How to Prepare for Your Spring Garden in the Dead of Winter
When the temperature is below freezing, it may not be easy to think about your spring garden, but that does not mean you shouldn’t try. When the weather is chilly, it’s the ideal time to plan. It is also the perfect time to evaluate your difficulties during the previous growing season, get more information about the plants and techniques that thrive in your growing zone, and devise a strategy to make the following year’s garden the most successful yet. You might be under the impression (as I might have been under the image in the past) that all you need to do is go to your neighborhood hardware store or superstore around April or so, buy a few packs of seeds, and then plant them in the ground. After a few months, you’ll see something growing from the roots. You’re mistaken in essential respects. Even during the colder months, it is possible to cultivate edible plants. It’s not exactly brain surgery, but you must think about it and plan it out.
What You Should Be Doing in the Fall to Prepare Your Garden for the Spring
These tasks must be finished before the system freezes (or at least quickly after the first frost).
Remove and dispose of any plant components that have been infected. Nevertheless, not into the compost bin! (If you put them in the compost, the weeds may grow again in places where you utilize the compost in the future.). Mulch any plants that could be sensitive to the cold (approximately 8 inches thick), even vegetables that are meant to overwinter, such as carrots, to ensure that they are still living come April. If you are unsure about the condition of your soil, you should get it tested. Simple soil test kits give you pH and nutrient levels. It is possible to supply nutrients as required. However, you may also carry out this procedure in the springtime.
Make sure that all of the beds have either compost or mulch. A substantial layer of compost is added to my raised beds before they are covered with a floating row crop cover. This serves two purposes: it protects the soil from frost, and it keeps it from being compacted. The nutrients in the compost will gradually seep into the ground throughout the winter. It doesn’t stop rain or sun from getting through, but it does keep the soil warmer so I can start planting earlier in the spring. This is delicious for the worms! Using a compost pail outfitted with a charcoal filter is another option for creating your compost store inside the house. It masks the smell until you can take it outside and empty it. Gardening tools and equipment should be cleaned, maintained, and stored correctly. Take note of any that require being changed out. Put this item on your Christmas list if you need a new set of hand tools of the same high quality as the ones included in this kit.
Repair any garden equipment that has substantial damage, or send them in to have it done professionally. Create a list of things you would want to receive as gifts. The holiday season will soon be here! Things that you may put to use in your spring garden are beautiful choices for presents for other people.
Making Preparations For Next Spring
Place your order for seed catalogs. Because many firms are reliable, you should quickly place repeated orders. It’s possible that what you uncover will surprise you. When you’ve got an excellent catalog, you’ll find that it makes your mouth wet and makes you want to get your hands dirty. Seeds of Change and Baker Creek are two of my personal favorites among their kind. Selecting heritage types of plants is likely the best course of action if you intend to harvest seeds from your plants to start new plants in the future. Consider whether you would like to lengthen your growing season using cold frames or other methods. You need to plan and construct everything appropriately to give it a go.
Begin by diagramming and figuring out what you want and where you want it. It’s time to get more particular once you’ve laid out the broad strokes of your design, which should include a vegetable garden, a herb garden, annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees. A diary created especially for gardeners will provide you with space to plan your garden, record your gardening activities, and observe what was successful and less so. In addition, I am trying to remember all of this information from one year to the next. When making plans for my spring garden, I frequently consult mine. It’s my green thumb at work here!
Check the seeds you have on hand to determine if they will germinate and check if they are viable.
When planning, you should begin with the trees because these plants take the longest to grow and will be there for the longest. Following that are shrubs, perennials, including any perennial herbs; annuals, including vegetables; and finally, any plants contained within pots. The final remaining potential plants that you genuinely want even though they cannot live in your region. In my instance, I bring a potted chamomile and an aloe plant inside for the winter. Both of these plants are in containers. Lemon trees are grown by specific individuals, although it might be virtually anything else instead.
Put the following inquiries to deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals:
Have you thought about planting any new ones?
Which kind is it?
What impact will planting them have on the other plants growing in the area? For example, if you plant a tree that eventually grows to be quite broad, you generally won’t want to plant shrubs or anything else that will live a long time in the vicinity of the tree. On the other hand, annual flowers work well and add a beautiful splash of color.
Is there any other plant that cannot live in the same space as it?
