In this episode, Jim talks about taking advantage of the new planting season.
Podcast Transcription:
WRVO Producer Mark Lavonier:
This podcast is one in a series titled, From the Soil with Sollecito, hosted by lifetime senior certified landscape professional Jim Sollecito of Sollecito Landscaping Nursery, Hallock Hill Road, Syracuse. These commentaries focus on landscape management practices that use only natural products and methods, safe for the environment, and that bring beauty to the landscape. And now Jim Sollecito.
Jim Sollecito:
I cannot wait for this new planting season, particularly after such a challenging winter. Every year is different—that's part of the charm—and now I believe we're all ready to catch the magic of spring to create breathtaking wonder in our own yard.
Normally, we lean toward the inspiration of big blooms, lots of color, ease of growth, and reblooming plants. That being said, we sometimes get in a rut, or because we have experienced unsatisfactory results, we're hesitant to try again. Have you felt this? Do you suffer from "yourself"?
Well, I have good news: mistakes are an inescapable part of being human. We all make them, and maybe the number one lesson is that bargain plants cost more than you think. You invest funds, time, effort, and care to result in failure because the poor plants honestly don't have it in their DNA to perform in our less-than-ideal growing challenges.
Changing weather patterns cause earlier bud break, but hard frost risk doesn't decrease. Actively growing tissue has a much higher water content than dormant wood, so early popping buds might be destroyed and never open to full flower. In a few short weeks, the strain of the previous winter on non-hardy plants will show you how truly non-hardy they were.
So, it's time to consider new varieties that will withstand these conditions. Trust my decades of experience, failures, and successes: don't waste any more time on plants that appear sick and weak, including those in your own yard that are struggling. Put them out of your misery. There are far better improved varieties available now than there were even five years ago. Start with robust specimens that assure outstanding outcomes.
And please, please, please, don’t depend upon your neighbors for guidance on what you should plant unless they are certified master gardeners. Really, does this person's opinion enlighten the plant science conversation? Seek horticultural knowledge from trusted sources; you can rely on New York State certified landscape professionals.
Time moves more slowly when we're young because life, still new to us, is a process of discovery. With less sand in the hourglass, don't waste a minute. Let's make the most of every changing season. Go outdoors and get your first taste of that springtime air with a fresh perspective. Consider opportunities for improvement and enjoyment.
Planting and nurturing ornamentals are acts of caring that benefit you, the people around you, and your natural environment. If you have plant concerns or merely want to know more, let's connect. Spring happens once a year; now get outdoors and create some magic.
WRVO Producer Mark Lavonier:
From the Soil with Sollecito is a production of WRVO Public Media. If you have a question for Jim about your home landscaping, visit sollecito.com and click on contact or call 315-468-1142.
