Prepare your garden for spring planting

How bad is your spring fever right now? Are you aching to get outside and start your garden growing? While you’re waiting for the new growing season to be in full bloom, here are some ways to prepare your garden for spring planting.

1. Plan. Look at your gardens and decide what you want to plant, and where. Draw out a plan so you know the seeds, bulbs, and plants you need to buy. If you didn’t dig and divide your perennials last fall, move them now.
2. Clean up the beds. Rake up the dead leaves, branches, and debris in your gardens. Pull the weeds. Dead-head the perennials.
3. Prune trees and shrubs. Trim away the dead ends of branches to promote new growth. Be careful not to cut too far into the greenery that has already started to grow.
4. Prepare the soil. When the ground is dry, till the soil, digging about six inches down to churn up and aerate the dirt. Then, work in compost or fertilizer–at least an inch deep, but the more, the better. Remove rocks to make way for new plantings. Apply an organic fertilizer and rake the soil to get ready for spring planting.
5. Fix the edging, trellises, and fences. Repair or replace damaged edges, sides, fence, or trellises to give your garden a sturdy and attractive foundation.
6. Scrub your garden tools and pots. Clean your gardening tools and sharpen the blades. You not only improve the performance, but also prevent the spread of any germs or diseases that have been lurking there.

Spend a little time now and you’ll make it much easier to do the plantings and ensure they have a healthy start. Before long, you’ll be enjoying a beautiful garden.