Which types of plants thrive in this environment?
Where on your property do you want them to be located? You could conclude that you want a vegetable garden next to the driveway, but to keep your teenage driver safe, there should be some shrubs in the path. Begin making your selections based on what you desire! This is the most enjoyable part. I need to keep track of time when it comes to seed catalogs.
Things That Should Be Kept in Mind When Selecting Plants
Decide what it is that you are seeking and why. I enjoy growing uncommon heirloom variants of popular plants, such as banana melons and yellow carrots. You may like the more conventional orange carrots. This article might help make these choices because it offers guidance from an experienced gardener. Do you wish to include your children in this activity? My youngest child enjoys going to nurseries to select plants. It brings him an unfathomable joy to choose plants, plant them, care for them, and (sometimes) consume them. Certain sections in the garden haven’t had any planning done to them, so he may plant anything he wants there. And indeed, there are occasions when he chooses a location that I am aware is not optimal or drives me a little bit insane. But it will continue to travel there until there is a compelling reason for me not to, such as the fact that it will be directly in the mower’s path and be killed. It is important to remember to determine the growth zone in which you dwell. For the most up-to-date and accurate information, inquire at a nursery in your area or see if the county or state extension office has any further resources accessible.
Before growing a herb garden, it is essential to research which weeds are undesirable or harmful in your region. For example, I planted lemon balm, which can spread wildly, but I carefully placed it in a spot where the house, the driveway, and a brick path formed three sides, which helped to restrict it a little bit. (It appears to be a member of the mint family, and all members of that family are easy to cultivate.) Even though it is classified as a weed, yarrow does not spread rapidly like lemon balm. For someone like me, who doesn’t spend much time in the garden, yarrow will be more resistant to the effects of my chronic neglect.
Think about the things you use and the food you consume. A few years ago, I planted approximately eight oregano plants, and they did well, although I only use oregano in my cooking occasionally. Because lavender has a pleasant aroma and insecticidal properties, I’ve decided to grow a lot of it all around the home. I have an interest in natural treatments. Therefore I have planted chamomile, yarrow, and several varieties of mint in my garden. The two that are left are potted. Two reasons: the first is to prevent it from spreading and taking over everything, and the second is because it cannot last an outdoor winter in our environment.
What Measures Should Be Taken When It’s Almost Spring?
Think about the conditions outside: Is this winter particularly chilly or snowy compared to others? Or is it not harsh? If the temperature is moderate, then there is no need to do anything special for your plants. On the other hand, if it turns out to be an exceptionally chilly or snowy year, you should take extra precautions to safeguard your plants. The previous year, I was devastated to discover that practically all of the strawberry plants I had carefully cultivated from a few beginnings over the last four years had perished. Even if they did not require it in the previous years’ milder winters, a layer of mulch placed on top of them would have prevented the cold from penetrating and kept the plants alive.
Take advantage of the enhanced visibility afforded by the fact that most of the plants on your grounds are currently dead or dormant, and thoroughly inspect the area. Is there any evidence of erosion in these areas? In that case, you have a project for the spring, and you may begin researching and making plans for the most effective way to address it. It is also an excellent opportunity to consider several solutions for discouraging animals. For example, activated sprinklers help safeguard your spring garden when motion is detected.
Do the walls, foundations, paths, or anything else appear to have been damaged by the roots? Make sure you inspect the region that is close to the well and the septic field as well. In the spring, have a trained expert deal with any troublesome roots that may have been growing. Do some research to find a reliable tree service, and ask your friends and neighbors for recommendations. Where do the snow and ice melt first, and where does it not melt until the very end? This gives you an understanding of which areas naturally receive more sunshine and which naturally receive less sunlight. The microclimate(s) in your backyard will be a bit different once the trees grow leaves and as the angles of the light shift during the year, but this will give you a starting point.
When the Dead of Late Winter Is Finally Here
Even though the ground is frozen and unworkable, it is time to plant. First, your hardy (early season) plants should be started inside. Then, after around four to six weeks, you can plant them outside and bring the subsequent seedlings to start indoors. When the weather worsens, consulting a map of your area’s Grow Zone can help you decide what to grow and when to plant it. We hope that you and your family will find these suggestions helpful in getting enthused about your garden for the following summer and that you will have a successful growing season.