Spring will be here before you know it and while it's tempting to wait for temperatures to rise to get your hands dirty, the important work in your garden starts much sooner. Preparing your garden for spring seed sowing and re-emerging perennials will ensure your plants thrive once April hits. Whether you're beginning your garden from scratch or revamping a mature plot, there are a handful of gardening chores to add to your checklist before spring arrives.
Research should be the first task on your list. "Before you start digging in your garden, make sure that it's the appropriate time to do so based on your agricultural zone," says gardening expert Molly E. Williams. "If the ground is still frozen and there's still a threat of frost, you'll mostly be wasting your time." The zones correlate to your geographical location and will not only inform when to plant, but also what to plant as certain crops only thrive in certain zones.
Buying your seeds before spring arrives will give you ample time to plan, which is key when it comes to successfully planting them. "Every seed has different germination requirements. Some need to be started indoors while others will need to be direct seeded," says Williams. "If you have a lot of planning to do, make yourself a calendar that highlights what needs to be started or planted when."
During fall and winter, it's likely your garden beds filled up with fallen leaves, debris, and weeds. Clean them out before spring to make way for the new. "Not only is it important to remove weeds from the garden, but it is really important to remove them before they go to seed," says Adrienne Roethling, garden director for Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden. "If left unattended, dispersed seeds will lie dormant until conditions are favorable for germination. In some cases, more aggressive weeds will smother desired plants."
Also remove dead material from plants like hydrangeas, ornamental grasses, woody perennials, and more. "In some cases, woody perennials may re-emerge from the stems or the roots depending on the severity of the winter," says Roethling. "It's always best to scratch a small section of woody stems to look for green. Hydrangeas are in the same situation."
There are a few things you should do to prepare your soil for spring. It's likely your soil became compacted during the cold weather, so the first step is to till or turn it over until the soil is workable. Next, conduct a soil test to ensure the pH level is suitable for your plants. "Once results come in, apply your fertilizers and soil amendments based on the results in spring," says Roethling. For example, if your soil is too acidic, you may need to add a compost mix or other less acidic materials to correct the pH levels. Continue reading from Martha Stewart
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