I know what you’re thinking, “He’s talking about gardening in spring? It’s still February!” Well with me that’s a given but if you have any interest in getting a good organized start to your 2010 gardening season you will start thinking about it too! Winter isn’t just a time to hole up in our homes staying close to the fire with a cup of tea and waiting for the relief that comes with the spring sun. Winter is the perfect time to plan ahead and get an idea of what you want to accomplish in the garden. What exactly do you need to do to get ready? Here are a few ideas that I tackle during this time of the year:
- Figure out what I want to grow whether vegetables, flowers, or both – everything works better when you plan it out.
- Once I know what I’m going to grow I have to figure out what to buy. Do you buy seeds or do you buy plants? Should you order through a catalog or buy from a local store? Figuring out what to buy can be tricky because when I peruse the 15 or more plant and seed catalogs I receive every year I end up with a list of more seeds to buy than I have money in the bank! The catalogs can entice you with their pictures but it’s important to take everything in the catalog with a grain of salt. Some companies Photoshop their flowers and vegetables to make them look much better than they should. Which brings me to my next point…
- Do some research! If you don’t know the details about a seed or a plant figure out a few things before you buy. What growing conditions does it need? Is it determinate or indeterminate? (especially important when you are determining to buy indeterminate tomatoes! To put it simply, determinate are bush types and indeterminate keep growing like a vine, it’s a little more technical than that but that’s a good guideline to use.) What kind of yield can be expected? How do they taste? What kind of soil conditions will help the vegetable thrive? Some of the best resources are the heads of fellow gardeners so don’t be afraid to ask those who garden their opinions (or check out their blogs – sorry, shameless plug). Trust me, they are always happy to talk gardening!
- Find out when to plant the plants. There are a couple things you need to know to determine when to put your plants out. If you are planting seeds find out your last frost date and could back the recommended days to start a plant (the package usually says something like “sow seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost.” The last frost date is different depending on where you live and is never a guarantee but just a guideline.
- Some plants such as spinach, sugar snap peas, chard, lettuce, radishes, and others can withstand some frost and planting can begin much earlier than the last frost date. Here in Tennessee many of those vegetables I just listed can be planted this month! Just keep in mind that germination rates will improve as the soil warms.
- Get your supplies and your budget ready. Figure in allowances for mulches, watering, compost, fertilizers (I like the organic stuff), pest deterrents and anything else you might need.
- Build your raised beds. Raised beds are an essential element of my garden. There are all kinds of benefits to gardening in raised beds that range from improved soil to easier access for elderly or handicap gardeners.
There you have a short list of things to think about before gardening this spring. How do you plan out your spring gardening?
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TC,
I seem to remember reading your article and it’s a criticism I’ve heard before, a very valid one. I can’t say (because I don’t know for sure) which companies do that but it’s a bad idea since what you can receive may end up looking different from what you thought you were purchasing. If you find the link, let me know and I’ll add a link in for you!
Good advice Dave. Your statement “The catalogs can entice you with their pictures” brings to mind an article I wrote for The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. I’d give the link but for some reason the Post-Gazette’s Web site search feature isn’t responding to my query.
Colleeen,
The mulching is a big one! I use several pick-up truck loads each year to cover my ornamental beds. I think this year I may be buying pine needle for some outlying areas – easier to spread. Clean straw for the vegetable garden. Mulching is probably one of the most important things to do!
Great tips, Dave. The one about budgeting is often overlooked, I think. It’s easy to focus on the fun stuff (plants and seeds!) and forget to consider the costs that go into maintaining a garden — if you mulch a lot (as I do) that’s a lot of money each spring, just for that one thing (but I wouldn’t skip it for the world!)
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