Prep your green space for the season ahead
Summer, winter, and fall may have their fans, but spring is clearly the most lovable of the four seasons. The trees become loaded with leaves & flowers. Nature looks cheerful. It is definitely the King of all seasons. As Spring comes near you will want to get your garden in party-ready shape by the time the temperatures rise. There are a lot of things to consider in getting your landscape ready for the upcoming season. It's ideal to make sure to get your garden beds ready a couple of weeks prior to planting.
How to start getting your green space ready? Here's 5 steps to help you.
1. Get your tools ready.
By this I meant your gardening paraphernalia. Go over your tools and make sure they are sharp and in good condition.
Make sure your supplies, fertilizer and soil additives are on hand. Pre-assemble any structures like veggie cages or raised beds, that you want to make for yourself. It is a lot easier to do get this work done in your shed while the weather is still icky than to have to worry about it later in spring when there are plenty of things you would rather be doing outside.
Check out https://www.gardentoolcompany.com to shop for new gear and also check on this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufb4w2bSoQQ for guides and helpful tips in making veggie cages.
2. Clear out weed and trim your plants.
Do a spring cleaning of the area, removing anything in the way until you are back to the bare soil. You don’t want to leave any living weeds around, or they might come back and try to compete with your garden plants!
Many plants can use a good pruning this time of year. Early spring is the perfect time to prune because you can see the branch structure well and you can shape the plant. But before you go snip-happy, make sure to use a clean rag and some isopropyl alcohol to sterilize your pruners before each cut to prevent spreading plant disease all around the garden. You should also consider which plant to prune. There are many plants that you SHOULD NOT prune at this time of year. Whenever you trim your plants, it is a good practice to add a little fertilizer to the soil to ensure that the plant has the nutrients on hand to heal its wounds quickly.
Here’s are the top ten plants not to prune at this time of the year https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aBwAkdXob8.
3. Prepare the soil.
Once the frost has lifted and the soil is workable, start preparing your garden beds. Winter tends to make the soil become compacted, so the first thing you want to do is loosen it back up by tilling or turning it, work the soil to loosen it up. Any mulch or leaf litter that is well-composted should be mixed right in, but if it is too fresh, you should remove it first. Add compost and fertilizer. If you have poor 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. Then rake the soil level and water it lightly to help it settle and release air pockets.
Here’s a video to help you with https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQrKKmYUh6E.
4. Set up new planters and garden beds and do an early planting.
As things can get exciting it’s easy to end up ordering more plants than you have places to put them! So make sure you plan ahead. Now is the time of year to build garden beds and order new pots to ensure that you have enough of a space for your gorgeous plants. These are some cool beds to consider . https://homebnc.com/best-flower-bed-ideas/
Get the first wave of planting done. Many plants can be started indoors this time of year for planting out in spring, and particularly hardy vegetables are ready to be planted now. Look at the plant information for whatever you intend to plant.
To help those roots settle into their new home loosen and aerate the soil then water well. Compacted or waterlogged soil slows down root growth. Be careful not over water your plants. Plants growing in soil that is too wet suffer from a lack of oxygen which leads to death of the roots and loss of vigor of the plant. Stunted growth with yellowing leaves is a symptom of over watering.
This article is a go to for choosing plants to start indoor https://www.therusticelk.com/8-vegetables-you-should-start-indoors/. Check it out!
5. Apply mulch.
Last but not least, apply a thick layer of mulch wherever you can. Mulch is another layer of protection for your outdoor plants. It is much more effective at keeping weeds from becoming established if you can get it in place before the weeds start sprouting. It also helps hold in moisture.
To guide you in mulch application check out this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_mQs21b95w.
Your garden may look a little tired and dull after Winter has taken its toll, so a quick garden makeover is well timed as the weather starts to get warmer and Spring kicks in. It is never too early to get stuck back into the garden after a long, cold winter, and the sooner you do it, the more time you’ll have to enjoy it.
