Whether spring has arrived or you are just starting to get through the cold winter, it will soon be time to plant a spring garden. This is the most exciting season of the year. By then, we are tired of the cold and snow, ready to witness the transition from hibernation to new growth, and ready to throw ourselves into gardening. According to RubyHome's data, about 55% of U.S. households (71.5 million households) like gardening. The main reason for gardening is they want to build a Beautiful outdoor space and they just enjoy growing plants. Spring is the most active time in the garden and an important time to determine if your garden is off to a good start. Before you whip out your trusty gardening tools and seed packs to unleash the energy you've built up over the winter, you're better off preparing your spring garden in advance.
Whether it's preparing a garden bed, restoring a hardscape, or just doing a little pruning and moving to get your plants off to the right start, mastering the following tips can help you successfully kick-start your garden's spring season.
Arrange flower beds and borders
Arrange roughly to remove leaves and other debris from flower beds and edges. You can cut down dead deciduous grasses and perennial herbs now, though it's best to leave them until early spring if you want to be wildlife-friendly.
The boundaries are clear and the beds revert to bare soil. Put the dead organic matter you've cleaned up into a compost heap or bin to decompose. Remove any weeds you can see and burn them or put them in your brown trash can. Do not compost them as the seeds will germinate and cause you more problems later.
Planting requires longer-season seeds
In January and February, you can start planting seeds from plants that have a longer growing season, such as geranium, begonias, antirrhinum, capsicum, and eggplant. They need to start in a heated breeder or similar place to ensure good growth.
Check the raised garden bed
Inspect the flowerbeds for damage. In winter, wet soil from rain and snow can put pressure on the wooden frames of raised garden beds. You need to make sure that all of your beds are structurally sound and ready to accommodate plants and soil. To do this, repair any bent or cracked wood on the frame.
Hunt down and remove garden pests
Hunt down and remove hibernating pests now. It will save you a lot of trouble in the spring and summer. Look closely at the perennials' canopies to check for slugs, snails, and aphids' wintering.
If you haven't cleaned out your potted plants since last summer, do so now and check for white grape weevil larvae, which live in compost and feed on the roots of plants. Eliminate any larvae you find and prepare to treat the vine weevil with parasitic nematodes or chemicals this year.
Trim shrubs and vines
Now is the time to prune the roses, shrubs, and perennial vines. Once new shoots have appeared, cut off the dead branches and shape the plant. Research appropriate pruning techniques and pruning times for each variety, and don't prune until spring after flowering.
Maintenance and organization tools
You may have done this work in the fall, but there are often tools that need cleaning that you've been using all winter. Pruners/secateurs, spades, shovels, pitchforks, scythes, and a wide variety of hand tools are kept in good condition throughout the growing season. However, with constant work, the edges wear out and need to be re-sharpened.
Therefore, you need to scrape excess dirt off the tool, wash it with soapy water, and let it dry completely. Coat metal parts with boiled linseed oil to prevent rust. Make sure your lawnmower and other power tools are in good working order and refilled or inflated as needed. Clean out your garden shed or garage, organize tools and garden supplies, and get rid of any items you no longer use.
If your tool breaks and is beyond repair, don't forget to buy a new one in advance. After all, you may need it a lot in the spring. You can almost find any garden tools you need at Wayfair, including a branch pruner, shovel, rake, trowel, water bottle, garden tool holders, cleaning tools, or even a garden tool bag. Don't forget to use WayFair coupon codes to get additional savings. That will also reduce your cost of gardening.
Add compost to your garden
Adding the right kind and the right amount of compost to your garden can only improve it. Not only is it good for the health of the soil, but it can also improve drainage if you have drainage problems in your garden. Add an inch of compost directly to the top of the soil and plant it directly, or dig it deeper as you till it.
Of course, you can buy compost locally or make your own using scraps from your kitchen, yard, and garden. If you've been putting off plans to install a compost pile or bin in your backyard, now is the time to install it. Start in the spring so that you have plenty of aged compost to add to your garden at the same time next year.
Gardening will add fun to your life at any time of year. Spring gardening is the keynote of the year. So taking the time to complete some basic spring garden tasks will pay dividends in the coming season. Then, enjoy the joy of gardening!
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of sciencetimes.com
