The cardinal, the latest of a lineage that has been signaling from the tallest tree in the garden for generations; the delicacy of the shadbush that blooms in an eyeblink; earlier-than-ever lilacs perfuming quiet streets and backyards; cries of circling ospreys overhead, flinging themselves into brisk air currents. Life does go on; the only constant is change. We bid farewell to the old season and witness the rebirth that spring presents.
As it does in resorts, spring season hurtles at us: No longer is there enough time for sitting in the sun watching the grass grow and the leaves unfurl. Drowning out spring’s small details are the uptick in traffic, the general increase in tempo, a sense of looming deadlines, and getting it all done.
Nonetheless, when one writes about gardens, plants, nature — inevitably, the cyclical aspect of these topics presents itself. The only constant may be change, but the wheel of the year is represented by four seasons with appropriate and age-old repetitions. Plant, tend, reap, rest.
In the garden
The mixes of clusiana and humilis species tulips are a nice change from full-size ones.
Remove rhubarb flower stalks. Place peony supports (and remember to guide strongly growing shoots through them). “Chelsea chop” phlox, asters, and other multistemmed bloomers to retard flowering, create bushier growth, and help reduce need for staking. For more advice and suggestions, go to bit.ly/SG_ChelseaChop.
Keep on with sowings of spinach, lettuce, and arugula. Plant tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants with the floating row cover handy, and the knowledge that frost may descend in this up-and-down year.
Many of you will have planted potatoes already. I am behind the curve with them, but they are chitting nicely.
And then, of course, there are roses. Side-dress with low-number, organic soil food (fertilizer) monthly, and deadhead regularly. Tie in climbers. One inch of supplemental water “is recommended” if we do not have rain. High-organic-matter soil content helps with moisture retention.
Grow upward
The support constructions we use in our garden expand limited vegetable growing space by going upward. That is a plus: They make going upward with vining or tall crops or intercropping between the aisles possible, create supports between the aisles where the in-ground vegetables grow, and help to make use of limited space.
Winds seem to be more damaging these days too. Growing near or with supports, just in case, seems like a couple of “ounces of prevention.”
We use rebar and concrete reinforcement mesh. These are endlessly useful, whether cucumbers and other vining cucurbits, Malabar spinach, dahlias, sweet and culinary peas, pole beans — you name it. Suppliers of gardening merchandise sell ready-made trellis, frames, etc., but our system, copied from Charles Cresson, has worked for years.
Lilacs
Lilacs (Syringa spp.) surprise on a yearly basis now, with ever-earlier flowering. Their flowering coincides with the garden perfume crescendo: fragrant viburnums, lily of the valley, fothergilla, crabapples, and more. For a succession of fragrant lilacs, try a mix of common lilac (S. vulgaris), S. meyeri ‘Palabin,’ S. patula ‘Miss Kim,’ the Preston hybrids, and S. reticulata, tree lilac.
Our UMass’s excellent entomology department posts information about lilac borer, a wasplike insect that plagues older, overgrown plantings of common lilac that lose vigor and need renewal (bit.ly/UMASS_LilacBorerFacts). Refrain from major lilac cutting and pruning operations until the borers’ active season has passed, usually early July. The scent of pruned lilac wood actually attracts the female borer to the plants!
Late spring celebrations
What will be in bloom for graduation parties, weddings, and other special events of late spring? Mock orange (Philadelphus) used to be July’s perfume extravaganza, but now it comes on earlier, too. Putting the brakes on spring’s onrushing leads to plant breeding efforts to prolong beautiful spring flowering displays, or make them repeat.
Magnolia hybrid ‘Daybreak,’ pictured at Polly Hill Arboretum, is one of the later flowering, large-flowered “saucer” magnolias. Evergreen Magnolia grandiflora cultivars are increasingly hardy here; they are spectacular if you can find a spot for one. M. virginiana is a less showy, but wonderful native magnolia that usually forms a multistemmed, smaller tree. It retains some foliage over most winters.
Are we missing something?
A trip to the mainland and the Sakonnet Garden Plant Fair in Little Compton was the last trip off, before fare increases and crunch time. On the return to Woods Hole, illuminated signage greets motorists entering Falmouth: “Level 2 significant drought, watering restrictions in force.” It commands attention.
If Falmouth is warning of “Level 2 significant drought,” why are irrigation systems running all over Martha’s Vineyard, greening up those lawns? We too are in Level 2 significant drought; why is the Island so laissez-faire about watering restrictions? Seems clueless.
Sakonnet Plant Fair in Little Compton
This event (brownellhouse.org/plant-fair), held in central Little Compton, has enlarged greatly in just a few short years. Much credit is owed to the Sakonnet Garden, which encourages and stimulates knowledgeable gardening in their part of the world. Growers and connoisseurs alike flock to the low-key, fun event — like a farmers’ market for specialist and small-scale growers.
Among much variety, many booths were selling one or another cultivars of Epimedium, although Karen Perkins, a stalwart grower and supplier of these curious and fascinating perennials at Garden Visions for many years, has retired. A number of plants acquired from her, such as ‘Pink Champagne’ and ‘Sandy Claws,’ grow in my or other Island gardens.
These used to be considered largely specialist plants, but have now “arrived” as plants commanding more general interest. They are particularly well-suited to Island soils and shade gardens. They are easy to care for, not much bothered by the usual suspects, and have fascinating flower forms, although sometimes you need to belly-crawl to see them up close.
Dark skies
This link goes to a fascinating article and video about bird migration:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/when-will-spring-bird-migration-hit-its-peak-birdcast-has-answers/
Landscape light-washing is harmful to birds, insect life, trees, plants, and wildlife we share our outdoor spaces with. It is not cool; take it down; turn it off.
Go to bit.ly/MVT_PlantLocal to learn more about how to plant on the Vineyard.
