Spring Gardening Chores

When the winter snows melt and the warmer winds blow, it's time for those spring gardening choresto begin. Gardeners everywhere come out of hibernation and need to get ready for the busy growing season. I've found that if I don't make time for my spring gardening chores, then I get behind very quickly in my gardening.

Spring gardening chores are labors of love and our plants and shrubs need this love in order to give us a dazzling display later on. As we begin to feel the "spring gardening itch," there are gardening chores that we can do to get a jump start on the growing season.

Clean Out Your Shed or Garage

Wherever it is that you keep your gardening items, that's where I'm talking about. This should be your first spring gardening chore and it may take a lot of time. If you get behind on this one, you'll have a hard time catching up when the really nice weather comes. Wherever your gardening items are, this should be your first spring gardening chore: Recycle old pots or reuse them; clean your gardening tools with warm water and very little bath soap, then oil them; wash your gardening gloves; stack up your bags of compost, soil, and mulch so that you know what you have; organize everything so that you know what you have and where it is. Once the nice weather arrives, you'll want to be in your garden and not the shed searching for things. Once this spring gardening chore is done, you can breathe a sigh of relief!

Wash Container Pots

If you didn't wash out your container pots last Fall, then it needs to be done now. Pick a fairly warm day with the sun shining and wash the pots in warm water and a little bubble bath. Bubble bath soap or bath soap is not as harsh as dish detergent and will still do the job of killing bacteria and cleaning your pots. This spring gardening chore will also get rid of any fungus or bug larvae in your pots.

Remove Dead Leaves, Branches, and Stalks

Just before the last frost may arrive is the time to cut down all the dead stalks on plants and shrubs. Getting rid of the deadwood will give your plants and shrubs more exposure to the sun and promote new growth. If you have new growth on limbs, then cut just above that new growth. If you're not sure when your frost date is, check with your local garden nursery.

Raking up dead leaves will remove any fungus or bacteria that may hurt new growth on your plants. It will also get rid of any pests that have taken up home amongst the leaves for the winter.

Adjust and Add Mulch

The winter winds and snow may have shifted the mulch in your garden, so gently rake the mulch around until it's level. Add more mulch if necessary using the mulch in your shed first and then purchasing more if you need it. Always use what you have leftover from last year first.

Preparing or Conditioning the Soil

If you had a problem area last year or if you're going to plant some new flowers or shrubs, nows the time to till the soil providing it's not frozen. If the ground is still frozen in your area, then wait until it gets warmer and thaws. There's no point in breaking your foot or your tools.

When the ground is ready, turn the soil over and add any lime, compost, or other healthy additions that your soil needs. Let it just sit and warm up with the rest of your garden for a week or two before planting in it.

Check Your Drip System

This spring gardening chore isn't exciting but it needs to be done. Once it becomes warm and your drip system has thawed out, it's time to check it for cracks and leaks. Turn the system on and check each plant or shrub to make sure the water is dripping properly. If any plugs seem to be clogged, then try to clean them out otherwise replace them. Check the hoses for cracks and leaks also and replace any sections that need replacing.

Fertilize Plants

Not all plants and shrubs need to be fertilized in spring, however, once my plants and shrubs are established, I do fertilize them once in the spring and then again in the Fall. I find this makes the plants healthier, stronger, and happy. I tend to fertilize in late spring to avoid a frost and on a sunny day with temperatures above 50 º F. Fertilizing plants is an easy spring gardening chore, but it can be time consuming if you have several gardens.

Plant

Here's the spring gardening chore that we've been waiting for. Once the warm spring weather has arrived and you're past the last frost date for your area, it's time to plant. Some veggies can be planted in this cool weather such as onions, garlic, and lettuce. If you purchased plants online, then you'll have to wait for them to arrive but at least your garden is ready for them and you can plant them right away. Otherwise, head to your local garden nursery and have fun shopping!

Source: Personal Experience

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