Spring Begins!

   
     Thanks to the monster El Nino and the state of global warming these days, we seem to be experiencing the earliest spring ever! Or at least in my lifetime. Most of the time March is still like the middle of winter with frequent snowfall but this year it has remained well above freezing most days with some days pushing 15 or 17 degrees C. I always say when the weather is nice around here you may as well take advantage of it. So here are a few things I have been doing in the early spring;

Tidying up perennial beds, I usually leave most perennials standing over the winter and in the spring one can easily snap most of the super dry stems at ground level, I do a little at a time so it's not some immense chore! Also time to snip those ornamental grasses, grass seems to grow very early in the spring so tidy up those grasses before it's too late, like right now!

Planting sweet peas, as soon  as the ground has defrosted get those seeds in the ground. Soak the seeds for 24 hours before planting in the ground, don't worry if it gets below zero again they seem to love it, they know when to come up.

Trim trees and shrubs, while still dormant at this time of year this is the perfect time for pruning most trees. Unless it is a maple or birch (which get pruned in the summer) feel free to prune away. A bonus at this time of year is that you can see the entire structure of the tree or shrub as there are no leaves, so hopefully you can easily see a crossed branch or a wayward branch that's ruining the form.

These Columnar Aspens were really damaged in the September snow storm of 2014, I thought they might straighten up on their own but no such luck, so off they came! The poor tree looks a lot skinnier but I think it will pull through. Although adorable companions, Border Collies are of little help in the garden!