Gardening Tips From The “Pros”

Purple Stinging Nettle. Photo by Gavin Schaefer, Flickr.

June 22, 2023 Susan Graves, Master Gardener (2021), New Castle County

Expert advice is everywhere, especially on social media, on how to clean more efficiently, fix faster and negotiate a new car. As a master gardener in Delaware, I recently started thinking about what advice I can get from my fellow master gardeners and how they can help us all enjoy our gardens this season. Who better to teach you how to easily, effortlessly and save time than a master gardener with their combined training and years of experience? Here you will find a selection of professional tips for motivation.

Tools. Let's start with the right tools for the job.

Small spades for digging, weeders with cobra heads, multi-purpose cutters, good mowers (for cutting small logs), cultivators for digging up weeds and spreading mulch, "charchan" for larger diameter trees (2) and more branches and hori hori. Garden knives are the favorite tools of master gardeners.
Organize your garden tools and keep them handy by wearing a tool belt, multi-pocket apron, or 5-gallon bucket (you can also get a "wrap" bucket with tool bags). Some master gardeners have favorite containers in which they store items that have sentimental meaning or a special beauty. If it works for you and makes you smile, use it.
Wrap tool handles in shiny tape, decorative tape, or rubber band (or paint them a bright color) so they're easy to find if they're misplaced, misplaced, or borrowed from a friend.
Bring a spray bottle filled with ethanol or isopropyl alcohol (70-100%) to spray disinfectant between plants and prevent the spread of disease in the garden.

Compost, weed, mulch.

Tumblers make composting easier, they can be quite small and give a clean look in areas that don't like large compost piles.
Buy a small stainless steel bucket with a charcoal filter lid to easily store leftovers on your kitchen counter between trips to the compost bin.
Mix the avocado seeds into the compost mixture to create air pockets in the pile or cup. It takes years for them to break down and contribute to the "downfall" of things.
Cafes usually offer used coffee grounds for free with the compost.
The compost should be the consistency of a compressed sponge. Now that spring and summer are here, check bins and stacks, and top up water regularly in warm weather as needed.
Vermicomposting (“worm boxes”) is a fantastic way to enrich your soil with little maintenance. Add small pieces of wood, perlite and vermiculite to create small air pockets and prevent soil compaction that can damage plantings.
Learn more about composting in your own garden
Cut the weeds down to the ground with a thick layer of cardboard or newspaper and let them soak before applying the mulch. This method is very effective for weed control and the cardboard/paper layer will biodegrade over time.
Shake off excess soil from clods of weeds before discarding. It makes a world of difference to have healthy soil in your garden where it belongs.
- do you hate weeds To control or prevent weeds, try the following:
- Don't be too long. The earlier you start weeding, the easier it is because the plants are small and the formation of roots prevents them from spreading.
- Set a timer for 15 minutes and work a small area. Start at your front door, on the sidewalk, or near your favorite seat to increase the mental impact of your time, because you'll feel the results better when they're more visible.
- Depending on the landscape, combine smaller understory plants with larger plants to create a natural barrier that discourages weed growth. Native plant species in particular have denser root systems that grow deeper, which also deters unwanted weeds.
- If you don't have room for crop rotation, try Solarize. Put a large plastic sheet on the ground 4-6 weeks before planting. The sun warms the soil and helps kill weeds and even insect pests that may have lived on the property since last year's planting.
Use a lawnmower to cut fallen leaves instead of raking them. Pour it into your garden to naturally control weeds and add extra nutrients to the soil.
Avoid the "volcanoes". Don't pile mulch on stumps and young trees (or tell your gardener to do so). The mulch should be leveled evenly and there should be space between the trunk and the mulch so that air can circulate and moisture can reach the roots.
Buying mulch in bags can eliminate the tedious work of shoveling mulch off a loose pile and limit the weight and volume of a single bag that can also be loaded into a lightweight wheelbarrow. Packed mulch can be cut to the side for easier access to the garden and you don't have to go without a pile of loose mulch.
Mulch can be purchased with a weed control agent to keep the weeds at bay. See the bag labels for more information.
Visit the University of Delaware Demonstration Gardens on Wyoming Road for inspiration on planting, placement, types of compost bins and more.

