garden tips for spring: the best of barbara arnold

Compiled by Lynn Snyder

Barbara Arnold, horticultural designer at Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, has been answering reader gardening questions online at OurOhio.org and contributes regular gardening columns to the Web site. Her expertise and user-friendly advice have helped numerous gardeners across the state.

As spring fever spreads, Our Ohio would like to share some of Arnold’s timely gardening advice. These questions are posted online, as are all of her garden columns. Visit OurOhio.org, then Homes/Gardens to see all of Arnold’s suggestions.

Q: When is the latest in the spring I can plant grass seed? What do you think of the grass seed in green fluff? Is there a better grass for a backyard play area?
A: Spring is a tough time for grass seed because of the competition with weed seeds. The best time for seeding in spring is just as the regular grass is starting to grow. This would be mid- to late- May before the heat of the summer.

Daily watering is required up to four weeks, with three to four 10-minute light waterings needed daily. Remember, new grass plants don’t have large root systems.

A good mix of seeds would be best for your backyard play area:

Tall Fescue — good for durability

Kentucky Bluegrass — good for love of sunlight

Fine Fescue — good for shade tolerance

Rye Grass — a good quick cover, fast to germinate

Blends of the same type or species of grass are common to take advantage of each one’s strengths and properties. So a blend of the above would most likely be best.

Green fluff is grass seed suspended in a recycled newspaper mix with a seed starter fertilizer. For small areas it is great. The newspaper holds extra moisture for the new seed and the green coloring is a daily reminder to water. The fertilizer does make the grass come in very strong and thick. It is a very good product.

Q: I was wondering when would be a good time to start planting my garden; should I use seeds or bulbs and does it have to be in a sunny or shady area?
A: Your gardening practices depend on your site — sunny or shady, and where the water is coming from. This will help narrow down your planting possibilities.

Keep in mind plants do better if they are planted in growing conditions they like. When you go to your local gardening center, read the labels and tags. They should indicate what the plant prefers — sun, shade, moist soil, dry soil.

For instance, impatiens like moist shade, so next to the driveway in full sun is not a good option. Salvia, however, thrives in hot sun and would be perfect for such a location. If the plant is thriving, then the gardener is also thriving — less work and more time for enjoying the garden.

Here are some important points to remember:

Annual – a plant that flowers and set seeds in the same year. After it sets seeds, it then dies. Examples: marigold, zinnia

Perennial – a plant that grows, flowers, sets seeds and continues to grow. Examples: daylily, daisy

Tender bulb – a bulb that won’t survive a central Ohio winter. Examples: cannas, dahlia

Hardy bulb – a bulb that comes back year after year. Examples: daffodil, alliums

Seeds or bulbs – This depends on what you want to grow and how much time you’re willing to invest in a flowering plant. Not all plants propagate by seeds or bulbs. Some are grown from cuttings. Seeds for annuals are great and inexpensive. Plants of annuals will cost more, but the reward is faster. Perennials by seed take time and a lot of nurturing, but are well worth it if the plant survives. Your best bet on perennials is buying plants. Spring blooming bulbs (tulips and daffodils) put on a wonderful show, but these are planted in the fall.

When to plant depends on what you are planting. Trees and shrubs can be planted anytime. Perennials that have been grown outisde can be planted whenever you are ready since the perennials are acclimated to the outside weather and frost isn’t going to bother them. Perennials that have been forced green in a greenhouse have tender new leaves that won’t like the possible frosts of early spring. Annuals also need to wait until we are clear of frost. May 15 is the frost-free date for central Ohio.

Q: How and when should I cut tulips?
A: Cut your tulips once the petals have fallen off, or once they start to fall off — this depends on you and your need to keep the garden tidy. You will want to remove the seed pod at the top of the plant. I like to take the pod and stem down to the first leaf from the top.

You then can leave your tulip foliage unattended until it starts to turn brown. Then cut all the foliage back to the ground. The plant then can put all its energy toward bulb production for next year and not feed a stem doing nothing but looking unsightly.