06 Feb How to Prepare Your Garden For Spring Planting
Spring is such an exciting time; it’s an excuse to start fresh. Why not make good use of this time and start to expertly prepare your garden for spring?
Here are a few tips for getting the best jump start on spring gardening.
1. Clear your garden of dead leaves and weeds
Flowers and other plants prefer a tidy place to grow in, so make sure you have a tidy plot of soil for them. If you have perennial plants, cut back the dead growth. Dig up around 2.5 to 3 inches of organic matter (i.e. compost, etc.) and dispose.
2. Plan ahead for summer-flowering plants
To make sure you get beautiful, blooming plants and a colorful display in the summertime, start planting them in early spring.
3. Scrub down your greenhouse or Urban Cultivator
If you grow your plants in a greenhouse, make sure to wash it down before spring arrives. Sweep the floors and benches, and even consider using a mild disinfectant for the inside of the glass so as to get rid of any pests that could potentially harm your plants. Be thorough! They can live in the tiniest of nooks and crannies. Make sure you ventilate your greenhouse for at least a few days before you plant your greens.
If you have an Urban Cultivator, cleaning it should be a part of your monthly maintenance—not just spring! This, of course, also means that you can plant all winter long.
4. Clean your gardening tools
As they say, cleanliness is next to godliness, so make sure your gardening tools are in tip-top shape. Just like your greenhouse, they may also carry bugs or diseases, so give them a good scrub as well to ensure they don’t have a chance to infect your plants.
5. Remove any unwanted pests
This is not a euphemism; get rid of any hibernating pests such as aphids, slugs, and snails now so that they don’t even have the opportunity to get at your plants. One bug to look for in particular is the white vine weevil larvae (not pictured, simply because they are just too gruesome-looking). They live in the compost and will, without a doubt, feed on plant roots.
When you grow in an Urban Cultivator, pests are a non-issue as it’s a completely enclosed unit!
6. Look for a variety of ways to get your seeds, and plant a variety of seeds
Ask a neighbour for old seedlings, check out seeds you’ve never planted before at hardware stores, or get cuttings from a friend. The possibilities are endless! But be sure to read up on what kind of plants you’re getting in your garden; some plants do not play nice with others, and will take up an entire plot. Plan your garden plot on paper so you know exactly where everything will grow.
Urban Cultivator offers a wide variety of seeds, including lesser known ones like nasturtium and red veined sorrel. Plus, you can restock anytime by heading to our online store.
7. But don’t get ahead of yourself
Be patient. Don’t rush your plants, and try to give them an easy transition. Take your seedlings outside and continue to water them in their trays for a week or two. Eventually, they’ll acclimate to the outdoor environment.
If you’re growing with an Urban Cultivator, there’s no need to rush because the greens take as little as a week to grow. Not only can you grow throughout the winter, but it’s also a lot faster than growing outdoors.
Hopefully with these tips, you’ll get a nice head start on preparing your garden for spring planting.
With an Urban Cultivator, you can grow fresh vegetables, herbs year-round. You’ll have the freedom of growing an enormous variety of produce 365 days a year!
Growing in an Urban Cultivator is quick and easy, and will save you a bundle of time while guaranteeing lush, flavorful, and nutritious food.
Got tips for preparing your garden for spring planting? Let us know in the comments section!