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 ello fellow Earthlings! She's coming alive. We can
see signs of Nature's rebirth everywhere we look. Warm weather,
flowers, garden-fresh vegetables, and lemonade on the porch will
soon be part of our lives once again. Aren't you excited? This
month we will be focusing our discussion on how we can assist
nature in keeping the garden "spring fresh," even during
the dog days of summer.
 Spring
is evidence of the natural process of rebirth. The days get longer
and, as our planet revolves around the sun, we are treated to
a more northern attitude of the sun. This warms northern climates
as southern climates of similar latitude get their fall and winter
seasons. So now it is our turn to be warm, and nature's turn
to show off her gifts. We will be treated to sights that seem
dim in our memories -- of blooming fruit trees, promising their
succulent bounty, and our roses showing off their amazing fragrance
and color. Now is the time to make sure that we have done our
part in making this beauty last as long as the warmth of the
sun lingers.
The rebirth
of nature shows us that our own lives are capable of this same
rebirth. This is the time of year to get out into the garden
and participate in that life force. So enough romanticizing,
let's take a walk into the garden
One of
the things that we can do to assist in the growth of our gardens
is to feed them. Early spring is a very good time to get down
to the garden center and pick up a few items that will ensure
lush growth of our precious plants during the growing season.
One of my favorite subjects is the lawn. As the ground warms,
our lawns begin to come back. This is a critical time for the
overall health of turf grasses. If there is too much available
nitrogen -- as is often provided by commercial chemical fertilizers
-- the lawn will grow too fast and will be weak after the "espresso
rush" wears off. Feed your lawn in early spring with a slow-release
fertilizer, preferably from a natural source that will also feed
the soil and those beneficial organisms that inhabit the soil.
There is a wide choice of natural lawn fertilizers available
today at most garden centers. I prefer to use a lawn food that
contains a balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium along
with some trace minerals that work to equalize the nutrition
available to the turf. A good ratio for the three numbers that
you find on a fertilizer package is a 3-2-1 ratio. If you are
able to find a pre-made lawn food that has a 6-4-2 N-P-K (nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium) value, derived from natural/ organic sources,
use it! Your lawn will respond at an even pace and use the available
nutrition as needed. You won't have to feed a lawn that is in
some kind chemical-induced narcosis every three to five weeks.
Natural lawn foods often last for longer than two months. This
sounds to me like a way to save some money as well. Your pocket
book and your lawn will love you for it, not to mention the benefits
to the environment by using nonpolluting products.
The overall
garden will also respond in a positive way from the use of balanced
natural/organic plant foods. This type of nutrition will improve
every plant in your garden that grows during the warm season.
A good ratio to look for in a natural fertilizer for general
garden application is 1-1-1. This N-P-K ratio should be useful.
A very good N-P-K value on the package of an all-purpose fertilizer
is 5-5-5, or triple five, with some trace minerals. For acid-loving
plants like hydrangeas, azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias,
use a little extra cottonseed meal when feeding. This will assist
in keeping the soil environment at the right pH (a measurement
of acidity and alkalinity) to ensure that plants with these specific
needs are happy.
One of
the most important things to remember when getting the garden
in shape for a successful growing season is the addition of organic
matter to the soil. A nice, thick layer of mulch or compost will
insulate the soil from the elements while offering the beneficial
organisms in the soil something to eat. Earthworms love to be
covered by food, and they will work to improve your garden 24/7
with this abundance of food. Many sources are available at low
cost for organic matter. The City of San Diego gives away recycled,
compostedmulch at thethe the Miramar landfill facility. If you
live outside San Diego, check to see if your municipality offers
this material. Garden centers also carry a good selection of
very good organic materials that will serve your needs. Nothing
works better at saving you money on irrigation water than a layer
of mulch.
As spring
unfolds and the Earth is reborn, I ask you this question. Aren't
we all reborn this time of the year when we are surrounded by
reminders of how we are changed as the planet that nurtures us
comes alive again.
Next time
we will be discussing the rose garden and our flowers during
the spring and summer months. I wish for you the knowledge that
as we tread a little more lightly on this Earth, she will reward
us more than we can imagine. See you in the garden! 
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mill.net. Don Trotter's Natural Gardening columns appear nationally in environmentally sensitive publications. Look for Don's book Natural Gardening A-Z and his new book The
Complete Natural Gardener, both from Hay House, at bookstores
everywhere and at all online booksellers. Check out Don's columns
in Hearst's Healthy Living Magazine.