It’s nearly that time of year at last! There are so many jobs to do in Spring in the Veg Garden, it’s difficult to know where to start, but all it takes is a little planning to help you get organised and then just get stuck in!
- PLANNING MAKES PERFECT: If you can get started early, it’s a great job to do when the weather is bad and you’re itching to get started in the garden. Order your seeds and make a list of everything you want to grow and a plan. Map out where you intend to plant everything and decide if anything needs to be moved. Also list out your jobs in a practical order of priority, this will help break it down into manageable tasks, and ensure that you don’t waste any time.
- CLEANING AND CLEARING is the best way to start the ball rolling. Clean out your pots and clear up the shed. Tidy up any old dead growth from last season and weed and fork over your veg beds and borders. Wash out seed trays and get everything ready for sowing your seeds. Now’s the time to mend fences and build any new vegetable beds.
- PRUNING AND PLANTING: Cut back any old raspberry canes to the ground and tidy and divide strawberry plants. Prune any fruit bearing trees by mid march or before they start growing any leaves. Warm up your veg bed prior to planting by pegging down black plastic or newspaper and cardboard ready for planting rows of onion and garlic sets. Sow your first batch of early peas, leeks, salad leaves and broad beans. Chit your seed potatoes in old egg boxes on a bright window sill.
- DIGGING AND MULCHING: Turn over your compost heap, and mulch your veg beds with a generous layer of organic matter to give them a boost and help to warm them up. If you don’t keep chickens or live near a farm, order some sacks of mushroom compost or well rotted manure to mix in with the mulch to make sure all your veg beds are ready for the new season.
- PREPARING AHEAD: If you’re planning to plant runner beans this year, you can get started now. Prepare a trench around a foot deep in a sunny sheltered spot. Layer any kitchen vegetable peelings and crushed eggshells or coffee grounds directly into the soil, and once you have completed the row, cover over again with earth. By the time you plant the young bean plants out, the kitchen waste will have broken down and provide a rich soil and source of nutrients for your bean crop!
We have had such a long winter in New England. I can’t wait to get outside. Such a great post! Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty
I love this! I can’t wait to get out there and start my garden. Thanks for linking up to Good Tips Tuesday. You will be featured this week.
It won’t be long now! Thanks for hosting 🙂
I can’t wait until we get a house to have a huge garden. We are going to try to do a small one on our patio this year though. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty
You’ll be surprised how much you can grow just on your patio! Thanks for hosting! 🙂
i have just started clearing and feel that it will take a while yet. hoping easter weather ensures I can get out into the garden.
I can’t wait to get back to the garden, we have had a lot of rain, which we needed. You have a great to do list! Your post is awesome and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Happy Spring!
Miz Helen
Thanks Miz Helen! I’m excited for spring too!
Great list of gardening tasks! I love to garden and things are warming up well here in Florida. Potatoes are breaking ground and the peas are about to be planted, seed trays are being filled in the greenhouse and I can’t wait for everything to get sprouted and start producing. Then it will be onto canning and preserving! 🙂 Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty!
Stephanie
So Simply Stephanie
Thanks for stopping by Stephanie, you are so lucky to live in Florida!
So glad I saw this post at Tuesday’s Table! I am planting my first ever vegetable garden this spring and need all the help I can get.
Fantastic! Good luck with your vegetable garden – there’s no going back!