How to Prep Your Spring Garden

In the bleak midwinter it can be hard to imagine the flourish of a spring garden, but those with a green thumb will tell you that there is no time to prepare like the present! Lawn treatment never hurts and is highly recommended, so clean off your tools and ready your gloves and apron – it’s time for some pre-spring lawn servicing. Here are some tips you can follow before the end of this winter so you’re ready to go come the spring.

A Composting Area

Take all of the leaves and foliage that accumulate this winter and start creating compost for the next generation of spring plants. You can build an enclosure with some spare pieces of wood, clearing off your lawn and garden and putting unwanted clutter to use at the same time. You can also obtain the needed materials at a garden store or online.

Place Water Butts

Now is a good time to place some watering cans and containers around the garden to collect rainwater. Most lawns and gardens only receive tap water, which is typically slightly alkaline, so collecting the slightly acidic rainwater and giving it to the plants that prefer it, like Blueberries and Camellias, is a great way to put it to use. It also helps the environment.

Look for Garden Pests

While it’s still cold, a lot of the pests that plague gardens and lawns in the spring are lying dormant in hibernation. Look out for snails, slugs, and aphid colonies, as well as weevils. Churning your topsoil will give you an idea of what’s lurking in your garden. The winter is a good time to catch them before they can cause damage in the spring.

Order Spring and Summer Seeds

As you daydream about planting this spring, we’re sure you have specific flowers and plants that come to mind. Now is the perfect time to get a head start and order those seeds. Take an afternoon to search the web for all your seed needs.

Check Your Soil

Soil condition is extremely important, and the winter months when it rains, snows, and freezes is exactly when your soil condition will be affected the most. Pick up about a cupful of soil and mold it into a ball. Then drop it from about three feet above the ground, or just see if you can break it apart with your hands. If it stays in solid sections after breaking instead of crumbling, it contains too much water. Clay soil that is too wet will feel slick when rubbed. If this is the case, you should schedule Atlanta Lawn service to come out and conduct an evaluation.

If you follow these tips, you’ll be sure to reap the rewards at the beginning of this spring season! You’ll have fresh compost for the roots of your plants, abundant sources of water, and soil that’s easy to grow from. Make sure to keep adding layers of fresh foliage to your composting area and to bundle up if it’s cold outside.