Top right to bottom left: Onion Grass, Hairy Mustard, Purple Mama and Teddy Bear.

Care, care, maintenance of lawn mower.

March is the month when onion grass (Allium canadense) appears; Look for long, thin stems that will grow faster and taller than your weeds. Lower the trowel or hori hori knife down to the stems and work gently to expose the bulbs. Pulls out completely for easy removal.
Cardamine hirsuta, Lamium purpureum and Capsella bursa-pastoris are weeds that quickly invade the space in early spring if not dealt with in time.
Test your soil with the Delaware Soil Testing Program Kit. A soil test will show you which nutrients are lacking and avoid buying fertilizers and supplements that may not be necessary.
Add leaf mulch and compost in the spring to get the season off to a good start.
When trimming ornamental grasses, tie the twine tightly around the grass and then cut below the twine. This keeps the grass sections together, making cleaning easier.
Simple reminder: cut the roses when the forsythia blooms.
Create a "natural" lawn by using clover and wild violet instead of regular mulch. No cutting required.

bloom Our first look at color as winter melts away.

Take photos when the flowers are in bloom to remember next season. This is useful if you want to fill in the gaps before the plants appear.
Do tulips not grow? Before you buy a new light bulb, think about last winter. If temperatures do not reach freezing and last long enough, the tulips may not flower or remain dormant immediately, but will return next year if conditions permit.
"Deadhead" grows all season long and eats dead and dying flowers. This prevents the rose from forming "must" which consumes most of the plant's energy. Do not let the flower heads sink to the ground, as this can lead to the spread of disease and bacteria in the soil.
Plant lavender at the base of roses to attract ladybugs, natural aphid fighters.

Health and fitness, time and energy management. Caring for a gardener today is a garden life.

A few minutes of stretching before and after gardening goes a long way in keeping you strong and injury-free.
Have drinking water available (don't drink it). Keep your water bottle in one place as you move around the park. This encourages standing and walking to the bottle, which prevents cramps and can keep you flexible.
Tell your doctor that you are a gardener, as scrapes and other injuries can lead to infection if not treated in time. It's also a good idea to talk about tetanus risk.
By scratching your nails on the soap before you pull weeds, you can prevent dirt from building up under your nails and wash it off easily afterwards. A good nail brush by the sink is worth its weight in gold.
Create a portable canopy by moving the patio canopy with its weighted base with a small hand truck.
Use sunscreen. Regardless of your sunburn propensity, applying sunscreen 15 minutes before going outside reduces UV exposure.
A good wide-brimmed hat that also covers the back of the head is essential to protect you from the sun and keep you cool. Lightweight UV-blocking fabric hoods and detachable garden wings can also reduce scratches and protect against insect bites.
Help clean up by setting a timer to turn off 15 minutes before task completion (or before the power usually goes off). Taking the time to focus on cleaning and putting your tools away goes a long way in staying organized.
Gardening 24/7 can help prevent burnout (especially if the job requires more energy).
Make a to-do list for each month of the season and review it year after year. This will make it easier next season.
Keep a log (paper or electronic) of pruning and plant care tips as a time-saving reminder.
Keeping track of where plants have been bought, what their names are and where they are located in the garden can be as simple as a handy folder, notebook or as complex as a color chart. Your creation is yours.

Feathered friends. Don't forget the birds!

Place bird feeders to attract birds and keep away garden pests. Lard, seeds, nuts and dried mealworms can be a buffet for a variety of birds. Nest boxes and accessories ensure they stay close during mating season.
Wash bird feeders with a simple bleach solution to fight viruses and bacteria that are harmful to birds.
Get rid of sunflower seed shells (and the mold associated with piles of old shells) by trying "sunflower seeds," aka "sunflower hearts."

This time of year we can enjoy the beauty of the ornamental gardens and prepare for gardening. The University of Delaware Cooperative Extension and the Master Gardeners of Delaware are always here to help, and while this "professional advice" is not authoritative, we hope it can be used to start the growing season. .

For more information, contact Master Gardener Support and check out our Garden Smart resource, Garden Easy.