We hope you have a special Memorial Day as we remember and honor all those who have served our country. They are so many wonderful and dedicated American citizens that have worked to create our country and to protect our rights and freedoms over the years here in our country and in wars and hot spots all around the world. Over the years we have come to use this holiday to remember all of our loved ones that preceded us, not just those who have committed to military service. Many still practice the custom of planting flowering plants on their ancestors grave or placing boxes or containers of living plants we often call Memorial Day Boxes on those special graves. Make sure you know the rules for each cemetery.
Many other families remember these loved ones by planting a tree, shrub, rose or other special plant each year in memory of their special family members that are no longer with us in body. These memorial plantings often allow us to keep that person’s spirit, memories and love closer at hand and make them a part of our daily or regular experience.
After 2 ½ weeks of rain we have just enjoyed one of the most beautiful weeks of spring weather in a very long time. Hopefully you were able to catch up on planting some or all of those plants you had purchased and were holding for drier soil. This is a great time to plant not just Memorial Day or “in memory” trees and plants but it is a great time to plant just about everything.
The plants we have already planted are just leaping from the ground with the sunshine and warmer weather of the last week after the earlier heavy rains. Remember we will need to start watering our flowerbeds and container gardens now that it is getting warmer and drier. This is a good time to start mulching those earlier plantings to reduce watering and weeding. After all the rains, weeds seem to be coming up everywhere so make sure to pull the weeds before they get out of control or select a herbicide or weed and grass killer that is safe to use over or around your crops. Mulching will dramatically reduce your weed problems. If you haven’t fed your trees, shrubs and lawn yet this spring now is a good time to do that before we get too hot.
There are lots of things to do in the garden now but planting trees, shrubs, tomatoes, melons and summer vegetables and planting annual and perennial flowers is the main gardening message on this Memorial Day.
Rodd's Seeds of Wisdom 