Once the warm weather arrives, your garden is your oyster, so to speak. Take the time to research colour, height, width and blooming/maturity times to create an ongoing dynamic in the garden with both perennials and annuals. Your choices are endless.

All your plants should be planted in the spring to allow a summer for their establishment in the garden. You can plant other items as they become available at retailers.

Most fall bloomers and winter plants are planted during spring as well. Double check this, however. as some plants that have late season maturities simply can't hack the searing temperatures of summer. They are built for a planting in fall and will establish their root sytems quickly.

Spring is also the time to sow seeds. This is a much cheaper alternative to seedlings. It does require a bit more patience as a seedling offers the immediate gratification of seeing something in the garden. Seeds will also require more maintenance as they require consistently moist soil to germinate.

March - things to do

Aerate Lawns   
 

• Compacted lawns need aerating now to allow air and water to reach grass roots. Rent a lawn aerating machine or buy lawn aerating sandals to make small holes in the lawn for aeration.  

April - things to do

Repair your lawn now for summer

• If your lawn has bare patches, early spring is a good time to fix them. Seed that is planted early gets established before hotter, possibly drier weather arrives and before crabgrass and other weeds can get the upper hand. 

• Before patching a lawn, stand back and take an objective look at it. Perhaps the whole lawn needs to be redone, not just spot-patched. Also assess the cause of the bare spots. If, for instance, skunks or moles have been digging around for grubs, avoid future problems by first dealing with the grubs or their furry predators. 

• The first step in patching a lawn is buying seed. Don't grab that old bag of grass seed in the garage. Go out and buy some fresh seed. Don't let economics dictate your choice. Buy quality seed similar to the kind that is already planted, which should be adapted to the amount of sun, traffic, and maintenance your lawn receives. 

• If the bare spots are depressions -- caused by tire ruts, for example -- you will need some fill soil. Mix up equal parts of good garden soil and peat moss, leaf mold, or compost. Before you dump this mix into the rut, loosen the soil that is already there by sticking a garden fork straight down into the ground and shimmying the handle back and forth. Then fill in the depressions to about an inch higher than ground level to allow for settling. Tamp the soil with the back of a rake as you fill. 

• Next, whether or not you had to fill a depression, scratch up the surface with a metal rake and give the soil a gentle, but thorough, soaking. Then sprinkle grass seed over the surface of the prepared ground. Don't skimp. Lightly rake the seeds into the soil. For even better results, sift some of that previously mentioned soil mix through a half-inch wire mesh right over the seeds, burying them an eighth to a quarter-inch deep. 

• To keep the seedbed moist, and the seeds and bare dirt in place, cover the patched area with a layer of cotton cheesecloth. The seedlings will push up through holes in the cheesecloth, and the cheesecloth will eventually rot away. Keep the seedbed moist for the next few weeks, and you will soon have a turf strong enough to withstand hot weather and choke out summer's crabgrass. 

•  fertilize as soon as new growth appears 
• begin planting new trees and shrubs 
•  prune out any storm damage (leave “bleeders” such as maples and birch until they have leafed out)

• sow frost resistant varieties such as larkspur, sweet pea, calendula, California poppy 

• finish tidying, remove winter mulch 
• dig compost into beds once the soil is workable 
• find the most unusual, new varieties at garden centres now 

• leave spring bulb foliage in place until it yellows or for at least six weeks 

Roses 

• remove winter protection 
• use dormant oil before buds break, prune 

• seed cool weather crops such as spinach, lettuce and peas, directly in soil as soon as it can be worked 

• trim back established herbs late in the month 
• remove debris from around new shoots 

Lawns 

• rake, repair and re-seed if necessary 
• apply a slow release fertilizer with a crabgrass pre-emergent if necessary 

• plant a spring container for the front door with pansies and early bulbs 

• consider starting a compost pile this year – it’s not that hard! 
• begin weeding as soon as possible – they are easier to spot and to pull now 

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May - things to do

Trees and Shrubs  - prune early flowering shrubs as needed 

Annuals  - harden off seedlings and greenhouse annuals before planting after your local frost date 
- direct sow seeds such as sunflowers 

Perennials  - continue planting 
- divide and move overgrown plants (and share with friends)

Bulbs and Tubers  - take notes/photos of spring flowering varieties (it’s easy to forget where they are!) 
- plant summer bulbs such as calla lilies, dahlias, gladiolas 

Roses  - apply rose fertilizer 
- plant both bare root and containerized choices 

Vegetables  - plant seedlings 
- consider growing an extra row for your local food bank 

Herbs  - plant ornamental herbs such as dill and fennel among your perennials 

Lawns  - treat/dig weeds 
- aerate after active growth begins 
- mow to 5 or 6 cm and leave clippings on lawn 

Patio/Container Plants   - create containers with a variety of textures, colours and foliage 
- use as many plants as possible and be sure to include trailers for an extra lush effect 

The Gardener   - take an occasional break to enjoy the sun on your shoulders