Swansons Nursery - Seattles Best Garden Center 206-782-2543 - Helping Seattle gardeners since 1924....plants,trees, shrubs and garden supplies

Gardening Tips - Spring

As spring winds down to summer, narcissus and daffodil leaves droop to the ground in yellowish-brown disrepair.
To help ensure the best blooms for next spring, resist the impulse to cut off this unsightly growth. Nutrients continue to flow from the leaves into the bulbs, but obviously can not if the leaves are missing or damaged.
If leaves are trimmed, braided or doubled over and tied, the resulting damaged cells will have trouble performing this important function! What to do?
Where possible, lift bulbs and move to a less noticeable location where leaves can die back naturally into containers or the ground. Otherwise, overplant with annuals or perennials that don't require a great deal of summer watering.
submitted by Candy - Swansons Staff

Wondering what to do with your un-recyclable packing peanuts? They are great for 'filler' in potted plants!
Take a left over onion bag (or another nylon net bag with small holes), and put in enough packing peanuts. Tie off the bag or use a wire twist to close off the open end. Drop it into the pot and fill the rest with your soil, shaking occasionally to settle the soil. Then add your plants. Creates great drainage, you use less soil, and large potted plants will end up weighing less.
submitted by Jeff - Swansons Staff

April Tips - submitted by Ann - Swansons Staff

Tidy up container plantings. Root-prune and add new potting soil as necessary. Fertilize with solid slow-release fertilizer (Osmacote or organic fertilizer.)

Overseed and fertilize lawns if you didn’t get round to it in March. Tidy the edges using a half-moon edger.

Cut back semi-evergreen perennials (Penstemon, Phygelius, shrubby Salvia) to just above new growth, to produce bushy plants. Remove brown, ugly leaves on evergreen perennials (Heuchera, evergreen grasses, evergreen Iris, Phormium, Schizostylis, Kniphofia).

Cut back sub-shrubs (Lavender,Thyme, Santolina, Artemisia, Teucrium, Dorycnium) to encourage new growth from the base.

Tie up new growth on Clematis and other vines so that it doesn’t snap in the wind.

Finish any pruning needed to tidy up deciduous shrubs. Cut back Cotinus (Smoke Bush) to get lush new growth and larger leaves.

Plant annuals to fill gaps in beds and borders (e.g. Poppies, Nigella, Nicotiana, Nemophila). Broadcast seed or plant from packs or 4” pots.. mixed flower bed

Fertilize with solid organic slow-release fertilizer (use high phosphorus fertilizer for roses and clematis).

Mulch beds to conserve water and cut down on weeds, and to smooth out the surface after planting.

Bait for slugs, especially around Hostas, Primulas and Dahlias. Watch for cut-worm damage, and spray with Bt –containing product if needed.
Check Hellebores for aphids – spray with high-pressure water if seen.

Relax, and enjoy your handiwork!