|
|
  |
|---|
New Year’s Day is the day for turning over a new leaf. If the weather permits, why not do that literally. Those fall leaves in your compost will decompose faster and more thoroughly if you turn the pile once or twice this winter. Your planting beds will appreciate that compost in the spring.
The more you do now, the less hectic things will be in the spring, when there never seems to be enough time for all the gardening chores. Weeding is a prime example.
I am always amazed by how many weeds are choking my plants in early spring. The ground in some places is covered with chickweed. Shot weed is particularly aggravating, since it sets seed so quickly – often before I’m have time to weed it out.
I’ll let you in on a little secret. These weeds don’t magically appear overnight; it just seems that way. They are called winter annuals. Most annuals germinate in the spring, flower in the early summer, set seed in the late summer or fall and then die. Winter annuals germinate in the fall, grow through the winter, bloom and set seed in the spring and die in the summer. Sneaky!
Look at your garden right now and you will see that they are already there. Because they are tiny, they don’t look too awful, so it’s easy to ignore them. But that small size makes them very vulnerable, so this is the perfect time to go after them.
Don’t get on your hands and knees and try to pull them one by one. Unless you have nothing else to do between now and March, that will be far too time-consuming.
Pick a sunny day, preferably when rain is not expected for at least 24 hours. Don’t laugh, occasionally we get high-pressure systems that give us clear weather in winter. Then take your hoe and skim just below the surface of the soil. The roots of the little seedling weeds will be cut or will be exposed and the plant will dry up.
I wish I could tell you that, by getting your weeds early, you will cut down on the number of weeds next year. Unfortunately, it appears that the old saying “one year seed, seven years weeds” is true, because I haven’t seen much difference yet.
Never the less, the whole process just takes minutes and is very easy, assuming that you have a good sharp hoe. Well-maintained tools make this and other garden tasks go much faster. If you haven’t done it for awhile, give your tools a good working over while you’re waiting for that nice weather. Look at the handles of your tools. I got splinters from my sister’s shovel, while I was planting something during a recent visit. Sandpaper and linseed oil are much cheaper than replacing tools.
The blades should be washed and any rust attacked with a sheet of 80-grit sandpaper. For ease of use, keep a sharp edge on your shovels, spades, hoes and trowels. When you buy a tool, it will not be very sharp, because it’s a hassle to ship, store and market tools with sharp blades.
Sharpening isn’t hard. Simply draw the cutting teeth of an 8-10 inch bastard file in one direction over the edge being sharpened. If you have been working with a dull tool, you will be pleasantly surprised at the difference. Finish the job by applying a coat of oil on the newly cleaned steel.
Remember that your most important gardening tool is your own body, so take
good care of yourself. Don’t let the rich holiday food combined with too
much time loafing get you out of shape this winter. If you need inspiration
to exercise, browse the nursery and seed catalogs that are starting to arrive.
The days are finally starting to get longer now, so spring isn’t all that
far away.
Hortsense: Managing plant problems with Integrated Pest Management
