Katherine Clarkson

The ground is warming, the trees are budding, it is almost time to plant your flowers and vegetables. But, before we plant our garden, there is a lot we can do while we are eagerly waiting for the last frost. If you carry out the succeeding steps, you will sow your seeds and seedlings as soon as the weather allows.

The first step is to sharpen and cleanse your tools. Tools with a clean sharp edge can save time and prevent the spread of disease. To clean your tools, mix one part bleach with nine parts water and let them soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Do not use splash-less bleach because the sodium hypochlorite is only 1% to 5%. It is not strong enough to sanitize and disinfect.

Next, pull weeds from your flowerbed and the surrounding area. A weed is simply a plant growing where it is not wanted. After identifying and eradicating weeds, prune your perennials and ornamental grass. Some perennials such as hosta, daylily, yarrow, beebalm, and hollyhock get cut back in the fall. In the spring you can prune coneflower, Russian sage, aster, and lavender. To prune, use your sharpened, sterilized tools and cut the foliage down to just a few inches from the ground. If any of your plants are diseased, throw them out. Do not add them to your compost as that can spread the infection.

Subsequently, fertilize and tidy up your evergreens. Shake off any dead needles from the winter. And apply a balanced fertilizer with all the macronutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) such as a 10-8-15 or 11-7-7.

After that, analyze your soil and make improvements if necessary. To learn more about the condition of your soil, here are two DIY soil tests. The first is to identify your soil’s texture. The ideal soil comprises 20% clay, 40% silt, and 40% sand. 

Choose the area you would like to test and dig down about 6 inches. Add the soil to a mason jar about one-third and one-half full. Next, add water to 1 inch from the top. Then set the jar aside to let the soil soak up the water. After that, screw the lid on tightly and vigorously shake up the jar. Set the jar down and after one minute measure the amount of sediment on the bottom. That is the sand in the soil. Wait four minutes and measure the next layer of sediment. The difference between the two numbers will be the amount of silt. Take a third measurement in 24 hours and the difference between the second and third number will be the amount of clay. 

An amendment for all three types of soil is to add organic matter. For sandy earth, you can add aged manure, peat moss, or sawdust. If you have silty topsoil, add aged compost with broken down straw. Last, if you have clay soil, add peat moss mixed with compost.

Next, test your soil acidity and alkalinity levels. To do this, place 2 tablespoons of your topsoil in a bowl and add one-half cup of vinegar. If the mixture bubbles, you have alkaline loam. In a fresh bowl, add 2 tablespoons of soil and moisten it with distilled water, then add one-half cup of baking soda. If the mixture fizzes, you have acidic terrain. Mix finely ground limestone to the acidic dirt and add sulfur to alkaline soil. If the soil has no reaction to either experiment, then the pH is neutral. Always add a small amount at a time and remeasure as needed.

The last step is to dig a crisp clean edge around your garden beds. Not only will this improve the aesthetic, but it will also prevent your lawn from crawling into your garden. Although edging may seem like a lengthy task at first, once we create the edges, maintaining them is much easier.

Following the preceding steps is not always an effortless task, but they are very beneficial for your garden. Your plants will thrive in the nourishing environment you created for them. Thank you for reading and if you have questions, please reach out at katherineclarkson2@gmail.com.