At long last, spring has arrived!

As you look out upon your garden, does the nagging question of "where do I even begin" sound familiar? There is so much to do in every corner of the yard this month that it is difficult to know where to start.  In my opinion, the first and foremost thing to do is to stand back for a moment, and simply enjoy the beauty that Mother Nature has given us.... Listen to the birds as they sing you a spring melody... dream a little, and then put in a call to Keystone Gardening to make your dream garden a reality! 

The purpose of April garden projects is to help keep your garden looking its best the rest of this season. 

Shrubs and trees

There still is time to plant trees and shrubs. However, by mid month it will be a little late to transplant large trees or shrubs, so do them now.

The months of March, April and May are ideal for pruning evergreens.  If you have a Juniper, Cypress or conifers that need shearing or pruning this is a good time for Keystone to accomplish this task.   We can remove all dead, diseased, and undesirable wood.   We can prune your Forsythia after it finishes flowering. 

MAKING USE OF THE RAIN

Gardening takes water and for most of us that means an increase in our water bill during the hot summer months. Statistics show that lawn and garden watering make up at least 40% of our total household water use. Frugal gardeners, however, can take advantage of rainwater by bringing back an age old, low tech system of collecting water from your roofs and gutter systems into rain barrels, or cisterns as they have been called. By harvesting rain water, you can keep your little corner of the world green, decrease storm water run off and cut costs all at the same time. 

One inch of rain on a 1,000 square foot roof will produce 600 gallons of water. Capture just some of that chemical free rain in a container of any kind and you’ll be able to keep your veggie garden thriving and your flowers blooming all season, with no added expense. Your plants will thrive with the natural rain water compared to water from municipal systems and the chemicals they typically add. Rain water is a free source of soft water and also excellent for your houseplants.

Don't forget that Keystone is offering a Watering Service this year, for vacationer's and for the busy!