Mount Holly Newsflash - Wednesday, April 21, 2021 - Morning edition The weather today in Mount Holly - A chance of rain and snow before 2pm, then showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Southeast wind 1 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. Archived Newsflash emails can be read at: https://mthollynewsflash.blogspot.com
Vermont Home Gardener Garden Choices
April is National Garden Month so I'd like to write about starting a garden and the planning and choices that requires. Most basically "What should I grow?" It depends on what you want to eat or to see in your yard, and the kind of work you can do. Soil & climate conditions in Vermont place some limits on our choices too. No bananas, oranges, or mangoes, but we do have a wide selection of great fruits, vegetables, and flowers that do very well here. We are in Agricultural Zone 4 or 5, depending on location and altitude so we need to pay attention to the "Hardiness" of what we plant, especially perennials.
Thinking long-term? Some of the perennials that do well here and that you should establish in the spring include Asparagus, Rhubarb, Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Elderberries, & Blackberries. Perennials are started with young plants or "crowns" grown by nurseries and usually take 2 or 3 years to mature into production. If you don't have them growing yet, this is may be the year to start. Choose 1 or 2 that you like, locate a place they can grow undisturbed, get high quality plants (don't waste your time with cheap ones), and get them started. They will reward you for your effort for many years to come!
