In the Garden spring gardening By tina will improved with organic matter. Also: don't compact your garden soil because air in the soil is very important; put down stepping stones or wood planks to create a path around your vegetables. For those who want to understand the 'why' of improving soils, this Oregon Extension article is enlightening: extension.oregonstate.edu/news/secretlife-soil.
Out into the garden we go, hopes high, resolve and backs strengthened, and probably some vegetables, flowers, trees, or shrubs waiting for placement. Since the soil is still cool, this is a good time to plant cool weather vegetables from seedlings: peas, spinach, lettuce, beets, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, shallots, radishes, and pansies (which are also edible if you don't have deer to eat them for you). First things first: Nourish the garden soil with a well-aged manure or other organic compost. This will increase the microbial life in the soil, which also increases the availability of nutrients already in the soil. Clay soil may seem like a tough growing environment, and looser soil is better for vegetables, but there are lots of nutrients in clay soil, and their availability to flowers, shrubs, and trees is
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April 2022
Composting 101 Master Gardener Kristy Stone is a pro at making good compost, and has been giving an informative talk for several years on how to make it. There are two more on'Backyard Composting' line talks scheduled: April 11, and May 10 at 7 pm for one hour. They are offered through a link with the CRRL: https://librarypoint.bibliocommons.com/e vents/. Search on one of those dates, and scroll down to find the event Backyard Composting. Click on that, and register your email to access the live program. Here you will get the information you need to start your own composting effort, and have a chance to purchase a compost bin available from the R-Board. Plant Clinics, Smart Green Lawn Program, Help Desk P l a n t Clinics will restart in May at the Rte 3/Gordon Rd Farmer's Market, and in King George at the KG Middle School/Farmer's
Front porch fredericksburg
Market. The dates for these and others will be listed on our calendar website and Facebook pages when the dates are known. Go to https://www.mgacra.org/ and navigate to the current month under the Calendar tab. Our Facebook page is here: facebook.com/MGACRA/. Guy Mussey, our VCE Agent, has begun taking applications for the 'Smart Green Lawn' assessment program for homeowners. There is a fee, and you must fill out the registration form which can be found on the Stafford VCE office website: htstafford.ext.vt.edu/. Our April 2 Symposium 'Made for the Shade' has given us the information we need to advise homeowners on establishing a lawn under shady conditions, and we've been reminded how important an
needs 'part sun' preferably morning sun. Vegetables generally need full sun, which means about six hours a day, and pansies look great wherever they are. We have a monitored help desk, so send us your questions if you were not able to attend the Symposium. Here's the helpdesk address: VCEStafford.helpdesk@gmail.com. Enjoy your garden, and grow what will make you smile!
Tina Will is a Master Gardener and lives in Stafford County. She can be reached at brianandtina.will@gmail.com photos by Tina WIll
understanding is of what kind of light a plant needs. The Leopard's Bane (pictured)
