The third week of September is a good time to buy and plant spring blooming bulbs like daffodils, crocus and tulips.
When June arrives you may notice your vegetable seedlings and annual plants experiencing a growth spurt. Just like a teenager, they now have a huge appetite so this is your reminder to fertilize. Roses and perennials also benefit from a feeding this month and if you still have not fertilized the lawn, make sure you do so early in the month before the hot weather arrives.
Marianne Binetti answers readers’ gardening questions.
Sharpen the blades of your mower for a crisp, clean cut all summer long.
The fourth week of May has gardeners sending in a lot of great questions on their way to creating beautiful gardens.
Marianne Binetti answers gardening questions written by readers.
Want to be a Drama Mama? Attend a one-night class beginning at 7 p.m. May 16 at Green River Community College in Enumclaw. Topic is “Garden Opera: Drama, Divas and Heroes in the Garden.” There is a class fee; call 253-288-3400 to register.
Wait a few more weeks to set out heat-loving annuals like zinnias, marigolds, impatiens and coleus. These could suffer from the cool nights even if they don’t get hit by a frost.
May Day! May Day! All hands on deck – and patio – as this is the week to fill your container gardens and window boxes with geraniums, bacopa, lobelia and petunias. Wait a few more weeks to set out heat-loving annuals like zinnias, marigolds, impatiens and coleus. These could suffer from the cool nights even if they don’t get hit by a frost.
Spring is the time of year when the earth blooms, and color fills the landscape. We are lucky enough to garden in western Washington with a mild climate that allows bountiful blooms and vivid color almost year round.
The middle of April is a good time to plant seeds indoors for warm-season plants that will be set into the garden after the weather warms.
You won’t be barking up the wrong tree if you’ve noticed a lot more dogs being walked in the neighborhood. Americans love their pets but as the size of the average back yard shrinks, the size of the family dog and number of family pets seems to grow.
The second week of April is a great time to add trees, shrubs and perennials to the garden. Rhododendrons, azaleas and flowering trees are also in bloom this week and easy to find at local nurseries. If you notice a lovely plant growing in someone else’s garden but both you and the neighbor are unsure of the name, just snip off a small piece and carry it to a nursery or Master Gardener clinic for identification.
