AROUND THE GARDEN

Now that Daylight Savings Time is here, many of us will gaze longingly at our gardens – and some will even jump headlong into ordering plants from mail order or online catalogs.

As with carpentry projects (“measure twice, cut once” being the apt metaphor) it's prudent to spend some time planning before investing that first dollar.

If you were REALLY prudent (and I was not), you kept a notebook last year, listing the plants that did well, the ones that did too well – the Garden Thugs – and then the ones that disappeared without a trace. Do you remember which tomatoes gave you perfect happiness? How about the one that cost $5.00 and yielded two tomatoes – in October!

Herewith, a few words from experience: look realistically at how much sun and shade you will have in full summer before you select any plants. Do you need to prune back some shrubs or tree branches? What about water? New plants wilt in the heat of summer – can you get water to that spot without lugging a heavy 5-gallon watering can to it? Are there maple roots right where you plan to dig?

If you are starting a new planting area, have your soil tested before you plant. This free service of the CT Agricultural Experiment Station (or modestly priced at the UConn Extension offices) will avoid dreadful mistakes.

Most important, think about your lawn and garden as a habitat: it isn’t just about you and your family. Dozens – hundreds, probably -- of organisms live on our plants. What ones would you like to see? It’s very rewarding to attract Monarch butterflies, Ruby-throated hummingbirds, or any of the hundreds of birds, dragonflies and butterflies native to Connecticut. The best way to do that is to plant natives and grow them organically.

The Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District is taking orders now for its 2011 Native Plant Sale. If you did not receive their flyer, go to their excellent website at
http://conservect.org/ctrivercoastal/PlantSale/tabid/321/Default.aspx. Good descriptions of the plants and their site requirements are included, along with photos. Not only will your purchases support their important work, but you will be buying native plants that help you garden responsibly.