April showers bring may flowers

May is a wonderful time in the Pacific Northwest Gardens! We have just a little more prep to do before we enjoy all the fruits (literally!) of summer. Because we are not one of the warmer climates we are still keeping our precious veggies starts indoors for a little extra TLC this month. Give them that extra light and care so that they will be ready to stay strong outdoors at the end of the month.

Tomato starts are in now as are plenty of organic veggies starts- the world is your oyster!

We are well into Spring but that does not mean everything has been smooth sailing for our gardens. While our plant babies cannot verbally tell us what they need they offer very clear signs of exactly what they need. Below is a little guide for what to look for!

*Calcium deficiency- Poor flower bud formation, bud drop off, leaf curl, poor root formation and/or poor disease resistance. Common in Maritime Northwest soils.

*Magnesium deficiency- Weak or brittle twigs, white stripes between leaf veins, yellow leaves with green leaf veins, or bronze foliage spots.

*Sulfur deficiency- Yellowish pale new growth. Can be a problem in newer gardens or ones with little organic matter

*Potassium deficiency- Older growth turning yellow, weak stems, scorched leaf margins. This can be caused by addition of too much dolomite lime.

Make sure you get out and enjoy the fruits of your labor- both literally and figuratively! Nature is beautiful, make time to stop and enjoy it!