Quick Tips to Garden Ready
Getting your garden ready and prepared for the growing season in early spring will benefit you throughout the growing season. Whether you have an existing garden or you are starting a new growing space, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Sunshine, Sunshine, Sunshine
As we all know, plants need sunlight to grow. Make sure your location gets at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, your garden should face the south while in the Southern Hemisphere your growing location should be facing north.
Let’s talk Shade!
One thing I always remind my clients about is to look around and make sure that there aren’t any structures like fences or buildings or trees that will block sunshine or cast a shadow on your garden.
Â
Clear the area
The biggest benefit you can do for yourself as well as the garden is to clean the area by removing grass, weeds, or debris. Removing weeds is a big deal because if left alone they will take over not only the space where your plants are growing but they will steal nutrients from the soil as well.
Know Your Soil
The best way to know your soil is to test it. Through testing, you will be able to find out the pH and nutrient levels. Healthy soil aka a successful garden is dependent on soil nutrients and pH levels.
In gardening, pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of soil. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14 with 7pH being neutral. Acidic soil has a pH below 7 and a pH above 7 is
alkaline soil. Most plants prefer slightly acidic
soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
Nutrients in the soil are affected by the pH. Some nutrients become more available at certain pH levels. For example, iron is available when the soil is more acidic while phosphorus becomes available in alkaline soil.
You have a few options for testing your soil. One is to purchase a basic soil testing kit which will give you a limited number of readings on nutrients and pH levels. Another option is to do a soil test through your local university community extension office. They will do a very detailed test of nutrients in addition to pH and most often the first testing time is free!
Compost away!
Every spring, I add 3-4 inches of compost to the top 6 inches of my garden soil. Compost introduces nutrients and beneficial microorganisms to your garden. It improves drainage and aeration and sets the foundation for thriving plant growth and a successful garden!
Â
To learn more about gardening, check out my NEW ebook;
"Grow Your Garden: The Basics and Beyond"!!!