Let’s Ignore THAT Forecast and Focus on Garden Planning
Chores n’ Tasks before Spring
Wash and/or disinfect your pots. I have collected some sturdy pots over the years, mostly as I keep the better pots when purchasing larger plants and shrubs. Many are sturdy enough to have no issues going through the short dishwasher cycle. A wash after spending months in the cold garage, with temps below freezing, will clear out most disease. If you want extra protection, a dip of the pots into a solution of 1 part bleach in ten parts water will also disinfect pots. Vinegar will also work. Ensure pots are fully dry before filling with soil.
Disinfect and sharpen your metal garden tools. If you don’t have a sharpening kit, a DIY is a foil sharpening tool. Layer upon layer of heavy duty aluminum foil, folded into a thick 4×4″ little book. Put the blade in the crook and carefully slide the foil over the blade repeatedly in one direction. Wear glasses to protect your eyes and heavy duty gloves to protect your hands.
Do a final count of the seeds you plan to plant this year. Then ensure you have enough planting and other garden equipment needed to support this year’s garden. Soil mix pots, heating pads, lights, thermometers, shelving, fertilizer, supports, fencing ect.
Do a tuber/bulb check of any stored items. Discard any too dry to sprout. Look for excessive softness and rotted tissues, dispose if you do. Once you touch diseased or rotted tissue, change gloves or wash hands before touching another bulb/tuber.
What diseases and critters need repelling? Do you need fungicide, squash vine borer traps, solar vole repel stakes or neem oil? Consider what you need this coming season. If it works in your budget, beat the rush and buy now.
Check your garden calendar to ensure you are on track. I’ve counted back from my estimated last frost/plant out date and written down the dates of seed starting and planting out. Climate will provide the final date, but it is nice have in black and white when I need to start my tomatoes, peppers, onions ect. I discovered I missed noting my onion information.
Check your trees. Thanks to a record breaking snowy winter, my trees and shrubs have been severely damaged. I properly wrapped my younger trees back in the fall. Unfortunately, two feet of snow, far more than a usual winter, gave rabbits access to parts of the tree generally out of reach. I did not wrap my apple tree, as it is a mature tree that has been ignored all the other years. Why this year? No clue. Rabbits are just meaner in 2023.
The End