garden fun this weekend ~ poppies & panicles!
Well, a week ago it was winter. Today, it will feel like summer with temps approaching 80! The extended forecast looks favorable, which means soil temps will be rising, triggering significant plant growth! It’s still too early to rake (I know, you don’t want to hear it!). But here are some things you can do this weekend, if you haven’t already!
prune panicle hydrangea
It’s not too late to prune your hydrangea paniculata shrubs, including ‘Quick Fire’, ‘Little Quick Fire’, ‘Little Lime’, ‘Pinky Winky’, ‘Vanilla Strawberry’, etc. This type of hydrangea blooms on new wood, so you can be aggressive and make cuts very deeply (with clean, sharp secateurs!) depending upon your ultimate size goal.
I just cut back my ‘Pinky Winky’, and removed all of last year’s growth. This ultimately removed about 30” of stem and flower growth. I also cut out any older stems that were pointing toward the center of the plant to improve air flow. Don’t worry, it will all grow back this spring!
4/17/25: hydrangea ‘Pinky Winky’ before
4/17/25: hydrangea ‘Pinky Winky’ after
photograph your daffodils!
Now is the time to document your spring bulb location. All of my sweet miniature narcissus are blooming and every year I regret that I didn’t plant more the prior fall. Snapping a few pics now will help jog your memory later when it comes time to order fall-planted bulbs. I strategically plant mine within my ornamental flower beds wherever I can find an empty space (easier said than done!). After blooms are spent, the foliage of the mini daffs becomes engulfed by the emerging perennials, allowing the leafy greens to die back gradually, feeding the bulb for next year. Once the foliage has browned to the point where it gives way with just a gentle tug, it can all be gently removed for a tidier look. This is also a great time to place an inconspicuous label of some sort to mark your bulb clump. I have been known to insert one or two colorful golf tees as a reminder that bulbs lie underneath!
I do not recommend braiding, or otherwise tying up the foliage as this inhibits chlorophyll absorption and can weaken the bulbs. All of these pics were taken this morning:
protect emerging ephemerals!
One of the sure signs of spring in The Big Little Garden is the return of the arisaema, ‘Jack-in-the-pulpit’. I know exactly where each clump and plant will emerge, but I like marking the location of the tender shoots with metal plant stakes to protect them from being accidentally stomped by visitors in the garden. Once the plants have emerged a bit more, I remove the markers. The first 3 photos below were taken this morning. The final photo was taken last May 23rd. (click the photo for a larger view) These babies are definitely worth protecting!
plant poppy seeds!
My latest method for direct sowing seeds in the garden is to mark the spot with a plastic ring that I cut out from the top of a yogurt or takeout container. For my breadseed poppies, I place the ring in the desired growing location, scatter the poppy seeds on the surface (they need light to germinate, so don’t cover them!), then place one half of a raspberry or other clear plastic container on top (with holes poked so rain water can get in), then secure them with landscape staples. This will give protection from wind and critters, and will create a mini greenhouse while the seeds are germinating. I will remove the plastic cover when the seedlings are 1/4” or so, but leave the ring and the plant label. The ring is a good reminder that the seedlings are not weeds to be removed! This method also helps when your poppies (or whatever you are planting) will be part of a complex tapestry of plants. When your poppies are done blooming, don’t deadhead them! Leave the seed heads for their decorative element in the garden. By late summer, the seeds will have dried inside, and when you can hear them ‘rattle’, they can be harvested and saved for next spring!
final thoughts
Remember to tread carefully in the garden. Every footstep threatens to compact soil and potentially squash an emerging ephemeral.
As always, stay calm and garden on!
~ Barb