A Few Practical Ways to Prep Your Garden for Spring.

It’s Officially Time to Prep Your Garden.

With the final freeze just around the corner, landscapers and gardeners everywhere are starting to assess their stores of seeds and garden implements to make sure that they have everything they’ll need for a bountiful spring. For new gardeners, and for those of us who endured cold, icy winters, it can feel overwhelming to step into the shed and get together everything you need to start breaking ground. Well, we’re here to make this easy for you; this quick guide will take you through garden prep step by step. We’ll keep it simple and practical so you can break through the anticipation and get started on your latest spring gardening project.

Organization is the Friend of Success

You can’t start building a puzzle without knowing where all of your pieces lie, so naturally your first step is to organize your gardening supplies. Things like fertilizer, pesticides, pots, mulch, trays and hand trowels should all be kept in a cool, dry location that is stable and not at risk of tipping over. A sturdy set of shelves designed for heavy wear and tear should do the trick for most home gardeners. When it comes to larger tools, wall-mounted shelves with solid hooks are almost always your best bet; a shovel is much easier to access while hanging than it is lying up against a wall. If you’re looking for some rust-proof hooks for mounting shovels, these pool pole hangers are the perfect solution.

Filling the Gaps in Your Inventory

Now that you have taken stock of what you have and what you don’t have, you can easily decide what you need to purchase. In terms of seeds, seasonality is most important. Spring plants generally love a lot of heat and water, so avoid things like lettuce or kale. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes and onions are all great examples of spring crops. Now let’s talk tools. You need a good shovel to break out hard-packed dirt and dig holes for any larger plants. A metal rake is a must-have for spreading mulch and shaping soil, and a hoe is excellent for quickly removing pesky weeds. Don’t forget hand trowels, watering cans, gardening gloves, or a good knee pad to protect your legs while kneeling on the hard ground.

Location is Everything

If you are fortunate enough to have a whole yard at your disposal, make sure to plant in a spot that gets 6-8 hours of direct sunlight for any flowers or vegetables. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t just plant into any old soil. Start with a fertile and well-drained soil mix, compost, and some rich, high-quality fertilizer to feed the microbes in the soil and encourage root growth. You can either dig about a foot down into the ground to replace the native soil or do your gardening in a raised bed. Raised beds can fit on porches or patios, and they make plants easier to care for because you have total control over the soil environment. You can even have a windowsill garden if you have at least six hours of sunlight!

Summing Things Up…

Take things one step at a time, and before you know it, you’ll have a beautiful garden in your own yard. Let’s do one more quick rundown of each step: take inventory, and determine what you have and don’t have; Take a close look at your seeds, make sure they are in season, and don’t forget to note how much direct sunlight, space, and water each plant needs; lastly, break ground with your shovel or fill a raised bed with a well-curated blend of soil and organic materials. You are now officially ready to get started gardening! Best of luck, and may you have a bountiful harvest.

Hungry for more gardening ideas? Check out this post about potting soil: What You Should Know About Potting Soil: What Works Best and When