Ornamental garden: spring trimming of ornamental grasses
Nature has endowed some plants with very effective mechanisms of defense against frost.In the case of grasses, these are ears which, creating a kind of protective umbrella, protect the center of the plant from the cold, the so-called heart.During rainfall, water flows sideways, the heart is not flooded with water. The protection will be even better if in autumn the shoots are pinned in the apical part so that they fully resemble a hay bundle. This applies to both small and large species.
Shoots are cut out only in spring, when the plants are no longer threatened by frost. We start cutting when the first young shoots appear in the center of the tuft. Stems of grasses that have dried up in winter should be combed out by hand.Old flower shoots are cut as close to the base as possible, dry ends of leaves - to the green tissue.Species shedding leaves, turning brown in winter, are cut in with a pruner, leaving 3 or 5 cm long stumps.
Balconies and terraces in April
Formative trimming
The more lush the plants, the more beautiful their habit is. Therefore, it is important to keep them from an early age, regularly pruning the shoots. When cutting, remove 2-4 top leaves along with the shoot. The tops can also be removed.
We harden young seedlings
Annual species planted in pots must spend the first weeks of their life in an apartment.However, even if they take hold, they cannot be immediately exposed to the open air.Plants must be acclimatized beforehand to get used to the cool winds and harsh sun.Therefore, when it is sunny, place the pots outside on sheltered, sunless positions. We put them home again for the night. They can stay outside permanently only from mid-May.
We are exaggerating
In order for the geraniums to recover quickly after wintering, they should be transplanted to fresh soil and exposed to a sunny position. Dried shoots should be trimmed to a he althy tissue, at the beginning watered in moderation. We increase the water ration as the gerani increases.
Beneficial fertilizer
Long-acting fertilizers only start working after approx. 2 weeks, so spread them in advance.
Soil in the garden: compost enlivens the earth
Compost is suitable for almost all garden crops, with the exception of moorland plants. The high content of humus greatly improves the quality of the soil.Since the compost contains all the necessary nutrients in almost perfect proportions, it is an essential fertilizer not only in organic farming. If we give up our own "fertilizer factory", we can buy compost in a garden shop or in horticulture.
Pay attention to the good quality markings of the product. We use compost at the end of winter or early spring.The dose of 2-3 l / 1m2 does not pose a risk of over-fertilization. voracious autumn and winter vegetables, e.g.Brussels sprouts , need extra compost at the end of summer.
Lawn: repairing damaged turf
After scarifying the turf in poorly sunny and humid places, the lawn is usually damaged, because mainly moss grows there.In such cases, the turf should be regenerated locally by sowing the grass.For this purpose, the top layer of the substrate should be shaken with a rake, sown with fresh seeds, then the seeds should be matted into the substrate and covered with a thin layer of soil for lawns or flowering plants.For the seeds to gain better contact with the ground (thus absorbed faster), the soil should be compacted either by treading it with your feet or compacting it with a roller.
After the lawn has been reclaimed, it should be watered; for the next 3-4 weeks the turf must be kept in moderate humidity.Very small damage can be repaired by transplanting he althy turf from another part of the lawn.The patch must fit well, after planting it must be watered.
