Spring is coming quickly and it’s time to start planning and planting! Earlier, we shared 3 tips on preparing your garden for the coming spring. Here are 4 more things you can do before the winter is over to make sure your garden is ready to grow!

4 Tips to Prepare Your Garden for Spring

1. Plan Your Space

Winter is the perfect time to plan and design your growing area. Planning your area will make gardening a lot more fun and problem free throughout the year. Place weed suppressing fabric under areas you do not want any plants to grow in the winter and it will save you many hours of pulling weeds in the summer.

For a more natural weed block, place cardboard in between rows and other empty spaces in your garden. Another great thing to do during the early spring is to place edging material around your paths to keep them separate from your garden.

2. Grass Tune-Up

Most grasses are one of the first plants to start growing again in the early spring. About a week or so after you notice your lawn start to come back, start a regular mowing routine. The first mowing should be cut a little higher than you normally cut to ensure healthy growth. This first cut is really to help the lawn even out as it regrows in patches as it recovers from winter.

Cut your lawn on a regular basis every one or two weeks depending on your region. Spread the used clipping in your garden or even back over your lawn so that the nutrients left in the clippings return back to your soil.

3. Prune

Cold winters can be hard on most plants even if they are meant to live through the cold. Look closely at the “limbs” of your plants. Often times, many outer branches or leaves can die off to protect the plant during the cold months. Look at the base of the plant to see signs of early growth.

When you do see signs of growth, trim off any branches that look dead so that the plant doesn’t waste time or nutrients trying to repair dead branches. When pruning, look for the limb collar just past the point where the branch and the stem connect. Cutting just past the limb collar will allow it to repair the open wound you have left. Watch for the signs to cut and don’t forget to compost what you do prune off.

4. Clean-Up and Organize

The last thing you want to make sure you do before spring hits is to clean and organize your growing area. Blow off, rake and/or sweep up any debris you don’t want in your growing area or paths. This is also a good time to wash and dry any empty planters you plan on using. Stack items you use for certain projects together so that you are ready to grab and go when it is time to do those projects.

A little clean-up will leave your growing area looking prepped and ready for whatever spring has to offer. Good luck and happy growing this spring!

 

Photo: Karen Roe

 

By Jake Frazier

Jake Frazier is an outdoor enthusiast and the owner of Residential Ecology, a sustainable ecological resource management company. He uses existing natural systems to improve the quality of life for both humans and the Earth. Jake is interested in permaculture, living systems and exploring. Connect with him on LinkedIn.