Do You Know Its Time to Get the Garden Ready For the Year

The season is changing. Its time to get the garden ready. Preparation is very important. It could save you time and trouble in the future.

Getting ready for summer

Get all of the old leaves raked up. Check the soil carefully. Are there any perennials to prune back? This will help them get ready for the summer weather ahead. You will need to refresh the soil. Buy plenty of bags of topsoil. Buy some bags of manure also.

Check the PH of the soil. You need to know it is acid or alkaline. Do you have a soil PH testing kit? If not, you might consider buying one. You can use a PH meter. It may not be as accurate as the test kits. However, it can give you good idea of the soil PH. A PH reading of seven is neutral ground. The lower the number, the more alkaline content is in the soil. Numbers over seven have an acid balance.

Your future crops will need a particular soil PH. It may be slightly acidic or alkaline. It may be neutral. You may find information on seed packets. There is plenty of information available online. It your ground is too acidic, you can add ashes or lime to sweeten the soil.

You may require an acidic soil. Sphagnum peat moss will work well. Decaying material will also be acidic. You can use compost or decaying leaves.

This is a good time to add Epsom salts to your soil. You will increase the magnesium content.

Crop rotation is very important for your soil’s nutrients. Change areas where you plant certain crops. Do this with related crops like nightshades. This includes potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers. You will have to do less fertilizing, this way.

Mix up the soil and aerate it. Use a garden tiller, if you have access to one. You can get rid of weeds and unwanted plants.

Now is a good time to plant some marigolds. Make sure that it is past time for your last frost. Plant them along the edge of your garden. They will help keep insects away. If you want a head start, plant the marigold seeds indoors, early. Then you can set them out in the warm weather.

Winter preparation

The warm weather of summer is ending. As the leaves turn, it is time to consider the garden. Snow will be here soon. Get the leaves raked. Mow them with the mower. Make sure you have a grass catcher. You will not have to pick up or rake leaves that way. Just dump the bag onto your compost heap. If you have no compost, you can put them into trash bags.

Clear the land. Throw everything possible into the compost pile. Do you have a compost pile? Start one if you do not. Do not throw any diseased or sick plants onto the compost. Before the first frost, pick all vegetables and fruits. Do not forget green tomatoes.

Final thoughts

Use spring to get ready for summer. Take advantage of autumn to prepare for winter. Your garden will look better. When its time to get the garden ready, you will know what to do.