Gardening - an intro class to a perfect garden

Spring has sprung - can you feel it, smell it and see it! What a beautiful time of year, well almost - there is a lot of yard clean up to do, the lawns are transitioning from brown to green and there is so much to do....where to start? Well if you are like me (love the garden but need help with the actual act of 'gardening') check out these great tips:

- get to know your soil. is it sand or clay based? in Ontario, most soils are clay based so...that means...you'll need to add some 'triple soil' as you plant. triple soil is a combo of peet moss, compost and top soil. you can find it any hardware store or gardening depot. once you have good soil, the possibilities are endless

- dig it! dig a plant bed for your plants about 40 cm deep and fill it with the triple soil. the 'crown' of your plant should be about 5-8 cm out of the soil. what is the crown of the plant? that's where the stem meets the top of the pot.

- mound it up! be sure to surround your planted plants with a mound of soil up to the crown, this helps to not over water your plants. just like with humans - too much of a good thing can be bad.

- wet and wild. we all know plants need water but in most cases plants die from over watering, so it's OK if your plants are a bit dry between watering. not bone dry and not for weeks on end (that's bad too) easy tip: put your finger in the soil and it should feel dry for a few centimeters and then moist below

- let there be light! partial shade means no more than 6 hours of light a day, full sun is at least 6 hours of sun a day. perennials are low maintenance and work very well in most regions.

There are so many options for gardens so check magazines, books and online for ideas that you like!

Spring is here so - let it grow, let it grow, let it grow!