Warmer temperatures are finally making their way into southern Saskatchewan, and many Moose Jaw residents are eager to get outside and start working on their yards.
According to Leslie Cornell with Cornell Design and Landscaping, it’s still a bit early for some tasks.
Start slow with early-season plants
Cornell says gardeners can begin easing into the season, but should stick to hardy plants for now.
“Right now, we’re going to play the bring it in, put it out, bring it in game,” she said. “So, we have to harden the plants up.”
One of the best options this time of year is Pansies, which can handle colder temperatures better than most flowers.
“Pansies are super, super cold-tolerant. I have seen them out at minus five. I wouldn’t recommend it, but I have seen that work. You can take pansies, put them in your pot, have them out for almost all days that are above five degrees, and it’ll start making you feel like spring’s happening.”
Cornell notes herbs are another good starting point, especially indoors.
“You can start them inside because you can keep trimming them… you can start eating them now.”
Ground still not ready for planting
Even with warmer daytime highs, Cornell says the ground isn’t quite ready for planting just yet.
“The ground is very cold, and you’re not going to really want to plant anything in the ground yet. It’s really, really wet.”
Trying to work the soil too early can cause more problems than it solves.
“If it’s too wet, don’t rototill. You’ll just make mud clumps.”
For now, she recommends holding off until conditions dry out and temperatures become more consistent.
Related Stories:
Watch for signs of spring in your yard
Cornell says there are some clear indicators that your yard is ready for more work.
“When you start to see… the buds are starting to swell, you’ll really notice it on elm and maple,” she said.
“They actually flower before they get leaves… when you see it, you know the ground is warming up.”
That’s when homeowners can begin transitioning into more hands-on yard work.
Yard cleanup and lawn care coming soon
If the weather continues to cooperate, Cornell says cleanup can begin in the near future.
“We will… be able to get out and start doing the vacuuming and raking of lawns, aerating… cleaning up garden beds and getting leaves cleaned up.”
She also points to early weed control as an important step.
“You’re going to start to see the dandelions poking their heads out, and it is a really good time to spray them.”
Fertilizer can also be applied once the ground warms up further.
“Probably around Mother’s Day is an excellent time to get the fertilizer down on the grass.”
Preparing gardens for the growing season
For those planning a garden, Cornell says preparation will be key once conditions improve.
“You can start working up the garden, get your sulfur into the garden. What that will do is sweeten your soil.”
Once the weather becomes consistent, Cornell says that residents can rototill their gardens and start adding compost to be ready to plant.
Comments are closed.