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Pocketful of Posey

Forsythia, Bridging the Gap Between Seasons



Forsythia, easy to overlook eleven twelfths of the year,

impossible to ignore those weeks in early spring.

Easy to grow and care for,

forsythia is a carefree plant with a wild side if you give it some slack.

They love the sun, in fact, I think they store it in their cells,

saving it for bloom time when the sun is still usually scarce.

Their gift to us.

Our gift to them is simply well-drained soil,

fertilizer once a year,

a haircut right after they bloom, but before they set next year's buds,

and some mulch.

You can choose not to prune if you want to see them grow with abandon.

They do get quite a bit rangy with a wide and tall spread,

creating a thicket for which the birds will thank you.

This is so nice if you have some yard to spare.

Or, you can create a tidy, trim hedge.

Space them close together for this look, and be vigilant with the pruning.

Right after bloom time and again in the fall.

If you want a more natural-looking hedge,

simply space them farther apart.

Either way you go, you just can't go wrong with forsythia.

Their leaves are a delightful shade of green in the summer

and their many branches add structure to a garden in the winter.

And a vase full of them in your house...

a true mood lifter, as only yellow can do.



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