Do Not Hurry to ‘Spring Clean’ Garden

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle Report.

For half the world, spring has begun. Temperatures are warming and daylight lasts longer. People who like to garden may be ready to get their hands dirty and start clearing the ground for new plantings. But garden experts warn -- not too fast.

Jessica Damiano is one such expert. She says that removing plant matter too early can disturb important insects not ready for the cool early spring temperatures.

In the fall, Damiano explains, she skips cleanup. She lets plant matter remain on the ground. It serves as shelter for insects over winter.

In early spring, those insects are still sleeping. Removing the plant matter before the insects begin their life cycles would mean removing them from your garden. Fewer insects mean less food for birds and fewer flowers and vegetables for the gardener.

Damiano says experts do not all agree on the best time to start cleaning the ground and garden area in the spring. But they usually agree to wait until the temperatures are regularly above 10 degrees Celsius¹. That is when sleeping insects "wake up." Some experts define "regularly" as at least five days in a row. Damiano says she usually waits seven nights.

However, even then, she says to keep the plant matter on the ground for another week or so before removing it from your property. This gives any insects that are still "sleeping" enough time to wake up.

Early cleaning of a garden is often followed by early mulching. Applying mulch makes the garden look neat and clean. But Damiano reminds us that soil and plants are not just for show. They are part of a living ecosystem².

Mulch is an important part of a healthy garden. It keeps soil wet, limits the growth of weeds, and helps keep soil temperatures even. But timing³ is important.

Mulching before the soil has warmed enough will keep in the cold and slow the reawakening of the plants. This can also limit their growth. And if the soil is wet, early mulching can lead to mold, mildew⁴, and fungal diseases.

Before applying mulch, wait until it is safe to plant annuals and warm-season vegetables in your area. For Damiano in New York state, that means waiting until the end of May.

Timing is also important for fertilizing⁵.

For grasses, Damiano says not to fertilize⁶ until mid⁷ to late spring. At this time, grass has left dormancy⁸ and begins active growth.

Fertilizing too early will not help grasses grow. In fact, it can hurt the grass.

Grasses that are fertilized⁹ in early spring cannot fully¹⁰ make use of those nutrients¹¹ in the fertilizer. They may start growing when they should be spending their energy on root development. Strong roots are necessary to help grasses survive hot summer weather.

Also, fertilizer that cannot be used by a dormant¹² or partly dormant plant threatens the environment as it goes through soil and into groundwater. For that reason, in parts of the United States, people are not permitted to fertilizer too early.

And because it does not help the grass, fertilizing too early is simply a waste of money.

What about early blooming flowers?

Tulips and daffodils are two early blooming flowers. After they or any spring bulb has bloomed, the leaves continue to produce energy for the following year's bulb. Damiano says it okay to remove stems. But she says to remove the leaves only after they have turned yellow.

For those who do not want to wait to garden, Damiano does have an early spring task. Now is a good time to repot houseplants.

Move them into the next-size pot — no more than 5 centimeters wider than their current container. And give them a bit of fertilizer. As the season's longer days cause them to restart active growth, this extra nutrition will help.

Words in This Story

garden – n. a plot of ground where herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables are grown

mulch – n. a covering (as of straw or sawdust) spread over the ground to protect the roots of plants from heat, cold, or evaporation¹³, prevent soil loss, control weeds, or enrich the soil

ecosystem – n. a system made up of an ecological¹⁴ community of living things interacting with their environment especially under natural conditions

annual – n. something that lasts one year or season specifically : a plant that completes its life cycle in one growing season

fertilizer – n. a substance (as manure¹⁵ or a chemical) used to make soil produce larger or more plant life

dormant – adj. not active but capable of becoming active : dormancy – n. state of not being active

blooming – v. having blooms unfolding : flowering

bulb – n. an underground resting stage of a plant (as an onion or tulip) consisting of a short stem base bearing one or more buds enclosed in overlapping leaves

1 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

2 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。

3 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

4 mildew   

n.发霉；v.（使）发霉

参考例句：

• The interior was dark and smelled of mildew.里面光线很暗，霉味扑鼻。
• Mildew may form in this weather.这种天气有可能发霉。

5 fertilizing   

v.施肥( fertilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Sometimes the preliminary step must be taken of reducing weed population before fertilizing. 有时候，在施肥之前，必须采取减少杂草密度的预备性步骤。 来自辞典例句
• The self fertilizing garden can also be planted in raised beds. 自我施肥的菜园也可以在苗圃床中种植。 来自互联网

6 fertilize   

v.使受精，施肥于，使肥沃

参考例句：

• Fertilizer is a substance put on land to fertilize it.肥料是施在地里使之肥沃的物质。
• Reading will fertilize his vocabulary.阅读会丰富他的词汇。

7 mid   

adj.中央的，中间的

参考例句：

• Our mid-term exam is pending.我们就要期中考试了。
• He switched over to teaching in mid-career.他在而立之年转入教学工作。

8 dormancy   

n.睡眠，冬眠，隐匿

参考例句：

• During dormancy the plants must be kept very dry. 在休眠期，植物必须保持非常干燥。 来自辞典例句
• It may also come to the point of virtual dormancy. 它也可以达到实际上的潜伏状态。 来自辞典例句

9 Fertilized   

v.施肥( fertilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The study of psychology has recently been widely cross-fertilized by new discoveries in genetics. 心理学研究最近从遗传学的新发现中受益匪浅。
• Flowers are often fertilized by bees as they gather nectar. 花常在蜜蜂采蜜时受粉。

10 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

11 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 dormant   

adj.暂停活动的；休眠的；潜伏的

参考例句：

• Many animals are in a dormant state during winter.在冬天许多动物都处于睡眠状态。
• This dormant volcano suddenly fired up.这座休眠火山突然爆发了。

13 evaporation   

n.蒸发，消失

参考例句：

• Be careful not to lose too much liquid by evaporation.小心不要因蒸发失去太多水分。
• Our bodies can sweat,thereby losing heat by evaporation.我们的身体能出汗，由此可以蒸发散热。

14 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

15 manure   

n.粪，肥，肥粒；vt.施肥

参考例句：

• The farmers were distributing manure over the field.农民们正在田间施肥。
• The farmers used manure to keep up the fertility of their land.农夫们用粪保持其土质的肥沃。