What should you be doing in the garden now?

Its cold, windy, possibly icy and snowy... it can't be time to get out in the yard! Oh, but it is!

Now is the right time to cut back all those perennials and grasses that died back in the fall! For those of you that haven't do so already, its time to get your garden shears, hedge trimmers, and pruners ready to work!

I personally enjoy the look of ornamental grasses and some perennials through the winter - the dried seed pods and flower heads create interesting textures and look great in the snow! So just last week, when I saw the first peek of daffodils coming up through the ground, I realized it was time to cut them down!

So what should you do - its simple - cut, cut, cut!

The first thing to cut are those ornamental grasses. Cut them 6" - 1' from the ground, depending on the size of the grass. Larger grasses don't need to be cut so close to the ground. Doing this will ensure that the nice, new growth in the spring will be showcased and you won't have dead grass peeking through.

Next, cut back all those dead perennials. New spring growth will be here any day now - let it shine. You can cut most perennials all the way to the ground or a few inches above.

Liriope (or monkey grass) - though it hasn't died back, it is looking a little limp. Cut it back to a few inches from the ground and it will come back this spring looking fresh and new.

Evergreen broadleaf or conifer shrubs - you can prune them now unless you see flower buds. Don't cut off all those flowers you've been waiting so long to see! Prune to your desired shape (pyrimidal is preferred for best sun exposure.)

DON'T prune anything with buds or prune deciduous shrubs. Wait until after they bloom to prune.

DON'T prune vines just yet - every vine is different; some grow on new wood and some grow on old. Until you are absolutely sure of its growing pattern in the spring, leave it alone. Rule of thumb: always prune AFTER blooming!

Hope this helps and happy gardening!

Holly

All the Rage - Rain Barrels and Rain Gardens!

Want to know what these two new trends are and how you can use them in your home?



Rain Barrels: Rain barrels are containers that are connected to your downspouts to capture runoff from the roof. Rain barrels come in various sizes, ranging from 30 gallons to 100 gallons, and can be made of plastic or wood. You can also use a larger container to capture rainwater, such as a cistern. (Courtesy of Arlington County, VA Environmental Services)

Rain Barrel Benefits

By installing a rain barrel or cistern at your home you will:

• Reduce flooding in yard or your basement, by collecting the water and using it for watering plants or slowly releasing it and allowing it to sink into the ground.
• Provide your plants with water they will love! Unlike treated water, which is "softened" with dissolved minerals, rain water is naturally soft. The water stored in your rain barrel is better than municipal water for washing your car and watering indoor or outdoor plants.
• Save money and water! Instead of water from the tap or faucet, you can use the water you've saved to keep your home landscape happy and growing. You'll also reduce your municipal water bill!
• Protect your watershed! Water stored in your rain barrel is water that won't rush off into our streams. Instead, as you use the stored rain water around the home and garden, it will absorb slowly into the ground replenishing groundwater supplies. By decreasing the volume of storm runoff, rain barrels also help moderate stream erosion and the resulting pollution that is impairing all of our local watersheds that lead to the ocean.

For guides and more information, visit http://www.arlingtonva.us/DEPARTMENTS/EnvironmentalServices/epo/EnvironmentalServicesEpoRainBarrel.aspx

Rain Garden: A "rain garden" is a man-made depression in the ground that is used as a landscape tool to improve water quality. The rain garden forms a "bioretention area" by collecting water runoff and storing it, permitting it be filtered and slowly absorbed by the soil. The bioretention concept is based on the hydrologic function of forest habitat, in which the forest produces a spongy litter layer that soaks up water and allows it to slowly penetrate the soil layer. The rain garden should be strategically located to intercept water runoff.

Benefits of Rain Garden

Rain gardens help filter nutrients from rain water running off your driveway or roof, improving water quality. The first flush of rain water is ponded in the depression of the rain garden, and contains the highest concentration of materials washed off impervious surfaces such as roofs, roads, and parking lots. The water-loving plants in the rain garden also take up and use the rain water, reducing problems with excess water or ponding in your yard.

Many people worry about rain gardens causing mosquitoes. This is not a problem because rain gardens do not retain water long enough for mosquito reproduction. Standing water almost always soaks away within a few hours and usually within a matter of minutes. Mosquitoes require a number of days in standing water for reproduction. If water does remain for a matter of days in your rain garden, then your soil is possibly very clayey and/or very compacted. You may be able to remedy this problem by loosening and adding humus or mulch in the upper 6 to 18 inches. (Courtesy of Arlington County, VA Environmental Services)

For guides and more information on installing a rain garden in your home, visit http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/EnvironmentalServices/epo/EnvironmentalServicesEpoRainGarden.aspx

Good luck and lets all do what we can to help our environment!

Until next time, Holly