Already? Great beets alive, pull your heads out of the sand and get busy! There are seeds to buy, ground to prep, compost to turn—
Oops—did we forget to start the compost pile? Can’t find it under all the snow? Well, leave it be then, there are plenty of other things to keep us busy. Like gather the tools, plan for location, check the water supply… Now where did that sprinkler go?
So many things to think about could scare a gal clear out of the garden, but hold on to your tool belt, because we’re going to make this easy! As pie. (Because we all have time to bake pie, right?)
No, we don’t, but we DO have time for a garden. Whether you prefer flowers or vegetables, it all works the same. First we peruse the glorious pages of our seed and bulb catalogs, indulging in visions of beautifully lined walkways and patios bursting with bloom. Remember: edible landscape is all the rage now. Next we imagine the luxury of plucking fresh produce from our very own garden, our very own salad buffet just outside our front door, organic and healthy, host to a fiesta of ladybugs and bees.
Perfect. These babies love to mix and mingle with the butterflies and dragonflies hovering nearby. Are you with me? Can you feel the excitement, the powerful rejuvenation after a long and cold winter? It’s true. Springtime is the season of renewal. From the soft grass underfoot to the blossoms at our fingertips and the vegetables in our basket, spring is when we take heart in nature and plan for another harmonious year ahead.
A wonderful outlook to be sure, so don’t ruin it with angst or reluctance. And to keep your restless mind from wandering, here’s your short list for things to do:
1 – Figure out where you want (have space) to plant your flowers/vegetables.
2 – If this space is overgrown, cut everything back. “Hey, a little room here? We need room here!”
3 – Not enough seed catalogues? Break out the search engines type the keywords of your heart’s desire!
4 – Educate yourself on companion planting, ie. who likes who, who can’t be in the same row as who. (You know what I’m talking about. Sometimes plants can be so difficult.)
5 – Sharpen your tools. Or find them. Whichever works best. I suggest 3 to start: weeder, cultivator and hoe – if you’re serious about this, that is. Otherwise, ditch the hoe. It’s a back-breaker. Check my Prize Picks section for some of my favorites!
6 – Dirt check. Not all dirt is created equally so a soil test would be a good start. Give you an idea of how much work this garden thing will really entail.
7 – Gather your mulch. Newspapers, pine bark, old dead leaves… They’re all members of the organic mulch building blocks association and the make for the perfect weed prevention/fertilizer.
8 – Don’t forget to locate your hose. Plants won’t grow if you don’t water them. Genius!
9 – Buy a wind chime. Some birds need scaring and you need relaxing. Makes for nice ambiance, too. We do want to visit our garden, don’t we? Daily visits are one of the secrets to successful gardening. (Just ask Jax from my novel, Jennifer’s Garden — the man knows his business!)
10- Dream. Wistfully daydream and contemplate about the wonder your garden will become.
Once spring ever gets here, that is.
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