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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.
Enriching soil
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 ...
Organic matter also prevents the ground from turning into hard pan which can greatly restrict root growth and hence the total growth of the plant. Have you ever tried to add two inches of compost to a bed with plants in it without damaging the plants? I personally do not have the patience for it, and hate to accidentally kill plants by squishing them. The easiest way to avoid this is by adding your compost before your plants. Your plants will thank you later by requiring less maintenance during the heat of the summer and reward you by being more productive.
Timing is everything
Early spring bulbs come out to remind us that it is time to start paying attention to our garden. I let my crocus act as a garden timer. Once they peek up and say hello, it reminds me that it's time to go out and take a stroll through my garden and see how well it survived winter. This is the perfect time to prune back winter damage, and examine shrubs and trees for possible problems. Look for any signs of insect damage and take whatever action is needed. Please remember to destroy anything that may spread disease. Don't add diseased trimmings to the compost because you may contaminate your entire compost pile. (This is especially important if you aren't scrupulous about getting the internal temperature of your compost pile up high enough to destroy fungi or bacteria.) Feel free to add healthy trimmings to the compost pile, but keep in mind that large woody items are break down slooowwwwly so if you want to speed things up you may want to chip large items.
Cleaning
Spring cleaning is good for your garden. I personally like to leave my fall trimmings on the ground as a winter mulch to help protect the soil from the negative effects of winter, but I also want to reduce the risk of carrying over infestations from the previous year so I clean my beds. Pulling up the winter mulch in your beads allows the soil in you beds allows your beds to warm up and dry out faster which allows you to work the soil sooner. It also allows you to take a close look at the soil and get to it so you can add what it needs as you prepare you beds for the new growing season. The old mulch is also a great boost to your compost. A good hot compost pile will consume your winter mulch very quickly and will hopefully destroy any uninvited overwintering guests.
Cold frames and greenhouses
Cold frames and greenhouses can also help you get a jump start on the growing season. Even cold climate gardeners can enjoy a salad from the garden before the winter chill is completely gone if they use a cold frame. Starts from seed in a greenhouse can save a lot of money. Cold frames and greenhouses don't need to be expensive or large to make a big difference. You can make your own simple cold frames or green houses from recycled materials with minimal effort, or you can create elaborate structures with built-in timers to control temperature and humidity. I prefer the inexpensive ready to assemble options that are available in most garden centers during the early spring. Growing from seed not only saves money but can greatly enrich your gardening experience. You may even find yourself continuing the time honored tradition of collecting and sharing seeds. Cold frames and greenhouses can greatly reduce the cost of our garden while increasing our production and enjoyment.
Early spring is of the end of winter so get out and enjoy the new season. Let the fresh spring air and sun make our homes a more comfortable place to live. It is time to chase away winter blues with a fresh clean house and the start of a productive garden.
(© S. LLoyd - 2007)
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