Authored by:
Earth Science Team
What should you be doing to make sure you’re ready for spring? Here are four ways to beat the winter chill and prepare for the growing season.
Even with much of the United States in a deep freeze, now is the perfect time to think about spring planting.
What should you be doing now to make sure you’re ready to get in the ground? Here are four ways to beat the winter chill and hurry on to spring … in your mind, at least.
Think about last year’s garden. What worked and what was disappointing? Were there certain plants or flowers you had too many of, or too few? If you use the winter months to figure out your crop rotation, you can order the seeds you’ll need for the season ahead of time. But act fast—even this early, providers can run out of the most popular ones.
It’s not the most glamorous part of gardening and growing, but you’ll be glad later that your shears are sharp and your tiller is working. Demand is lower during the colder months, which means you can often find the best prices and selection through February. Move fast, though—prices tend to spike in March.
Soil pH is critically important for healthy growth, so test your soil now to get a baseline. A pH level between 6.0 and 7.0 is ideal, but even if you’re outside that window, soil amendments like RevitaSoil are great at bringing old soil back to productive use, transforming everyday soil into a fertile, healthy environment that nourishes plants and re-energizes growth. Fight soil fatigue by rebuilding the nutrients and structure in the ecosystem.
Onions, leeks and celery take a long time—they’re worth starting indoors as much as 12 weeks before the last frost. Peppers and eggplants need almost as long—more like two months. If you’re working with less common plants, check your seed packet, which should give you an ideal planting date.
Get started early. Take enough steps now to escape the winter doldrums, and you can almost feel the mosquitoes start to swarm.
