April 2015

Spring is a great season to get outside and enjoy your rain garden, as well as do some timely maintenance. Be sure to download the Rain Garden Care Guide from12000raingardens.org if you don’t already have a copy.

Weeding: Weeds are easiest to dig out in the spring when the soil is moist and the weeds are small. Use a trowel or weed fork to dig around the roots. Try to get all the roots out, or else the weed can grow back and try to weed before they go to seed. Work in one area at a time and move systematically around your rain garden.

Mulch: Once you have removed weeds in one area, go back through and “fluff” up the mulch, loosening and spreading it around to cover up any bare spots and bringing in more as needed. Ideally you want woodchip mulch 2 to 4 inches deep to keep weeds from taking root and to keep soils cool and moist through our dryer months.

When working in your rain garden take care not to compact the soil as this can slow drainage. If you are weeding or planting in the bottom (zone 1) of your garden, use a small board, plank or knee pad to spread weight more evenly.

Springtime Blossoms:  We all enjoy this time of the year when blossoms pop out in our gardens. Now is the time to be on the look out for columbines, wild ginger, trillium, bleeding heart, crimson flag, irises, and red-flowering currant, followed by camas, sunrose, asters, ninebark, spireas, and sweet bay as we move into early summer.