With the beginning of warmer temperatures, snow melting, and ice thawing, our thoughts turn to the upcoming spring. Early spring gardening can be exciting, but knowing what to do and avoid to ensure your garden thrives is essential.
Don'ts
- Plant too early: Avoid planting tender plants until night temperatures consistently reach 50 degrees.
- Over-fertilize: Fertilizing too early can push new growth that's vulnerable to frost.
- Step on perennial beds: Avoid compacting soil by stepping on perennial beds.
- Don't prune Oaks, Elms, or Walnut trees: These should not be pruned in early spring.
Do's
- Start seeds indoors: Begin seeds for tomatoes, peppers, annuals, and perennials about six weeks before the last frost date. In these parts, the last frost date is May 15th.
- Prune trees and shrubs: Prune trees and shrubs, but avoid pruning spring flowering shrubs and trees.
- Plant bare-root trees and shrubs: Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and roses as soon as the soil is thawed and dry.
- Check hoses and sprinklers: Ensure hoses are leak-free and sprinklers undamaged.
- Clean up perennial beds: Cut back the dead top growth of perennials and grasses, leaving about 3" of the stem.
Reviewing these pointers gets me excited to get my seeds, organize my tools, and get started on some serious garden planning. I will use the month of March to make this happen!
For the Love of Plants - Kelly
