It’s not too early to get ready for spring! Shake off your winter blues by following our tips for planting this spring.
1) Create A Blueprint
Grab a pen, piece of paper and your creativity to draw a layout of what you want your garden or landscape to look like. By putting a plan in place, you will be better prepared before you start breaking ground. Create a basic blueprint that shows where you want to plant vegetables, flowers, trees, etc. and where existing plants or structures are located in order to plant around them. Factor in dimensions, shade-prone areas and areas that receive good light so you know the ideal spots for plants that may need more or less sunlight. Also think about the slopes and flat areas of your yard so you can determine whether or not you will need to create water drainage paths.
If you need some help and don’t know where to start, check out the resources and classes your local garden club offers to help you get started. Click here to learn more about the National Garden Clubs.
2) Assess Your Tools
Make sure your tools are in good condition. The head-to-handle connection on your tools should be tight and not loose. The grips should be well secured and not cracked or slipping off the handle. Also, make sure your handles do not have broken areas.
If you find any tools with these problems or just want to see our variety of tools, click here to check out our selection of tools and click on the “Where-to-Buy” link to find out which retailers carry that tool.
You also want
to make sure that you’re using the right tool for the projects that you’ll be working on. Using the wrong tool can make your tasks more time consuming or tiring than they have to be. For example, have you tried using a bedding fork to spread mulch? It may not look like a tool for mulching but it’s designed in a way that it scoops, holds and spreads mulch! If you’re not sure what tools you should be using, check out our Tools for Tasks section.
3) Make a Schedule
Spring weather determines when you can start digging into the ground, especially if it’s rainy but it doesn’t hurt to create a schedule that can be adjusted as you see how the weather pans out. Start by listing out all of the tasks you need to accomplish in order to have a successful garden. Here are some areas you may want to think about:
- Starting seedlings indoors
- Assessing your tools and buying new ones
- Preparing your soil
- Transplanting grown plants
- Planting seeds or bulbs outdoors
- Maintaining your garden throughout the growing season
After you list out your tasks, assign dates to each one and you’ll be on your way to turning your garden dreams into reality!
