715 Boston Post Rd. (Rt.1) Guilford--203-453-1818 (villagegreene@juno.com) Hours below
Mon-Fri 8-6,Sat 8-5,Sun.9-5 Labor Day 9-1 Greenhouses in back. Text 203-859-1005
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Village Tips: March/AprilFACTS, ADVICE, AND FUN THINGS TO DO: WITCH HAZEL: lATE WINTER FLOWERS HAVE A GREAT SCENT BEES: IT TAKES 250,000 HONEY BEES OR 250 MASON BEES TO POLLINATE AN ACRE OF APPLE TREES. WALKING ON WET LAWNS: CAN COMPACT THE SOIL AND LEAD TO POOR DRAINAGE. BUGS: CLUSTERS OF FLIES, LADYBUGS AND BOXELDER BUGS IN SUNNY WINDOWS ARE HARMLESS DAYS TO MATURITY: DAYS TO MATURITY ON SEED PACKET IS TIME FROM GERMINATION TO HARVEST OF CROP. EASTER LILIES: THEY CAN BE PLANTED OUTDOORS WHEN BLOOMS ARE GONE. BUILD HOUSE: CREATE A HOMEMADE HOUSE FOR MASON BEES AS FAMILY PROJECT. BUYING SUMMER FLOWER BULBS: PICK ONES THAT HAVE NOT SPROUTED YET WATERING GARDENS: MOST GARDENS NEED ABOUT ONE INCH OF RAIN PER WEEK IN THE GROWING SEASON.
CALENDAR: MARCH 1-10: -MOUNT NESTING BOXES TO ATTRACT INSECT EATING BLUEBIRDS TO YOUR GARDEN. -SCOUT YARD TO FIND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS TO PLANT MOISTURE LOVING PLANTS IN SPRING. -USE CLEAN CONTAINERS AND SEED STARTING MIX TO AVOID TAMPING OFF.. -SOW PARSLEY SEEDS NOW. (FLAT LEAF IS MORE INTENSE FLAVOR THAN CURLY LEAF TYPES) INSIDE MARCH 11TH-20TH: -USE BIODEGRADABLE POTS FOR PLANTS THAT DO NOT TRANSPLANT WELL. -PRUNE FRUIT TREES, RASPBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES AND GRAPE VINES. -START ALL SEEDS OF ANNUAL FLOWERS. INSIDE.-START BROCCOLI, BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CABBAGE AND CAULIFLOWER INSIDE. -USE STEPPING STONES IN WIDE BEDS TO REACH PLANTS BETTER. -SEND SOIL TESTS TO CT. AGRICULTURAL EXT. SERVICE NOW. MARCH 21ST TO MARCH 31ST; -SPRAY PLANTS THAT NEED IT WITH HORTICULTURAL/DORMANT OIL SPRAY (JUST BEFORE TREE BUDS SWELL) (THE OIL SMOTHERS OVER-WINTERING SPIDER MITES, APIDS, SCALE INSECTS AND PSYLLIDS) -CONSIDER WARMING SOILS USING BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS MADE FROM CORNSTARCH. --START TORNATILLOS FROM SEED TO USE IN SALSA THIS SUMMER. -REMOVE SOME OF THE STRAW MULCH COVERING GARLIC AT FIRST SIGNS OF GROWTH. -SOW PEAS IN GARDEN AS SOON AS SOIL IS WORKABLE. -BUY PELLETED LETTUCE AND CARROT SEEDS TO HELP GERMINATION. APRIL 1 TO 10TH: -START SEEDS OF TOMATOES, PEPPERS AND EGGPLANT INDOORS. -APPLY DEER AND RABBIT REPELLANT TO CROCUS. -DIG UP AND MOVE SMALL SHRUBS AND TREES BEFORE LEAF BUDS OPEN. -RAKE LAWN NOW. -PRUNE SUMMER FLOWERING SHRUBS NOW. (NOT HYDRANGEA-CALL US FOR THOSE) -CHECK TO SEE IF HOUSEPLANTS NEED RE-POTTING. -PLANT A FEW EXTRA PEAS TO HARVEST AS YOUNG SHOOTS. -DISPOSE OF DEAD BEARDED IRIS FOLIAGE TO PREVENT BORER EGGS. APRIL 11TH TO 20TH: -CUT DAFFODILS FOR INDOORS. -RESEED BARE SPOTS IN LAWN IF SOIL TEMPERATURE IS WARM ENOUGH. -PLANT LEAFY GREENS IN ROWS OF 14-16 INCHES TO SAVE AGRDEN SPACE. -DIG UP SNOWDROPS TO DIVIDE OR MOVE WHILE LEAVES ARE STILL GREEN. -CUT BACK TATTERED LEAVES OF HELLEBORES AND BERGENIA. -TRANSPLANT ONION SEEDLINGS TO GARDEN. -CUT SEED POTATOES AT LEAST ONE DAY BEFORE PLANTING TO LET CUT SURFACES DRY. -PLANT SEED POTATOES IN ROWS 10-12" APART IN A SHALLOW TRENCH. APRIL 21ST TO APRIL 30TH: -PROTECT SEEDLINGS FROM WIND AND LIGHT FROSTS WITH ROW COVERS. -WEAR TICK REPELLANT AND CHECK PEOPLE AND PETS DAILY. -APPLY B.T. AS SOON AS EASTERN TENT CATERPILLAR TENTS ARE SPOTED ON FRUIT TREES. -ALLOW LEAVES OF SPRING BULBS TO DRY NATURALLY. -PLANT EPIMEDIUM FOR A WELL BEHAVED GROUNDCOVER IN SEMI-SHADY AREAS. -RESIST TEMPTATION TO PLANT ANYTHING BUT PANSIES OUTSIDE UNDER AFTER THE FIRST FULL MOON IN MAY, AND THE DANGER OF FROST IS OVER.
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