“It’s raining but the tulips are still managing to poke their green shoots out of the mud, a promise that spring is coming, and so is the sun. I suppose I owe it to them to at least keep my head up until then.”
~Quote adapted from one by Writers Block
Only 25 days until my beloved spring returns. The new life I long for along with all her secret promises will soon come up out of the ground. And this year, they are secrets. As you all know Dave, the boys, & I moved into our home this past December, so many of the flower beds were well into their winter sleep.
Of course I can identify most of the bushes, shrubs, and plants but I’m sure there will be many ‘spring’ surprises popping up out of their winter slumber. The one thing I am so excited about is the magnolia tree in our backyard right off our deck. I have always dreamed of having one, but they are such a slow growing tree, so I never planted one.
With spring comes new life… but presently life is dormant, still, and cold.
Winter is filled with dreams and anticipations of planning new garden projects. I am incredibly excited for what I am planning here in our new yard! I am very excited to share the whole process with all of you here, and of course on my social media platforms and at my NEW YouTube channel!
I am actually going to spread this topic into 2 parts. Today I’ll go over my easy 5-step how-to plan your spring garden. In Part 2, I will show you how to diagram it out!
Spring is one of new beginnings… fresh hopes… dreams of what will be…
The dream I’m ever longing after is feeling the dirt once again along with the warmth of the sun.
I thought with all this dreaming we’d look at something all of us die-hard gardeners are doing… planning our gardens.
Here is my Easy 5 Step How-to Plan Your Spring Garden tips to get you started in the right direction.
Gather your seed catalogs!
Gather all your seed catalogs, sticky notes, a pen and high-lighter along with a notepad. Once you’ve decided on the amount of space you have in your garden you’ll know what you need and the quantities.
Be sure to check out my YouTube video on How-to Place Your First Seed Order!
What do you want to grow?
Decide on the varieties that you want to grow. The best way to do this is to plot out some time when you can sit and peruse your catalogs. Read variety descriptions carefully to determine light, soil, moisture and spacing requirements.
Draw your garden design out !
I always draw out my gardens so I have a visual to see. You don’t have to get as detailed as mine… I just enjoy the whole planning aspect. You can use graph paper or a piece of notebook paper. Be sure to think about your space and its limitations.
I’m going to go into great detail in Part 2 of this topic blog. So keep posted for more on this!
Determine available space.
When planning your garden you need to keep in mind space limitations and each plant’s growing habits. For example, a tomato plant should have three square feet for proper growth and maturation.
Think about your aisle ways when planning this. If your isles are two feet wide, then plan your tomato row with three feet and then two on both sides.
You’ll need a total of 7 feet minimum for a row of tomatoes. Look at the plant descriptions in the catalogs.
Soil testing is a good idea.
I advise, especially for first time gardeners, to test your soil. You can buy a simple soil test at most garden centers or take your sample into an agency that offers this service.
You will have better success if you know what your soil may be lacking. It could be something as simple as calcium/lime or copper.
Although there are many other aspects to getting your garden plan done, these are the basics to get you on your way! Keep posted for Part 2 coming in a just a few days!
I certainly hope you are encouraged to grow your own food. Even if you start with only two or three of these things, that’s a great start!
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Jean
For Dragonflies And Me 
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