Spring Gardening Tips

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

13 Mar 2008 12:04 PM

If the weather is beginning to warm a bit then you must have thoughts of spring and gardening. There are still plenty of rough winds out there, a couple of good ones tried to blow us off of the playground just yesterday. But, there is plenty to do in March to prepare the garden.

As soon as the weather gets mild, the grass will come out of hibernation and start to grow. Now is the time to check over the lawnmower for any repairs that might need to be made.

The first spring cut of the lawn should be made carefully. Use a rotary mower if possible and set the blade high to avoid pulling out the grass by the roots. And it is better to mulch any leftover fall leaves rather than raking. The rake could pull up the grass roots, especially in the soft moist soil that occurs in the spring season.

Because of the muddy and wet conditions that tend to occur in the early spring, choose a good drying day for planting the first seeds. You don't want the seeds to rot away in wet soil. alternatively, you can start the seeds indoors until you know that you'll have some good drying days.

Prune back your shrubs before the new growth begins. Don't prune any early blooming shrubs, such as rhododendrons, magnolias or azaleas, or they may not bloom. Add some peat around the base of those above-mentioned shrubs in the spring. The peat will keep the ground moist and make the soil more acid, which these shrubs love.

Start your early vegetables. Potatoes are a good crop to sow in early spring, although they do take up a lot of space. Dwarf beans and early runner beans can be sown directly into the ground. Be prepared to cover delicate vegetables if there is the danger of a frost.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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