Spring brings budding backyard enthusiasts
Enjoying the spring doesn’t have to take you farther than your own backyard.
Gardening is back in season and can provide an outlet for stress and time to relax.
“It is the No. 1 American pastime,” said Kirk Wilcox, owner of the GreenHouse Garden Center in Logan. He said it is a relaxing hobby for him.
“I like to work in the dirt,” Wilcox said.
D. Craig Aston, senior lecturer in the plants, soils and biometeorology department at Utah State University, said with planning, a garden can be put in a small space inexpensively.
“If you have limited space, you need to do some planning,” he said.
Crops like corn need a lot of plants to produce a yield that is worth it, Aston said. Squash and pumpkins need space to spread out.
Tomatoes and peppers are ideal for small spaces and container gardens, Aston said. Container gardens grown in barrels or large pots are becoming popular for patios or rooftops, Aston said.
“Remember, they need a lot more water, maybe almost every day,” Aston said.
Regular beds can get by with water maybe once a week, he said.
Gardening can be simple or expensive; it depends on the gardner’s goals, Aston said. Fertilizer, seed and gardening tools can be fairly expensive. Taking the time can also be costly, Aston said.
He said it can be justified by the incredible taste of fresh produce.
“It’s so much better when it’s picked fresh off the plants. It doesn’t cost much to have colorful landscapes and delicious produce,” Aston said.
As temperatures warm up, Wilcox said beds should be cleaned and raked. He said it’s too early to plant flowers, except bulbs that weren’t planted in the fall.
Cache Valley is still prone to frost until mid-May, Wilcox said, and annuals won’t make it through that.
Aston said people get excited with the warm weather.
“Now that the snow is gone and there’s a little bit of sunshine, people get spring fever real quick,” Aston said.
He said he suggests fertilizing and aerating the lawn and pruning roses and trees this month.
Wilcox said he has pansies, prim roses and fall bulbs in stock right now. He said he is getting requests for trees, particularly fruit varieties which will be in soon.
He said there is also a growing interest in water gardening using fish and pond accessories for a wide scale of sizes from tub gardens for patios to large ponds and waterfalls.
Aston said historically, there was a period of greater appreciation for the environment called the “Green Revolution.” He said he often quotes Charles Lewis, a horticulturist, who said there is a sense of pride and accomplishment in nurturing a plant.
“There’s something about growing plants. They don’t critique you, they don’t argue back,” Aston said. For some people it is miraculous to watch them grow, he said.
“It’s really quite an event for a lot of people,” he said.
There is an aesthetic quality of gardens that is of interest to people, Aston said.
He said even during periods of recession, people continue to garden.
“Tough times and good times, gardening stays consistent,” Aston said.