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by Kathy Van Mullekom
Hi fellow gardeners and anyone hoping to grow a greener thumb. I hope this day finds you happy and healthy – and in your garden.
In the garden is where I spend much of my time.
Gardening affords me quality alone time. While I weed, plant and prune, my mind relaxes and my spirits lift. I let go of everything petty, political and problematic. I am one with nature and one with God. I am who I really want to be.
With all that in mind, it seems natural to name this new column and my recently launched gardening Facebook page just that – “Diggin’ In Time.”
The Bulletin Post has graciously asked me to write an occasional gardening column, and I’m happy to share my decades of classroom, professional and hands-on gardening experiences.
There probably isn’t a plant I haven’t grown. As the former gardening columnist at the Daily Press newspaper, I wrote about the latest and greatest in new plant selections, including edibles and ornamentals. Husband Ken knew if I wrote about a new plant, it would probably show up somewhere in our yard. How right he was!
I’ve come to love flowering shrubs like hydrangeas and native perennials like mountain mint. I’ve come to loathe disease-prone trees like Bradford pears and Knockout roses. My favorite edibles will always be fresh-picked tomatoes for salads and sandwiches and new potatoes steamed with just-picked string beans.
When it comes to landscape design, my approach is KISS – Keep It Simply Stunning. Far too often, landscapers fill beds with too many small plants, knowing full well they will outgrow their spaces, and soon require too much pruning. Plants are happiest when they are given enough room to reach their mature sizes without having to undergo the pruning shears every few months.
Here are my 5 KISS tips:
Know your soil. What goes on below ground is more important than what goes on above ground. Plants are only as healthy as the soil that feeds them. Before you plant, work ample compost and/or finely shredded mulch into your soil for improved drainage and better nutrients. Use organic fertilizers as much as possible; Milorganite is one of my favorites.
Right plant, right place. If you love the ocean air, would you be happy in the mountains? Same goes for plants. A shade-loving azalea is going to wilt in the hot sun, while a sun-hungry tomato will never thrive under the dense shade of trees. Before you shop for plants, assess your soil’s condition and the sun or shade where they will live. Then, you can google lists of plants for those conditions.
Let your plants grow. Short saplings grow into tall trees, and small shrubs get wide and round. Within a couple years your yard is overgrown with unruly plants that you now have to prune into submission. Not fun for you or healthy for the plants after a while. Trees and shrubs come in all sizes and shapes, so read the plant labels and adopt ones that can comfortable mature in the beds you have designed. Plants are healthier and nicer looking when they can grow with some space between each one. Crowded plants look just that – crowded.
Know your own limitations. Are you only a spring gardener or do you like to piddle in the garden weekends and more? In other words, be realistic about how much time you want to spend weeding, pruning and watering. It’s healthier for you and the plants to have a garden that gives you pleasure, not angst.
Garden your way. Gardening books and HGTV are all about perfect gardens and perfect techniques. Too often those perfect pictures are true turnoffs.
My motto is: There is no wrong or right way to garden … only your way.
Happy gardening!
- Share photos of your gardens, post a photo of your problem plant and connect with other local gardeners at Diggin’ In Time’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Diggin-In-Time
- 5 Tips to Grow the Perfect Garden – https://homegardenandhomestead.com/grow-the-perfect-garden/
- Got gardening questions to ask or tips and photos to share? Email me at kvanmullekom@aol.com. Together, we can make the world a better place to be!
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