 Chives and lettuce growing in a a raised bed (Markus Spiske) unsplash By Teri Silver Months of winter’s snowy cold weather has us all waiting for the warmer temperatures of spring – and boy, are we ready! But some gardens truly thrive in spring while others seem to stall. Reasons for a faltering garden could involve early-season preparations, pH balance and soil condition, plant selection, and timing. Prepping the Soil Garden dirt from previous seasons may still have bugs and disease nesting in it — which can hinder new growth. Getting the soil ready for planting starts with cleaning the garden bed. Remove trash, rocks, sticks, dead leaves, and other debris. Use a sharp spade to edge out dead grass and weeds. ● Loosen the soil with a hoe or rake ● Dig through the dirt ● Grind up wads and clumps ● Remove old roots, rhizomes, and stolons. Cleaning up the soil is somewhat similar to dethatching yard grass (although dethatching in spring may be bad for the lawn). Soil pH Healthy spring garden plantings start with testing the soil for pH — the measurement of alkalinity and acidity. The pH scale, from 0 to 14, indicates neutral at 7.0, right down the middle. (Anything below 7.0 is acidic — above 7.0 is alkaline). The pH scale is logarithmic, which the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture explains this way: Soil with a balance of 5.5 is 10X more acidic than soil at 6.5. (If pH is 4.5, it’s 100X more acidic as soil with a pH of 6.5). In any case, if the acidity doesn’t mesh with the plant, your greenery may not grow well. Test your soil to determine the best pH for flowers, fruits, herbs, and vegetables in your garden. These tests are available for purchase at local nurseries, hardware stores, and online. Plant Selection How does your garden grow? That depends on where you live and what types of vegetables, flowers, fruits, and herbs can handle your climate. For example, bramble fruits — druplets that grow on woody canes like raspberries and blackberries — grow best in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 to 8. In a nutshell, average minimum winter temperatures determine the kinds of plants that are most likely to survive in any particular area. Cold weather climates are suitable for most green veggies. Timing is Everything! Planting too early could mean your greenery is destroyed by a late frost. Planting too late in the season threatens your crops with an early frost or late harvest. Check the seed germination and sprouting dates of the fruits, herbs, and veggies you want to plant. Easy produce to grow? Peppers, tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, peas, carrots, onions, and other colors of the fruit and veggie rainbow. Read seed packages for information on the best time to plant your garden oasis. Poorly Performing Gardens Stale-looking gardens may have a few more problems beyond soil acidity, choosing the right kinds of greenery, and when to plant. For example: ● Gardens need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Poor sunlight leads to weak, floppy stems. ● Soil health and the food web are made from a combination of nutrients, decomposition, minerals, and organic matter. Decayed plant and animal matter make up healthy soil — purchasing the right kind of fertilizer should help garden herbs and veggies thrive. ● Overwatering or underwatering. Monitor rainfall to determine how much to add every week. Poor drainage means flooded soil. ● Insects often damage and destroy plants. Caterpillars, mites, and aphids are just a few types of bugs that chew through leaves and stems, sucking out the nutrients. Inspect the greenery as often as possible. Organic insecticides may help keep pests under control, but chemical products are sometimes necessary. ● Disease can spread throughout your garden plant with fungi, viral, and bacteria-borne spores. Space out each plant so that air can circulate properly. Diseases on foliage include powdery mildew, dark spots, and rot. (Tip: Too much water can drown roots and encourage fungal diseases). ● Weeds grow quickly, suffocating “good” plant roots. Weed your garden as needed, or at least once a week. Mulching helps to suppress weeds, regulate soil temperature, and keep the ground moist. Although the ultimate picture comes from Mother Nature, gardening is an art form. Still, when you do your homework, your green thumb will come out — bringing a wonderful daily garden harvest to the dinner table.
