There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again. —Elizabeth Lawrence
Winter is Here! Mornings in Heber Valley bring a crisp, refreshing chill. Snow-covered mountains promise renewed streams for spring gardens. Tall pines look majestic, stretching to hold their share of snow.
Next year’s garden plans whisper softly. “A new zinnia bed by the wall would brighten this area. The plum trees bore delicious fruit; I’d love peach or nectarine trees by the swing. The back veggie garden could be enlarged for more pesticide-free greens and corn. A scarlet runner bean trellis would charm the back door.”
If you haven’t considered red or elephant garlic for your spring garden, there’s still time to plant. Hardy garlic bulbs can be planted in workable soil in early spring, allowing them to benefit from the necessary freezing nights and spring sunlight. Fresh garlic will elevate your soups and sauces, adding a gourmet touch to your cooking. It’s also excellent for repelling garden pests.
Dreams of spring blossoms will help you through the long winter. Daffodils, tulips, crocuses, and hyacinths can be planted in early spring. After planting your bulbs, a thick layer of mulch will protect them from freezing and provide soft soil to push through in late spring.
Plants don’t like bare ground. In our valley, with heavy clay soil, it is easy for hardpan to develop. In the early spring, when the snow melts, there are many materials to discover that make a rich, nutritious mulch. Mulch can be made in a box, a barrel, or a simple pile on the ground.
Without plowing or tilling, layers of clipped grass, old piles of fallen leaves, shredded bark or sawdust, well-rotted manure, old garden weeds, garden waste, and hay can be spread over an area, 12 to 18 inches deep, to decompose until planting time. This is called sheet composting. Spread it out over a new or old garden area. It will suppress new weeds in the spring, especially in very weedy or grassy areas where you plan to start a new garden.
Beneath this quiet, dark, protective layer of soil, something remarkable occurs: the soil life, including Mycorrhizae fungi, forms a living network with the plants, boosting their ability to absorb water and nutrients—up to seven times more—across a larger root zone. Tiny Rhyzobacteria fix nitrogen for plant use and push out disease-causing bacteria. Old-fashioned organic gardening practices produce fruit and vegetables that are unimaginably delicious.
By late spring, the thick, nutritious mulch will have reduced itself to about two to four inches. The soil life will have turned weeds and sticks into rich, black, living soil. When you pull the mulch back, you will see the dark, fluffy soil ready for plants and seeds to thrive. Your soil has become a living organism.
This thick mulch, spread in the fall, winter, or early spring, means you will have very few weeds to pull. Your garden will require very little weeding or digging with a shovel. A simple trowel is usually all you need to create a place for plant starts or seeds.
In Heber Valley, our soil tends to be highly alkaline, with a pH usually around 8.5 to 9.0—levels at which most plants struggle to thrive. Most garden plants prefer a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: yellow or green sulfur pellets. You can sprinkle them around your garden by hand or use a small grass spreader for more even coverage. You can do this even in the snow. Unlike chemical nitrogen, sulfur won’t burn your plants, so you can apply it generously.
Sulfur pellets are the best-kept secret for a productive garden in our valley. Sulfur is vital for all living things in your garden, playing a key role in chlorophyll formation, which allows plants to capture sunlight efficiently. It also helps balance soil minerals by lowering pH to levels that make nutrients more available for absorption. Additionally, sulfur strengthens plants, boosting their resistance to pests and diseases. In many soils throughout the Great Basin, sulfur deficiency is so severe that crops like beans and peas struggle to grow.
Do you have a beautiful fruit tree that bears little or no fruit? Sprinkle two or three cups of sulfur pellets or Epsom Salts (a combination of sulfur and magnesium) around the roots, and you will most likely have a bountiful harvest next year.
Many of us enjoyed a bountiful harvest this year, with branches so heavy with fruit that they sometimes broke. Proper pruning of fruit trees in the fall or spring opens up the tree, letting sunlight reach every branch and improving air circulation. Pruning also strengthens branches, ensuring they get enough nutrition to grow thick and sturdy. It naturally limits excess fruit, reducing the need for additional thinning. The result? Peaches and apples that are large, round, and perfectly rosy.
Winter is now upon us, and your shovel, trowel, rake, hoe, and pruning shears have served you well. Before storing them for the season, give your tools a thorough cleaning. Rust can be easily removed by soaking tools in vinegar, then brushing them with a toothbrush or wire brush until all rust is gone. Wooden handles need a rubdown with linseed oil. Wipe the garden tool metal with WD-40 or motor oil. Be sure to hang or place your tools in a safe, dry spot. Take this time to stock up on any tools you might need for next year.
When it’s time to sharpen your garden tools, try these simple tips. Start with 60-grit sandpaper or a belt sander to remove dull edges, then follow up with 100-grit for a sharper finish. You can also use a double-sided metal rasp file; begin with the coarse side, then finish with the finer side for a precise edge.
Your garden will be resting for winter, and so should you. Take time to care for yourself. The most important gift you can give your garden is you, the gardener. You are its dreamer, architect, creator. The one who nourishes both the soil and your loved ones, bringing tranquility to your soul.
More info: hebervalleyready.org
