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Though many are donning mittens instead of gardening gloves in Saskatchewan these days, Garden Talk’s Rick Van Duyvendyk has some advice on what people can do to prepare for summer as they wait.
1. Plant indoors now
For those who are dreaming of a garden this summer, Van Duyvendyk encourages them to start planting their bedding plants and vegetables in indoor pots.
“Start growing them now so that you can plant them all by May long weekend,” he said. “If you don’t start them now and you plant them outside, they might not make the frost in the middle of September.”
2. Snuff out tent caterpillars
Meanwhile, to avoid being covered in tent caterpillars while planting a mid-May garden, Van Duyvendyk said steps can be taken now to prevent an infestation.
“Look at all the branches on your trees and shrubs, you can see little egg masses on them. This gives you the opportunity to go pick them off with your hands. That way, you don’t have the infestation in the spring,” Van Duyvendyk explained, adding the bugs tend to swarm fruit trees and shrubs the most.
3. Cover your plants
Until the temperature jumps above the freezing mark, he added people should also ensure their perennials are protected by covering them with a blanket of snow.
