START INSIDE
As a gardener, you most likely already have plans for the garden before you have plans for the house. However, you’ll spend a lot of time inside, especially once winter comes around again. So, start fixing up your inside spaces, make the necessary renovations to ensure that after a long day of gardening, you have a haven to rest in. Not to mention you may need to wait a bit to assess your garden anyway! Don’t overwhelm yourself by attempting to do everything at one time.
ASSESS YOUR SPACE – WHAT DO YOU HAVE?
This might take time depending on what season you’re in. You may need to wait for the snow to melt, your grass to grow, any mystery plants to start growing.
Pro Tip: Buying a home in winter an not sure what’s in your garden? Find it on Google Maps and you can get an idea of what you’re working with! You may still get a few surprises, but it’s a start!
Once things start sprouting, observe. What kind of sun exposure do you have? Did the snowmelt uncover an unkept lawn? Are your trees and shrubs in need of some attention? What kind of maintenance will those established plants require and are you up to the task? What kind of small and big spaces can you take advantage of? Take notes of everything you see.
Pro Tip: You can hire an arborist to assess your trees and shrubs! They can help identify them, identify potential problems, treat them, and can even offer assistance in pruning them!
Next, assess what’s going on outside your new home. Do the neighboring gardens appear to be healthy? Do you live next to a park or wildlife area that could welcome predators like voles? Be aware so you can prepare for trouble. It doesn’t all have to be bad though. Keep in mind the garden friends, like birds, that are in the area!
This is also a good time to meet your new neighbours and ask what they’ve had success growing! Cities can often carry many ‘mini climates’, so you may have better luck growing a certain plant in a different part of the city! Plus, perhaps you can make a new friend and swap harvests from your veggie garden at the end of the season.
MAKE A PLAN AND CARRY IT OUT
Once you’ve determined what you have, now you can make a plan. Remember, gardening is a marathon, not a sprint. Consider starting small and working from there. You may need a season or a year to clean up the garden and let it heal from any past damage or neglect.
Keep in mind your lifestyle. How much are you willing to maintain consistently over the entire season and/or years? This will impact your decision-making.
Small Spaces Within Your Large Spaces
Think of your space in 3 dimensions and consider all the small spaces within your large space. Front entry way, deck, lawn, sides of the house. There are plants suitable for every sun exposure, so use those spaces!
Supporting wildlife
If you’re looking to support maximize the ecosystem on your property, think about pollinator friendly spaces, bird friendly spaces, dead branches for birds to perch. Will you incorporate a fountain or a bird bath?
Low Maintenance Spaces
You can incorporate stepping stone pathways, gravel dog runs, low maintenance gravel beds for weed control, mulching spaces to cut down on watering, and even drought-tolerant planting choices!
Lawn
Depending on how damaged the lawn is, you may need a season or two to repair it. The best way to start is to clean it up of any debris, animal waste, etc. Typically, you’ll want to remove the thatch in the spring. During years of water challenges, consider leaving the thatch to provide a bit of cover for water retention. As the grass grows, watch for any dead spots to emerge. If it’s only a few spots, and no more, it could just be animal urine or simply a dead spot. If you start to see more dead spots pop up, you may have a bigger problem like Chinch bug or grubs that will require treatment. Finally, look at seeding and leveling out those trouble spots.
For more on Lawncare, catch this previous episode with Shelley Vance from Scott’s Canada
Plants & Plant Maintenance
Do you want to incorporate perennials from a past space or create a legacy garden using plants from a loved ones yard? You can dig up those perennials and transport them into your new space! Dig up as much of the root system as you can, and transplant them in their new space. Make sure to cover the roots on really hot days. Treat your transplant like a new plant, giving it lots of water and a transplant fertilizer to kick start those roots. What happens if you need to transport them in a rush and are not sure where they’ll life? In a process called ‘healing in’ you’ll dig a temporary trench, anywhere, and plant the perennials. Keep them watered and maintained until your ready to plant them in their permanent home.
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