Daffodil leaves emerge from the ground. (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
In a recent e-mail, S.W. of Indianapolis says she’s worried about daffodils that have emerged in her garden. She knows it will get cold again, and asks “should I cover them if we have any severe weather?”
Personally, I don’t cover anything. Most spring blooming bulbs can easily tolerate a dip to colder temperatures, even snow, so there’s no need to cover them.
Some people, though, want to protect the flowers or buds of daffodils, tulips and other spring blooming plants when a hard freeze is predicted. A hard freeze is below 28 degrees F.
If you do, use a cloth or paper cover rather than plastic. Use plastic only if you are able to tent it so that it does not touch plants. Plastic touching plants during a hard freeze will damage leaves or flowers.
Wet soil
Remember to let the soil dry out before you begin walking on it or digging in it to make new garden beds or to transplant perennials, trees or shrubs.
If you work the soil when it is too wet, you destroy its structure. Poor soil structure translates into poor drainage, weak root development, low fertility and few bio organisms, such as worms. If a ball of soil crumbles when squeezed, dig away. If it the ball clumps, wait for a few more days.
Soil amendments
If you have heavy clay soil, work in lots of organic matter, such as compost, rotted manures, mushroom compost, finely chopped leaves or shredded bark. As the organic matter breaks down, it adds microorganisms and trace nutrients, which, over a couple of years, turn heavy clay dirt into loamy, garden soil.
Compost, mushroom compost and manures can be found in bags at garden centers. Or, these products can be purchased by the cubic yard from landscape suppliers, which will deliver your order for a fee. If ordering bulk, considering checking with neighbors to see if they would be interested in sharing a load and splitting the delivery fee.
