Plants, grass -- and weeds flourish after heavy rains

By MARY COLLISTER

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 6, 2001

The recent rain may not have made a dent in the drought, but it did help green up our yards and cut down on the water used for irrigation.

Between raindrops last week, I ran outside and fertilized plants and grass. My rain barrel is full and will provide water for my containerized plants for weeks.

The weeds also loved the rain and have taken off with a vengeance. The moist ground makes those weeds easy to remove. If you have been ignoring this chore, you may be surprised at the size of some weeds in your yard. They are, or will shortly, go to seed. Make sure they are removed before that happens or your problem will be compounded.

If you're fertilizing your lawn, use a weed-and-seed to help gain control there. A hoe in the flower beds makes quick work of those weeds. If you have a persistent problem, you may want to spot treat with a vegetative killer to attack the roots.

If you had heavy rains, you might have suffered some damage to trees and shrubs. If broken branches or stems are a problem, prune back and give a light application of fertilizer. Spring will bring a burst of growth that will quickly cover up most damage.

My petunias were beginning to look tired, but the rain and fertilizer will give me a few more weeks of blooms. I have put off removing them, but once it gets hot and humid they don't hold up very well.

During the rain, I also spread some flowers seeds around. Marigolds, poppies, coleus, and zinnias will add a splash of color to bare spots in the garden. It only took a few days after the rain for the seeds to sprout. I'll keep the ground moist using the water from my rain barrel now. If we don't have more rain and I lose the plants started from seeds, I've not invested too much time or money on the project. But if I succeed, the rewards will be worth the little effort.

After last week's rain, I renewed the mulch in the front yard. I use eucalyptus chips. The chips don't pack down like the cypress mulch, and desirable trees are not being destroyed. The new addition gives a clean, fresh look to the beds. It makes everything look better.

I did not renew the mulch in the back yard. I am more likely to add organic materials in those beds whenever I have it available. I continue to bury my kitchen wastes in the back beds and the mulch placed for aesthetic reasons soon disappears. The leaves that fall from the trees are left to decompose and also cover the mulch. If I have a bare spot, I throw some seeds down, or plant a cutting that has taken root.

I also finished laying rocks around the house to keep mulch away from the foundation. The rocks don't attract insects (including termites) as readily and make it easier to apply insecticides when necessary. I used two- to three-inch river rocks that are decorative. Most of the rocks are hidden by plant material in the beds. I purchased my rocks in bags because I found them easier to handle that way. I could have saved a little money if I'd had a truck load delivered but then would have been required to shovel them into a wheel barrel. The little extra money spent, helped save my back!

Renew your containerized plants now. Prune and pinch back to get sturdy, blooming plant material. My begonias by the front door had some powdery mildew. I caught it early and removed the infected leaves so I didn't have to use a chemical. Fertilize and water well to force new growth. My containers by the front door take little time and effort and make quite a colorful statement when visitors arrive. I probably get more comments about those four containers than anything else in the yard.

I cut my blueberry bushes back so severely in the winter that I got very little fruit this spring, but I have some wonderful vegetative growth and expect a good crop next year. Four of the bushes are in large pots. I renew the soil with peat and top with pine needles from a neighbor's yard. The blueberries like the acid from the needles and the peat. I will trim back the growth about a third of the way next winter and should have nice, healthy plants.

My two peach trees are loaded with little peaches. I thought the rain might knock the young fruit off, but I saw very few casualties on the ground. I'll need to keep my eyes out for the birds. If they become a problem, I may throw a net over the trees.

Take a quick walk around your yard and you'll see plenty that needs to be done this time of the year. In order to keep from being overwhelmed, don't let anything get too far ahead of you. Remember to take the time to enjoy your yard and plant one or two new plants. Part of the appeal of gardening is expanding our knowledge and we can do that by experimenting.

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