Jump-Start Your Spring Garden
As we enter the early days of spring, you might be ready to start gardening. However, whether you want to grow veggies or colorful annuals and perennials, there’s plenty of work involved. Use these tips to nurture a lush garden filled with vegetables and blooming flowers this season.
Plan your space
If you don’t already have a garden, find a location suitable for one. A garden can be created almost anywhere, such as in your yard, in a container on your balcony, or in a raised garden bed.
A key consideration to where you should place your garden is how much sunlight the spot receives. Most vegetable plants require full sun or six to eight hours of sunlight a day. Ideally, pick a sunny area facing south to get the most sun. If you can’t put a garden on the south side of your home, unshaded spots on the east or west side of your home are also good options. Many flower varieties also require full sun, but if your yard is shady, there are some shade-loving flowers too. Research the type of flowers suitable for how much sunlight your garden area will receive.
If you don’t have a plot of land suitable for a garden, a few small containers will work. Vegetables and flowers can thrive in a bucket of dirt or a garden pot you’ve painted or decorated yourself.
Organize your tools
Take an inventory of your gardening tools. You will need gardening gloves, a hand cultivator, a round-head shovel, a hand trowel, a bow rake, and a watering can or garden hose. Clean the tools you have by scraping them with a stiff wire brush and hosing them off.
Prepare your garden location
If you are digging a garden plot in your yard, use a shovel and rake to clear the area of rocks, twigs, and grass. The quickest way to get rid of grass sod is to lift it from underneath with a shovel. If you’re concerned about the depth you’re digging, dial 811, the national call-before-you-dig phone number, to avoid accidentally cutting into utility lines. It might take up to a week or more for the utility companies to mark where the lines are located underground, so call well ahead of when you want to start planting.
For a container garden, add potting soil to your container. If you are growing foods, such as fruits, vegetables, or herbs, you should consider using organic potting soil.
Add compost
Compost contains nitrogen, which is essential for plant growth. Spread a two- to three-inch layer of compost on top of your garden area after your plot is cleared of grass, debris, and unwanted growth. Bagged compost from your local garden store is easy to get, and you can apply it to your garden immediately. It’s easier to dig when the ground is moist, so wet the dirt or use a spade or garden fork after it rains to work the compost into the ground and loosen the soil underneath. You can use compost mixed with the potting mix in your container garden too.
Check the pH balance and nutrient composition
The quality of your soil is critical when gardening. If you are starting a garden plot in the ground, you should have your soil tested. Most state universities provide soil testing through a cooperative extension service. These soil-testing services can tell you the pH balance of your soil and whether it’s missing essential nutrients. Your test results might also include instructions for how to improve your soil’s pH.
Decide what to plant
Research online, leaf through catalogs, or talk to garden-loving family and friends to get an idea of what to plant. When choosing plants to cultivate, you need to be aware of your plant hardiness or gardening zone, when plants should be placed in your garden, and the plants’ sunlight needs.
If you want to start planting in early spring, look for cool-season vegetables, such as lettuce, peas, spinach, cabbage, and brussels sprouts. Frost can damage or kill plants, but these hardy vegetables can be planted before the last frost date in your area. Cool-season vegetables thrive in soil that’s between 40°F and 75°F. A soil thermometer will help you determine when the soil temperature is right for planting.
Hardy annuals like pansies and snapdragons can survive a frost and be planted in early spring, but wait until your last frost date has passed. Annuals must be replanted every season, while perennials grow back every year. Annuals also bloom for a longer period of time.
Start planting
Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to plant! Be sure to consult the backs of your vegetable, flower, or herb seed packets for information on when to sow your seeds, how deep to place them, how soon they will sprout, when your flowers will bloom, and how much sun your seeds need.