Getting your Spring garden ready
It’s that time of year where the birds are singing, trees are starting to bud, and temperatures are warming up. Do you know what that means? It’s Spring gardening time!
Whether you’re new to gardening and need a bit of guidance, or you’re a long-time gardener who might want a refresher, I thought we’d take today’s blog and talk about how to have a successful Spring garden.
Soil
We’ve had so much rain lately in Northeast Oklahoma and surrounding areas that the ground should be good and ready to start turning. Having the right kind of soil is really important to getting your garden off to the right start.
Mushroom dirt is a great choice because it’s filled with nutrients. You can also use kelp powder to help prepare the soil because it helps enhance the nutrients. I know I’ve had really good results from that. Be aware that some soils will need lime treatment. This is especially true for when you’re growing cold-weather crops such as Brussel sprouts and cauliflower.
When to plant
I understand the instinct to want to start planting everything the first warm weekend we have, but anyone who knows Oklahoma weather knows harsh cold snaps can follow warmer days in early Spring.
Some foods, like potatoes, onions, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli, are cold-weather plants and can be planted now. Be careful, though, to plant them as plants and not from seed. This will give them a better chance at surviving the elements. They also take longer to produce and if they get caught in hotter weather later in the year, they won’t be as productive.
Around the second week of April, you can start planting seeds such as lettuce, spinach, and kale. A couple of weeks after that, you can start planting pretty much anything else with your seeds or plants of choice. By the end of April or early May, you can start with tomatoes, melons, peppers, etc.
What to plant
Many people have their favorites they plant every year either because their family loves those specific vegetables or fruits, or because it is what works well in our soil here. Some of the most popular produce to plant includes green beans, squashes, corn, peas, and various lettuces.
I also encourage you to look at trying a few new-to-you vegetables or fruit this year. You’d be surprised at what produce that is popular in other countries and regions can also perform well here. Take a look at Napa cabbage, bok choy, leeks, and maybe a few other greens.
No space?
Not everyone has acres or even huge backyards to plant a vegetable and flower garden. You can still have a garden! Container gardens on the patio can be a fun way to grow microgreens and other small plants.
Pest control
A big question many gardeners have is how to control pests. Many want to be as natural as possible, and there are ways to do that!
You can plant companion plants, such as dill in between your tomatoes. Marigolds also make a great natural pesticide. Something that can be both fun and practical is to buy ladybugs and release them in your garden to protect against aphids.
You can lessen the number of weeds by using mulch or a barrier over the soil before planting.
What are you planning to plant this Spring? We would love to hear about it.