Time to Learn

 

Employees and customers learn side-by-side about gardening

Plants and other merchandise have been rolling in for the last two months. This month, receiving plants will be our top priority. Trees, shrubs, perennials, cool-weather vegetables, pansies and so much more will be unloaded every day from our own growers and other local companies that provide us with beautiful, healthy, hardy plants. As I write this, large shade trees are being unloaded from a flatbed in our parking lot.  To get ready, we are hiring new people who will go through training in all of our departments. We like to teach people about plants, so have brought back our educational seminars this year. We'd love your feedback. All classes are free unless materials are provided for our customers to create a project. This season, all classes will be on Saturdays. We may expand to Sunday classes for fall as many people have asked for that option. As always, garden clubs and civic organizations interested in using Valley View Farms for a meeting and program may contact Carrie at 410-527-0700. 

A local garden club stopped in to learn about water features

 Here is a schedule of upcoming seminars.

March 25, 9 am, Spring Lawn Clinic-John will discuss the best practices for lawn care. How to seed, fertilize, prevent, and kill weeds, soil testing, and other techniques will be the topic of today's class. 

March 25, 11 am, Planning a Summer Cutting Garden- Learn how to grow flowers in your own cutting garden. Annuals, perennials, shrubs, and bulbs, their care, and developing a plan will all be up for discussion. 

April 1, 9 am, Create a Bonsai Tree-Martha joins us from Meehan's Bonsai to guide participants in creating a Bonsai tree. Tree, soil, wire, and a bonsai pot are all included for a $40.00 fee. 

Martha Meehan presents a bonsai seminar each month (excluding May)

April 1, 11 am, Herb Gardening- Our speaker today will share secrets on how to grow herbs for culinary and ornamental uses. Learn about the many varieties of herbs that our grower provides us; over 100!

April 8, 9 am, Spring Pond Opening- Our pond experts go through the steps to get the pond up and running again. Care for filters, pumps, plants, fish, and other water features will be part of the conversation. 

April 15, 9 am, Maintaining a Beautiful Perennial Garden- Learn when to cut back, deadhead, and divide perennials for optimum bloom and growing year-round, as well as selecting the best plants for your garden. 

April 22, 9 am, Introduction to Water Gardening- Learn techniques for building a pond and maintaining it for a new level of gardening pleasure.

April 29-30, 8 am -7 pm 9th Annual Tomato Tornado-Join us for a weekend all about tomatoes. Our farm grew an extra 35 varieties of heirlooms and small-fruited tomatoes for this weekend only. Doors open at 8 am. 

May 6-7, 8 am-7 pm 2nd Annual Pepper Palooza- We grew an extra 25 varieties of peppers for this weekend's event. Many are AAS winners and are very limited in quantities. Doors open at 8 am. 

Our classes will resume in the fall. (Bonsai will continue to meet the first Saturday of the month except for May.)  Please send us any ideas you have for future seminars and classes

Preparing for Spring

 

We've had a couple of nice back-to-back days this month. Bulbs are sprouting, buds are forming on trees and shrubs, and the garden seems to be ready to get going. We know that the possibility of cold weather is all but guaranteed, but here are some things we can do to get ready for spring. 

A river of hyacinths; plant in the fall for spring color

Use a journal to jot down activities or by adding a note and photo to your smartphone or tablet. It is amazing to look back over the years to see how consistent we can become with our tasks.

 

Make a plan for your garden now 

Take a soil sample. Test kits for pH, that measure the acidity or alkalinity of the garden’s soil, are easy to use. Kits are also available to measure nutrients like Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium present in the soil. Gardeners can also send samples to labs and receive advice on adjustments to make in the garden. Companies like Bartlett Tee Experts have labs that will provide this service.

DIY Soil Test Kits 

Check sheds and tools to make sure they are clean, in tip-top shape, organized, and ready for action. Take a large 5-gallon bucket, and fill it with sand and a little oil. Use construction sand for extra abrasiveness and mineral oil. Fill it about halfway with sand, add a cup of oil, and stir with a hoe or cultivator. Fill the bucket and repeat the procedure. Plunge shovels and other tools through the mix, and up again several times.

Sharpen pruners and loppers or take them to be sharpened at your local hardware store. I had a very nice Ace Hardware associate sell me tool sharpeners and explain how to use them.  

Add tools to your collection for spring clean-up

Once out in the garden, be careful to not work the soil when it is too wet. Doing so will compact the soil reducing much-needed air space for roots and the plant's growth. Once the soil is friable, add organic matter like compost of Leafgro, a product made from recycled yard waste by Maryland Environmental Services. 

Feed trees and shrubs this month with slow-release organics

Remove larger leaves and sticks from the garden and lawn. Shred what you can with a lawn mower and put it back into the garden or into the compost pile. 

What can be planted when? Trees and shrubs can start to go in as early as March. Some vegetables, like peas, broccoli, and onions, can be started soon as well. Perennial plants like winter-blooming hellebores can handle some of the colder temperatures, as can pansies and violas. For annual flowers like geraniums and marigolds, I suggest waiting until all danger of frost has passed, usually by Mother's Day. That's the best time to plant tomatoes and peppers too. 

Plant pansies; a little snow won't bother them

Get ahead of the weeds, by pulling them now and adding Preen Weed Preventer to the soil. Preen will discourage weeds for months. 

I like to use landscape fabric for weed control under pavers and mulched areas without plants. Even if weeds sprout in the mulch, they are easily dislodged. 

Spring pruning can be beneficial for some trees and shrubs. Prune any dead or diseased branches as needed, including the one that keeps bonking you in the head when you're mowing. Use sharp tools for cuts and do not cover the cuts with pruning paint. Trees develop better left to heal naturally.

Got deer? Several products are available to use as deterrents

Check the yard and see where a new garden or tree should go. Walk around our nursery for ideas for planting. Our signs will tell you the best places to plant for sun and shade recommendations and which plants may be deer resistant. Check our website and click on Plant Finder for a searchable database about trees, shrubs, and perennials. 

And start getting ready to seed and feed your lawn. Spring is a great time to renew our lawn. Add organics like compost, add lime, rake in, spread seed, and fertilize. 

My lawn renovation several years ago produced good results. 

I can't say I'm anywhere near ready myself, but c'mon spring!