Harris suggests Eco-Lawn if your lawn needs to be re seeded.

Leave ‘em Alone and Keep It Simple

Harris suggests leaving the leaves on the soil for now and putting mulch over top of it. Stay organic, plant native plants, and stay away from pesticides. “You don’t need them, and your too close to the lake to be using them anyways,” she said.

Time Your Composting

“Right now it’s the perfect time for spreading compost, preferably stuff you’ve made yourself,” Harris said. “If there is rain in the forecast get out there and spread some compost around, it really will help feed the plants.”

Nematodes

Some residents will be running into the problem of grubs this spring. “If you have grubs in your soil, it’s time to put Nematodes in the ground. They are pretty good, one dosage should last for three years.” Harris also mentioned to read the instructions very carefully before putting Nematodes in your soil.

Pick Up a Book

The single best way to get inspired this season is to start reading. Harris suggests any garden magazine, books, or even the web can help gardeners in Oakville with creating the garden they always wanted.

For more from Marjorie Harris head over to her blog and website at http://www.marjorieharris.com

About the author: Michael Burton

Michael is journalist with experience in publishing, news writing and the magazine industry. He graduated from Sheridan College and is the former editor of TRAVIS magazine.