Easy spring gardening tips

Here are some easy spring gardening tips. Spring is the perfect time to start your gardening journey for several reasons. First and foremost, the weather is ideal for most plants to thrive. The combination of warmer temperatures and increased sunlight provides the necessary conditions for plants to grow and flourish.

1.  Do not pull out your lantana or red bird of paradise plants!  If you planted them last year or the year before they are still new and will not spring out until it gets much hotter.  Typically, when the weather gets consistently above 50 degrees during the wee morning hours. However, if they are well established you should see some growth towards the bottom of the root system.
2. It’s time to up the watering system on your lawn.  Bermuda should be watered about 2-3 times per week.  About 15 or 20 minutes on a good sprinkler system.   Fescue needs a little more water.  We recommend 3 times per week 30 minutes on your timer.  Re-seed bare patches in your lawn.  Use pre-emergent now to keep weed seeds from germinating.
3. Now is the time to go outdoors and check your plants.  Aphids and other insects love the new shoots of all plants, yellow aphids love Oleanders.  Use a good insecticide to kill them now before they multiply and infest your other plants.
4. Check for plugged water lines.  The earth moves, rocks, and debris can clog or pinch water lines. Call a reliable lawn and sprinkler guy to help fix water lines that you are unable or can’t do.
5. Spider mites are another big problem.  These small almost invisible mites will damage pines, junipers, and cypress trees. They thrive in dry hot conditions.  If your plants, look like someone threw a bucket full of brown sand on your plant…it’s probably spider mites. Use a good mite control insecticide to kill these nasty insects.  You could also spray your plants with plain water…do this once or twice per week until they are gone.
6. After the last frost, it is time to trim and remove the bottom fronds of most palm trees.  Doing so will encourage new frond growth. Hire a professional tree-trimming landscaper for taller palms.
7. Mulch garden beds.  Mulch is a top dressing to help retain water moisture and keep weeds and crawling insects from entering your garden beds.
8. Prune dead or damaged branches on fruit and ornamental trees. Hire a professional tree trimming company for medium to larger-sized trees.
9. Add some manure or fertilizer to your shrubs for a quick burst of growth.  For flowering plants use a fertilizer with a high content of phosphorus.  BR61 will help any flowering tree, shrub, or plant produce new flowers, this includes vegetables.
10. Trim all your pink muhly and purple fountain grasses now.  Other ornamental grasses should also be trimmed except for the pampas grass.  The pampas grass needs only the top plume removed.
11. Now is the time to plant your spring annuals.  Petunias, Marigolds, Pentas, Gazanias, Calibrachoa, Penstemon, and a whole lot more.
12. Spray dormant oil to suffocate insect larvae eggs from hatching. This should be done in late February or early March.

Easy spring gardening tips

Early spring is when insect larvae are hatching in the garden soil even in your potted plants.  Things to look for in and around your garden area.

Aphids on Roses – They suck the life out of roses and other plants.  Use a good systemic (applied into the ground) or spray insecticide to kill these bugs.  Or spray with neem oil as an organic substitute.

Yellow Aphids on Oleander –  And other plants.  Use a good systemic insecticide to kill aphids. You can also use a spray, however, sometimes these little yellow bugs will hide inside the new shoots of Oleanders.  Thus making it hard for the spray to reach these little pests!

Grubs – These worms will eat the root system of grass, trees, and shrubs.  Use a granular powder or a spray to kill Grubs. 

Pine Tip Moth damage on Leyandii Cypress.  It is the larvae of the moth that bore a hole into the new shoots of most conifers and cypress trees. Including Pinon, Ponderosa, Mugho, and Afghan pines.  The pine trees will start to turn brown at the tips of new growth. The pine needles will turn brown and look unsightly.  Use a systemic insecticide to kill the larvae.  A spray will not work since they are hidden inside the stem.

Spider Mite Damage on Italian Cypress – Use a good spray to kill these mites.  But a spray will kill on contact.  A systemic insecticide will take longer to do the job.  Furthermore, when using pesticides it is best to spray at least three applications to make sure they are gone.

Go organic and use Insecticidal Soaps or Neem oil.  However, they do take longer to work.

Conclusion: Enjoying the Fruits of Your Spring Gardening Efforts

Congratulations! You’ve successfully navigated the world of spring gardening and created a beautiful outdoor sanctuary. By following these easy spring gardening tips, you’ve set yourself up for a season of blooming flowers, delicious vegetables, and a thriving garden.

Remember to continue monitoring your plants, providing them with care and attention as needed. With each passing day, you’ll witness the fruits of your labor as your garden transforms into a vibrant and picturesque space.

So, roll up your sleeves, put on your gardening gloves, and let the magic of spring gardening unfold. Enjoy the beauty, tranquility, and satisfaction that comes with nurturing and growing your garden. Happy gardening!

More pro spring gardening tips at The Spruce

Here are more insects and diseases on plants information.