Spring is just around the corner and it’s an exciting (and very busy) time for gardeners. Plans and preparations for the upcoming gardening season must be made early to ensure a healthy, productive crop of food and flowers.
A few essential gardening tasks will help you prepare for the springtime flurry of activity. They will also get all your plants off to a great growing start. Use these tips and get a head-start on your gardening tasks today.
Clean the Soil
Everything plants need to grow will be found in the soil so that is where a productive garden will start – in the soil.
Clear all old debris from the garden area. Pull up old plants and weeds, and rake the top of the soil to remove the old mulch. Do a spring cleaning and get the garden cleared downed to the bare soil.
If grass or weeds have overtaken the garden spot (or if it will be a new garden spot) the debris can be removed by burning. Create a burn-barrier around the perimeter of the garden and set the interior of the garden on fire. This will burn the debris and weed seeds and clear the soil so it can be turned.
Rake up the charred remains from the soil and discard them just in case any weeds seeds survived.
Loosen The Soil
During the winter the soil tends to become compacted. Heavy rains and the weight of snow compact the soil and it will be difficult for tender plant roots to grow in the hard soil.
Loosen the soil by turning it in the early spring as soon as the soil thaws and is workable. Use a turning fork, sharp spade, or rototiller to turn over. This will loosen, aerate, dry out, and warm the soil. Any weed seeds lurking under the soil level will also be killed when they are exposed to the dry air and sun.
If possible, turn the soil by hand instead of using a rototiller so fewer earthworms will be killed during the process. Loosen the soil to 8-10 inches (20 – 25cm) deep and do a soil test.
Feed The Soil
Allow the soil to dry out for 2-3 days after turning it, then give it a good feeding and add the amendments (if any) that the soil test recommended. The soil feeds the plants so it’s an essential garden task to feed the soil and make it nutrient-rich before planting crops.
Add 2-4 inches (5 – 10 cm) of compost on top of the garden soil. If you have poor, sandy, or clay-based soil, it is especially important to add a healthy layer of compost to improve the soil’s texture, nutrient content, and moisture-retention.
Turn the compost into the loosenend soil and rake the soil level. Water it lightly to help it settle and release air pockets and wait for at least 24-hours before planting.
Prepare Garden Tools
Now that the garden soil is fertile and ready to grow crops, turn your attention to the tools you will be needing throughout the summer. Everyone has their favorite essential gardening tools, with gloves, hoe, shovel, turning fork, and hand-held trowel topping the list.
Create a space in the shed, garage, or another dry environment to keep all your garden tools. This will keep everything convenient and out of the way. Sharpen the blades, repair tools, sand wood handles to prevent splinters, and paint the handles a bright, neon color with spray paint. The bright paint will help you quickly locate a tool misplaced in the garden and enable you to identify your garden tools if a neighbor borrows them.
Go Shopping
Late winter is a good time to go shopping for supplies that will be needed throughout the garden season. Many garden supply centers have new arrivals of seeds and plants in winter in late winter so it’s a great time to get the best pick of healthy garden plants.
Stock up on mulch for use in the garden too. Any organic material can be used as garden mulch, like hay, shredded tree bark, shredded newspaper, and nut hulls. Apply mulch in the springtime when the plants have reached 6-inches (15 cm) tall and apply a fresh layer in mid-summer.
The mulch will prevent weed growth, help the soil retain moisture, keep soil cooler, and will decompose to improve soil structure.
Start Seeds
Seeds from all your favorite plants can be started indoors 6-weeks before the last predicted frost date. Plant seeds in peat pots or seed trays, place in a warm indoor location, and keep soil moist.
The seeds will germinate in 7-10 days and grow into healthy seedlings, ready to be planted in your prepared garden soil as soon as the weather warms up in the spring.
Starting garden plants from seeds will provide more plant choices, non-GMO heirloom plants, and enable you to grow organically from start to finish. You will also be able to harvest produce earlier in the season when you start plants from seeds.
Fresh Compost Pile
Compost is essential for a healthy garden year-round. Start a fresh compost pile in late winter and turn it often so it will be ready for springtime use.
Compost is decomposed plant matter that is rich in nutrients and micro-organisms that will improve garden soil structure and fertility. Depending on the method of composting used, starting a fresh batch once a month will ensure a steady supply of organic garden food all summer.
Prune Trees and Shrubs
Late winter is the best time to prune trees and shrubs. Do the needed pruning before the buds and leaves show up in springtime.
Inspect trees and shrubs for damage that may have occurred during the winter and prune off damaged and crisscrossed branches. After doing the needed pruning, follow up with an overall pruning to give the tree or shrub a neat appearance.
Feed the plants after pruning and apply a fresh layer of mulch.
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