Early spring: An active time for in the garden
A little work in early spring provides big rewards later
Early spring is a celebration of the new cycle of life in the garden. Everything in your garden depends on the soil. What you do now determines whether your plants are going to have nutrients and moisture later when they need it.
It is a good time to have your soil tested and add any amendments that may be needed. Do this as early in the season as you can. Some amendments need time to stabilize in the soil before planting tender young plants. Once the soil is dry enough, check the texture of the soil and add as much organic matter as needed. A little organic matter now will help conserve water and keep plants at a much more even moisture and temperature level during the harsh summer months. Read more ...
More on soil
There are several critical factors you need to know about your soil. First, is the pH. The acidity or alkalinity of your soil determines what will grow happily in your soil and what will fail. Some plants like blueberries and rhododendrons like to be on the slighty acid side—that is, with a ph of 5 to 6. Other plants favor a more alkaline soil with a higher pH of 7 to 7.5.
Soil composition can vary not only from city to city but literally from
front yard to back. Your soil may be loamy or silty, or like ours in the
Willamette Valley of the Pacific Northwest, really very clay-ey. Before
putting in precious plants, you need to analyze the character of your soil.
Read more ...