Easy Tips for Spring Gardening

Posted On May 13, 2013

We don’t claim to be experts and you certainly don’t have to be either, but we do love to garden! Gardening is good for the environment and great for your health, so here is a great list of easy tips to help get you started this Spring season!

Maintenance

images: bird bath, water barrel

1) Survey Your Yard:

Check for any damage to steps, paths and fences from freezing and thawing during the season change and take care of any fallen tree limbs. It’s also the time to cut down last year’s perennial foliage (which makes a great addition to your compost).

2) Prepare/Install Water Barrels:

Position your water barrel below a down pipe to utilize rainfall. Rain water is great for your garden and isn’t alkaline like most tap water. And it’s true, Spring showers certainly do bring flowers.

3) Clean Bird Baths and Feeders:

Want to feel like a Disney princess and wake up to the sound of birds chirping? Well clean out your bird feeders! Disinfect them by using a weak bleach solution (1/4 cup bleach: 2 gallons warm water). Make sure you rinse and dry the feeders before refilling them.

Planting

1) Prepare the Soil:

Soil needs to be nutrient-rich, to enable your plants to absorb moisture, anchor roots, and grow up strong! Here is a great site that gives great insights into achieving optimal soil conditions: TLC Home “How to Prepare Soil for Planting”.

2) Location:

When planting a vegetable garden or even flower beds be mindful of areas in your yard that will receive full sun and those that are mostly shady. For instance tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and most leafy greens do the best in areas that receive at least six hours of sun a day. While carrots and other root vegetables are capable of thriving in shadier areas.

3) Herbs:

Grow your own herb garden. You’ll be surprised how fast your herbs will sprout after only a few weeks. They’re also great because they can be transplanted from indoor pots once the ground stops freezing over night and will thrive in the nutrient rich outdoor soil. Fresh herbs make healthy food taste sensational. Think of all the money you will save growing your favourite herbs to cook with!

4) What to Plant Now:

Spring is the optimal time to start planting the following veggies: arugula, bush beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, spinach, swiss chard and turnips. The following flowers are also perfect for Spring planting: daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, sunflowers as well as the wildflowers from our plantable paper!

We hope you find these Gardening tips helpful, and if you want to add to these tips we’d love to hear from you on our Facebook page!

{as seen in 30 Handmade Days}