 Toad in grass (Lidia Stawinska) Unsplash By Danielle Gorski Healthy grass isn’t just about having the best lawn in the neighborhood (although that’s a nice bonus). A healthy lawn with strong root growth can actually prevent pests across your landscape, keeping your lawn and garden safe from invasions. However, in a weakened lawn, pests multiply quickly, spreading to your ornamental and edible plants. We’ll discuss how to achieve a healthy lawn to fend off pest problems before they start. Integrated Pest Management Offers Natural Pest Control By implementing good lawn care practices, gardeners can prevent many fungi and pest infestations. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an environmentally-friendly pest control approach that incorporates natural control methods, such as preventive lawn care practices and organic products, as a first line of defense. By planting pest-resistant plants, introducing natural predators, and caring for your lawn, an IPM approach helps prevent pests or keep them at manageable levels. The first step in an IPM approach for lawns focuses on proper maintenance, including: ● Irrigation ● Aeration ● Dethatching ● Mowing ● Fertilization IPM uses pesticides only as a last resort, though in some cases, chemical pesticides are necessary to manage severe infestations. Healthy Grass Reduces Chemical Use Healthy grass requires few, if any, pesticide applications, which is safer for the environment. Avoiding pesticide applications is also better for your garden, since the chemicals in pesticides can contaminate soil or local water resources and kill beneficial insects that keep ecosystems in balance naturally. When your lawn is brimming with robust, healthy grass growth, it decreases the chances of a pest infestation and reduces the need for potentially harmful pesticide applications. Beneficial Predators Prevent Unwanted Pests Encouraging natural predators, including predatory insects, toads, and frogs, can promote healthy grass. Certain bugs, such as ground beetles, lacewings, or the praying mantis, prey on insects that eat your grass. To improve pest control, gardeners can introduce new predators into the yard or create habitats that attract natural predators. Dethatching and Aeration Boost Lawn Health Dethatching removes thatch, a thick layer of dead grass and organic matter. When thatch levels are too high, it weakens grass by preventing nutrients and water from reaching the roots. Thatch also provides habitat for unwanted lawn pests to shelter and lay eggs. Aeration alleviates compacted soil and makes it easier for water, nutrients, and oxygen to reach the soil. By reducing soil compaction, aeration improves grass growth and health. Fertilizer Promotes Robust Root Growth  Old fashioned lawn mower cutting grass (Counselling) pixabay Fertilizer encourages healthy root growth and development. Without proper nutrition, grass becomes weak and susceptible to pests and lawn diseases. When lawns are properly fertilized, grass is more resistant to stress and deters insect feeding. Instead of bagging grass clippings, leave them on your lawn as fertilizer. Grass clippings are a free way to fertilize your yard and return nutrients to your soil as they decompose. Store-bought fertilizer, along with grass clippings, is necessary for most lawns. Just don’t overdo it; overfertilizing can burn grass and harm your lawn as much as under fertilizing. Avoid Scalping Your Lawn Mowing grass too short, known as scalping, can severely damage and weaken grass, creating stressed grass that is vulnerable to pests. Conversely, grass that grows too tall also can become a haven for pests, since it creates a habitat where pests can shelter and hide. To help promote healthy grass growth, follow the one-third mowing rule, which dictates that you should mow only one-third of the grass blades at a time. Every grass type has a recommended mowing height, so cut your grass to the right length to protect your lawn from pest infestations. Mowing with dull blades is another common mistake that leaves your lawn vulnerable to pests. Dull mower blades tear grass rather than cleanly cut it, creating openings for pests and diseases. Water the Right Way at the Right Time Proper watering can reduce pest populations in your lawn. Frequent, light watering sessions encourage unwanted pests. Instead, water deeply about 2-3 times a week. This encourages robust grass roots growth while reducing pest activity. Overwatering leaves grass susceptible to fungi and mold, which can creep into your garden beds. Underwatering also creates stress, weakening your lawn’s defenses. Water between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. When you water too late, moisture sits on your grass too long, leaving it susceptible to mold and fungal growth. If you water your grass in the early morning, there is plenty of time for the water to evaporate before nightfall. A Healthy Garden Starts with Lawn Care Managing pest infestations extends beyond the borders of your garden. Lawn health plays a key role in pest control, and by extension, helps keep your garden pest-free. With proper mowing, watering, and fertilizing, you can keep pests from harming your garden plants.
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