Expert designer and master gardener Janet Harding of Bloom, Kansas, shares insight and thoughtful ideas for the early phases of spring and the preparations that will lead to beautiful blooms throughout the season. Bloom’s love of community and gardening informs her advice when it comes to designing and creating beautiful flower pots and beds, flower bed maintenance, plant replacement, seasonal clean-outs and vibrant yard makeovers. 

Early March is the time to consult a local garden center and to schedule time with landscapers and designers who book up quickly during their busiest time of year. A good plan can lead to amazing results: plants, trees and flowers that can flourish throughout the growing season.

Pruning and Clearing

Take stock of established pots and beds to make sure last season’s annuals are cleared away, and the expected perennials are emerging from the soil. Remove any weeds, rocks, debris or surface stones, and loosen soil in empty pots and the extra soil around perennials.

March is also the time to cut back ornamental grasses. Hedge trimmers or a garden mini scythe can prove invaluable when cutting through the bottom of the stems quickly and efficiently.

Closely inspect crabapples and other ornamentals to be sure there are no limbs touching or rubbing against each other as this can cause sores that allow boring to take place.

Prune crepe myrtles and cut back rose bushes. Cut back any gaura, a flowering plant, to five inches off the ground. This woody plant, when properly cared for, thrives in Kansas.

Planning, Palettes and Design

Consider whether a consistent color scheme is desirable or a more whimsical approach to the palette among plantings. Think how plants of various textures and heights draw the eye. These aspects may inform and guide the types of plants and flowers you wish to select.

Plan to include annuals in various areas around your home. Landscaped areas close to the home, around walkways, near patio, pool and deck areas add beauty and visual interest to the look of a home. 

In addition to pot design, consider raised beds for flourishing gardens. This concept improves drainage, resists pests, inhibits weeds, provides a better soil temperature earlier in the planting season, is visually appealing and can be made from a variety of materials. They also require far less bending of the back and consequently, are easier to maintain.

Prepare and nourish soil in pots, in beds and even around trees (which may require taking out old mulch) by depositing a high quality fertilizer. Cotton Burr compost is preferable since it is organic, fermented, nutrient rich and known to promote adequate water retention. This is only to be spread at ground level rather than built up around a tree as one might do with mulch.

Planting and Frost Awareness

Some flowers like Shasta daisies and black-eyed Susans can be started from seed indoors in the late winter and early spring. Other flowers that begin as seeds are available in a wide variety of types and colors. Pansies, which are very cold-hardy, can serve as an early planting and provide a pop of color to a sidewalk, garden, walkway or pot of any size.

If landscape areas or pots are planted in April, note that Kansas freeze patterns of the last five years have occurred during this month. If a frost is expected, cover plants and flowers with old bed sheets or something similar to protect the plantings from frost. They can be removed during the day as temperatures approach 40 degrees and the sunlight warms the soil.

From mid-April through early May, temperatures and ample sunlight typically provide prime conditions for planting annuals, additional perennials and ornamental trees into the ground or soil. These areas emerge with vibrance and liveliness and can thrive in the springtime rains and sunshine.

Keep in mind that many local garden centers in Wichita and surrounding areas are staffed with knowledgeable people who can provide assistance and answer questions regarding planting and maintaining healthy and beautiful trees, flowers and plants this spring and summer. Looking online for pruning and trimming guidelines can also be helpful.