Life (Lawn & Garden) Style
By Alexandria Masters
We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children
~Native American Proverb
Spring certainly can be an antsy time in the garden, can’t it? The weather is warming. The evening sun is enticing us to come outdoors and play. Trees and spring bulbs are showing off their colorful blooms. And, in spite of all this, cold weather threatens the impatient gardener (me) who gets started too early. Be that as it may, as lawns and gardens (and us gardeners) begin to wake up this month, the mad rush of planting, pruning, plowing, and sprucing descends upon us with joyful, muddy delight.
What you should be doing in the month of April
Home:
Cook a special Earth Day meal. Plan your menu around locally produced foods and try to have a completely organic meal. Choose one that is healthy and has minimal impact on the environment. Make sure to decorate the table with homemade recycled decorations. .
Lawn:
Record in your gardening journal where and when plants were planted or transferred; when, where and what type of fertilizer (including lawn); what, when and results of insecticides, fungicides, weed control, etc.; bloom dates; condition of flowers, leaves and overall health of plant; even weather conditions; ultimately anything affecting your lawn and garden to be able to track efficiency.
Garden:
Welcome back hummingbirds, oh how we’ve missed you! To attract these stunning birds, hang red hummingbird feeders about thirty feet apart throughout your yard. Never fill your feeders with anything but a sugar-water mix of 1 part white sugar to 4 parts boiled water. Do not use food coloring or artificial sweeteners of any kind, and never, never use honey which can develop a fungus that can be fatal to hummingbirds. Clean and refill the feeders every 3 days. More often when temperatures are above 85F. Just follow these few quick tips to enjoy these beautiful, bejeweled birds all season!
And one to grow on...
Make a nature craft. Building a birdhouse or bird feeder is a great way to encourage the local bird population. Use objects that would have otherwise been thrown away to create a beautiful and unique work of art.
