Ask the Experts

It’s Time to Prepare Your Garden for Spring!

It can be easy to abandon your lawn during the colder months. The bleak weather, cold earth, and the morning frost can make yard work seem like an unnecessary task. But did you know that if you make time to tend to your landscape during the cold months, you are more likely to reap the rewards of a show-stopping garden come spring?

One of the best secrets to having an amazing spring garden is to prepare it during the cold months, so that when the sunshine and warmth hits the soil, your plants are sure to thrive. In cooler conditions, the soil is moist, it’s a less physically demanding time to work, and there are a lot of plants that start their annual growth cycle at this time of the year. 

It’s January, and your lawn is anxiously waiting for your attention and care. It’s a great time for renewed energy, fresh starts, and grand plans for the months ahead. Make the best use of the start of the year to get a head start in preparing your garden for spring. 

Regroup

A lot of us became focused on the holiday festivities, so at the start of the year, we’re most likely ready to get back into something resembling a routine. This month is perfect for evaluating where you have been and where you would like to head, and your landscape is no different. Start a garden journal – write notes about what happened to your garden last year and what are your goals for your garden this year. Here are some things to consider:

  • Take stock. What are your existing garden tools, and what are the tools on your must-have list this year? This month is great for checking out those garden bargains.
  • Growth. Are you ready to take your garden to the next level? This is a great time to turn your landscape vision into a reality! Turn that old ladder into a trellis, those pallets into a raised bed, and get supplies for that ideal garden shed you’ve been dreaming about.
  • Get organized. Now that you have the details mapped out, you can focus on the details. Clean your pottery, plan your seed order, go through your tools to identify what needs replacing, updating, or repairing.
  • Plant. January is a great month to plant seeds. Once the soil is workable, you may start preparing your garden beds. Get the first wave of planting done! Perennials and bulbs are great choices, and they are pretty straightforward to plant. It is also a good time to start planting those microgreens for your kitchen counter. Who wouldn’t love fresh produce from their garden all throughout the year?

Plan and Maintain

Plan for your new garden spaces. Take inventory of your existing seeds and make a list of new seeds. Now is also the perfect time to do the following:

  • Pull the weeds.
  • Tidy up remaining debris from borders and flower beds. Clear them back to bare soil.
  • Fertilize the beds once the ground thaws.
  • Inspect the shrubs and trees for winter damage. Now is also a good time to hunt down and remove remaining pests that are hibernating to save you from a lot of headache in the coming months.
  • Rake matted leaves. Clean up the last of the autumn leaves. They can smother small plants and can be detrimental for your lawn.
  • Prune your trees and shrubs. This might come as a surprise, but the cold months are perfect for pruning!

As you can see, there’s plenty to do at this time of the year. Start preparing your garden for spring by working your way through the list. You will be sure to hit the ground running once the growing season finally arrives!