Early spring planting tips- Happy first of Spring!

It’s officially the first day of Spring so what better way to welcome in the new season than with early Spring planting tips.

Gardening is such a fun and relaxing way to let your mine run free, getting your hands dirty, organizing your tulips in an orderly fashion; all of these are fun parts about gardening.

For years I have loved to garden, I have a small garden next to my house where every so often I putz around in and work on my tomato plants. But, gardening does not have to be all about growing vegetables, it also encompasses flowers. Planting and seeing the beautiful bright yellow flowers, the neon pinks and reds, the shiny golds and the beautiful hues of brown peaking through. These are the things that make gardening fun, seeing your hard work, and being able to share your laborious task with neighbors. Making garden salads or displaying the beautiful sunflowers on your table.

Spring is officially here which means it is time to prepare our gardens so when Summer arrives they will be ready. But, before you can partake in the glorious task of gardening you first have to prepare the ground. Which is why you best be starting early because if you start too late then your flock will not be blooming in time for Summer.

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Tips for early Spring planting- Don’t start late! Let’s get cracking!

Get your soil ready:

Preparing your soil for a spring garden should be done as early as possible. The main process is tilling your garden area around 8 to 12 inches beneath the surface and removing any rocks or debris. The next major step is to add organic matter and fertilizer. One thing you want to avoid is tilling when your soil is too wet. The extra water will hinder plant growth.

Weeding your yard:

Weeds can be a pesky thorn in your side—especially if you let them run wild for most of the winter. Wedding is the boring and tedious work of caring for a garden, but it must be done. Start early, and do a little at a time so you won’t tire yourself out.

Fertilize your garden with coffee grounds:

During the winter, you may have moved some of your shrubs to indoor planters – now’s the time to move them back out again! Using coffee grounds to prep your soil is a great way to save a little money and be a bit more ‘green’ in the process. The grounds are filled with nitrogen, a mineral that aids in vegetable and plant growth. Simply add them to your compost pile or directly into the soil itself.

Use cooking water on your plants:

Watering your plants using left over cooking water is another great way to add a nutrient boost with the vitamins and minerals left behind after you have boiled some pasta, vegetables, or potatoes. Just be sure to let the water cool down before you feed it to your plants.

Use chamomile tea to ward off plant infections:

Watering your plants with chamomile tea is a great way to help ward off bacterial and fungal infections that come with springtime. Spraying your plants with a chamomile tea mix a few times a week will help stop your seedling from damping off.

Plant egg shells along with your vegetables:

Throwing some eggshells in the same hole that you will be planting your vegetables in help your plants avoid “blossom end rot” which is often cause by a calcium deficiency. Just be sure to grind up the egg shells as much as possible.

Garden at night:

Many gardening experts believe that planting at night will help your garden grow faster and stronger than by planting during the day. Planting at night also maximized your water usage. Just be sure that you have the proper lighting to see what you are doing. Since the cold of the winter months might not have completely passed, you should probably wear a sweater, too!

I found these tips on beekman1802.com

Tips for planting early spring flower pots

Talk to your local gardening shop and ask them what flowers and plants work best in your area for early spring planting.  It will vary depending on your location and climate.

Gather other necessary supplies:

• Styrofoam packing peanuts (enough to fill each pot 1/3 full)
• Fresh potting soil (like Gardener’s Gold)
• Fertilizer (like ferti-lome blooming and rooting soluble plant food. The high middle number (9-58-8) is responsible for the flowering of plants and flowers, which means it’ll help your potted plants/flowers have beautiful blooms − or if you’re planting fruits/veggies, this helps with food production.)

Fill your pot 1/3 full with styrofoam packing peanuts (they partially fill the pot without adding weight, and allow for air and water to have room to move around the roots of the plants). Fill the remaining 2/3 of your pot most of the way with potting soil (leaving a few inches of space at the top, you’ll need it in a few minutes!).

Arrange your flowers in the pot before you plant. Once you’re happy with the arrangement, then start potting each one (don’t forget to gently tear some of the roots on each flower before you plant it, this helps the roots spread into the surrounding soil and promote growth).

Add more potting soil once all your plants are potted, to fill in any holes.

Water your flowers to make sure they’ve got a nice, fresh drink to help keep them perky.  Don’t oversaturate your pot.

Fertilize, dead-head & water your flower pots to keep them looking their best all spring!  Fertilize regularly (organic and chemical fertilizers have different instructions, read carefully!  The site I looked on recommends organic for pots, as chemical fertilizers leave a salt residue), remove expired blooms (so the plant’s energy can go to make new ones!), and water when soil is just barely moist (don’t let it dry out).

I found these tips on westerngardens.com

The 5 Best Vegetables to Plant in Early Spring

Click on the vegetable to bring you to the site where you can find out how and when to plant them.

1. Asparagus
2. Lettuce
3. Peas
4. Rhubarb
5. Spinach

Here are some sites that share more some helpful tips.

• suaveyards.com
• shop.mybluprint.com

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Have a great day 🙂