Tips on preparing your garden, yard for spring

Now is a perfect time to be thinking about what needs to be done for the lawn and garden. I'm going to start with one of the most important items, even though you won't be able to accomplish the task until the ice and snow melt. It's time to get the leaves and pine straw off the lawn and excess material out of the plant beds in the garden. Grass and shrubs need to "breathe" and receive sunlight even during the cold winter months. Remember that we have many plants that flower during the winter. Camellias, Daphne, mahonia and hellebores are just a few of our cold weather plants. Some grasses, such as centipede and St. Augustine grass never go completely dormant and can benefit from the extra sunlight. While you are at it, pull the extra heavy mulch 3 to 4 inches away from the plant stems. This will help to prevent disease. Do this to your trees, too.

We want our lawn to be clean for another important reason. It will soon be time to put down a pre-emergence herbicide to prevent summer weeds. It isn't time yet, but it will be when the soil temperatures approach 55¼F. This usually occurs from late February to early March. If you wait too long to clean up the yard, you will risk missing the best time to prevent a hardy weed population. Old fashion raking with a wide leaf rake is the best way to prepare the lawn. Don't use a power rake or dethatcher on centipede or St. Augustine grass now since it may do severe harm to the lawn. Use the leaves or pine straw to start a compost pile or grind them up for mulch.

Mark your calendars for Feb. 21. I will be presenting a free Lunchbox lecture titled "Southern Lawns 101" at the Aiken County Historical Museum. The presentation will begin at noon and may run a little longer than the normal one hour lectures. There will be lots of Master Gardeners there to help with your lawn and garden questions. The recent cold weather is going to be tough on many Aiken lawns, so plan on attending this seminar.

Now would be a great time to get your lawn mower in shape. Did you drain the gas from the tank in the fall? When was the last time you changed the oil or sharpened the blade? How old is the spark plug? Am I creating feelings of guilt here? Most of these tasks are homeowner friendly, so get at them before you need to do your first mowing. An extra blade would be handy, and they are inexpensive.

Check your pruning shears to be sure that they are sharp. This is a good time to prune a number of shrubs that do not have blooms in spring. A list can be found in Clemson's HGIC bulletin 1053 which can be found online at www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/1053. Be sure to check all of your pruning equipment including saws, shears and loppers. Dull cuts can cause injury to your trees and shrubs.

If you have a drip irrigation system be sure to get new batteries for the timers. Another item to have ready is a box of new rubber washers for all of your hose connections. Check your garden hoses for leaks and test the water nozzles.

Don't forget the birds! They were skidding all over the ice on my lawn looking for food. They also need some fresh water for a drink or a bath.

Moles are with us 12 months a year and do not hibernate. Right now, they are chasing earthworms that are close to the surface of the soil and making a mess of lawns. Unless you have a trap, cat, Jack Russell terrier or a neighborhood fox, these little guys are tough to catch, and they can make a mess in your lawn. For now, flatten out the tunnels so that the grass roots are back in touch with the soil.

This is a perfect time to take a soil sample for the lawn and garden. Check HGIC bulletin 1652 at Clemson's website. You can find it by visiting www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic. The cost is still $ 6 and is worth every penny.

Remember that you can call the Clemson Extension office for any sort of garden information. We now have a Master Gardener in the office Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. You can call in at 649-6911, ext.122 or drop by at 1555 Richland Ave. E., Suite 500.

The new, completely revised "Gardening Almanac for Aiken and Vicinity" is now available for $15 at the Clemson Extension and will also be available at the Lunchbox seminars. This is the one gardening book that you must have for gardening in the Aiken-Augusta area.

Bill Hayes has been in Aiken since 1982 after moving from Chicago, Ill. He was in the chemical process industry for more than 40 years before retiring in 1999.