Yes, there’s light at the end of this winter.
But before you reach for the gardening gloves, or take a hoe out of the shed, or start filling your cart with petunias, remember, March does not mean jump.
Now is the time to make a plan, research options, stock up on supplies and sketch out your future work of art.
This week, three Chicago area gardening pros share inspiration and ideas on what to do now in order to reap bountiful returns later.
Riley Finnegan-Carrion is horticulturalist for fruit and vegetable gardening with the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe. She says now is the time for vegetable gardeners to dream big and “start small,” especially if you’re a beginner.
Joel Barczak is the owner of Blumen Garden Center in Sycamore. He recommends gardeners spend the next few weeks watching how-to videos and visiting local greenhouses. “And go outside and look at your structure, your bed lines, hardscapes and focal points. Imagine what you’d like to see in your space come spring and summer.”
Ashley Buzan, plant expert at Woldhuis Farms Sunrise Greenhouse in Grant Park, says, “This is a good time to make lists and map out where you need things to go. It can be overwhelming if you don’t have a plan.”
Whether you strive for a harvest of vegetables, crave season-long blossoms or need to add or change landscaping, get to know the plants you appreciate — their needs, their preferences and their challenges.
Although every garden is unique to the gardener, there are some general criteria when it comes to planting: Be location savvy, amend your soil and pay attention to temperatures.
Finnegan-Carrion said that as seasoned gardeners are ordering seed and mapping out plots, beginners should be locating the most sun-friendly corners of their property — preferably with southern or western exposure.
Cool weather plants can go in the ground in the next few weeks, she said. “My rule of thumb is to direct seed (spring crops) after March 15.”
Consider spinach, kale, chard, lettuce, carrots, radishes and cilantro. Wait until the end of May to plant fruiting crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and zucchini, she said.
It’s OK to overlap space, with tomatoes replacing harvested spinach or radishes, she said. Some plants, such as kale and chard, can endure three seasons of growing, even up until late fall, Finnegan-Carrion said.
“I always begin by broad forking the soil to loosen it. You want roots to be able to penetrate the ground,” she said. “Then I add a top dressing of compost to replenish nutrients. Then some liquid fish emulsion fertilizer, especially for nitrogen-loving plants like tomatoes.”
Another way to replenish nitrogen, she said, is to plant a cover crop of sugar snap peas after harvesting tomatoes.
Among the many classes Chicago Botanic Garden offers is the online program Spring Vegetable Growing on March 20. For more information, go to www.chicagobotanic.org/adult_education/horticulture/spring_vegetable_growing_online.
Barczak, who finds inspiration by visiting other gardens near and far, said spring is a good time to walk your property, prune what needs it and make lists of last season’s failures and successes.
“It’s time to get our happy on. Most of the world’s problems can be overcome with gardening,” he said. “I sincerely believe that.”
But it’s not time to be tempted by early sales at big box stores.
“Even if you see tomatoes and basil for sale in March, it is not time to plant. Don’t rush it. Don’t let the marketplace drive you,” he said.
And, remember, every garden is very personal. There is no right or wrong. But there can be a lot of trial and error.
Barczak advocates connecting with other growers. “Gardening is so much bigger than planting things,” he said. “It’s social, cultural, sentimental and personal. Learn from their successes and their losses.”
Blumen will present “No Fear Gardening: Seed Starting” on March 22 and “No Fear Gardening: Pruning” on April 5. For more information, go to blumengardens.com/upcoming-events.
Buzan is also marketing director at Sunrise, the “largest retail greenhouse in Illinois.”
Because the facility is triple the size of most Walmarts, Buzan helps gardeners get organized. Lists of available plants are on the greenhouse website and, by early April, maps are attached to shopping carts.
Sunrise, www.woldhuisfarms.com, carries a vast array of Proven Winners, the plant brand created by Laura LeBoutillier, social media personality who hosts the popular “Garden Answer” on YouTube.
For Proven Winners planter ideas, aka “recipes,” go to www.provenwinners.com/container-gardening/container-recipes/search.
For example, Buzan said, a container typically features a tall “thriller,” surrounded by medium-sized “fillers,” enhanced with a drapey “spiller.”
Container gardeners should freshen at least a quarter to half of the soil used last year. She recommends Bumper Crop Organic Potting Soil from Master Nursery.
“You don’t want the heavy solid bags of soil. You want it to be light and fluffy,” Buzan said. She uses Espoma Plant-Tone as a base and Proven Winners Premium Soluble Plant Food.
To fill up space in large containers, she said, “I cut pool noodles into chunks and put them in bottom. Then add soil.”
Don’t forget to fertilize your plants “at least once a week or every 10 days” during the season, she said. Hanging baskets, especially, can dry out quickly if you live in a windy area, she said.
Sunrise is offering seminars on shade perennials, native plants and landscaping, as well as greenhouse tours, on March 15, 22 and 29. For more information, go to
www.woldhuisfarms.com/Spring-Fever-Events.
And remember, whether it is big or small, colorful or recipe-ready, with a little information and a lot of inspiration, a garden will always be a good investment.
Donna Vickroy is an award-winning reporter, editor and columnist who worked for the Daily Southtown for 38 years. She can be reached at donnavickroy4@gmail.com.
