Let your lawn tell you when it’s time to water it. Water the lawn when you leave footprints. A thirsty lawn will show your footprints after you’ve trekked across. Water, too, when the color changes from green to bluish gray.

You’ve probably heard that fireplace ashes are good for the garden. Not in these parts. While wood ashes may have a good amount of potassium, they also contain way too much lime. Our soils are in the high pH range and more lime will complicate the situation. 

If your roses die back from the tips, it’s likely they have cane borers. These borers can attack a variety of brambleberries too.  These pests prefer freshly cut canes and will make entry into the tender ends to make nests. Thwart them with a dab of wood glue on the cut ends.

Mosquitoes need standing water to reproduce. Eliminate all water from pot saucers, clogged gutters, garden ornaments, and anything else that holds water. For the birdbath — float a cake of Bacillus thuringiensis var. Israeliensis (Bti) in the water. While harmless to all other life forms (except larvae) Bt paralyze mosquito larvae so they can’t feed and eventually die.

 

Keep weeds at bay by spreading mulch at least 2 inches thick to keep out weed seeds, conserve water, and moderate soil temperatures. Choose organic mulch, such as shredded bark (soak well when you lay them down and they won’t blow away in our spring breezes). It will break down and add nutrients to the soil, too.