Spring Gardening To-Do List
Every garden will look a little different depending on your climate, what you’re planting and where you live. But we can all benefit from a spring to-do list broken down into manageable chunks. If you need a bit of guidance on how to make the most of your garden this season, consider adding some of these tasks to your spring garden to-do list in March, April and May.
March
Test your soil for nutrients
Sending garden soil samples to a local Extension office is a wonderful option for any gardener with a little extra time on their hands this spring. If you know what your soil is missing before you begin to plant, you can make plans to amend it before you get your transplants into the ground.
See more: The Best Vegetables for Container Gardening
Plant perennial vegetables
If you live in a milder climate where you’re out of the woods where frost is concerned, you can go ahead and plant perennial vegetables such as asparagus, rhubarb, artichokes and herbs like lavender and mint.
Prune rose bushes
Cutting back your beautiful rose bushes may feel like committing a cardinal sin, but it’s the best way to ensure healthy growth as the temperatures warm up later in the year. Removing the dead wood also allows for more air flow, which can help prevent fungal disease as new blooms appear.
Clean up flowerbeds
If you haven’t already, it’s time to give our flowerbeds a good, old-fashioned spring cleaning. Prune any shrubs, remove dead growth, pull any residual weeds and remove any mulch you added over winter. Depending on where you live, you might want to wait to complete this task until your daytime temperatures are regularly over 50 degrees.
See more: 12 Flower Varieties to Plant This Spring
Order autumn seeds
Spring may have you chomping at the bit to plant your first vegetables, greens and herbs of the year. But don’t forget to make a plan for your autumn garden and order your seeds in advance so you can get a head start on things like acorn squash, Brussels sprouts and radishes.
April
Make a game plan for weeds
The sooner you tackle the weeds, the better off you’ll be. This is a big topic to unpack, especially considering it varies from zone to zone, but look into weed management and maintenance techniques that are appropriate for your area and make time each week to prevent weeds from getting out of control.
See more: 25 Spring-Inspired Recipes for Any Occasion
Plant cool season vegetables and flowers
If you live in a cooler zone, you can plant your cool season vegetables and flowers as soon as you can work the soil. Just make sure you follow the guides on your seed packets regarding ideal daytime and nighttime temperatures.
Harden off your transplants
If you want to take advantage of an early harvest, you might have started a few seeds indoors over the last few months. If your final frost date is on the calendar this month, begin hardening off the transplants for a few hours at a time.
See more: How to Grow and Harvest Your Own Strawberries
Check on your bulbs
If you planted bulbs, now is the time to check on them. If you can see them beginning to push through the soil, clear away some of the mulch to give them a little extra encouragement to break through the surface.
May
Water your plants
It may sound obvious, but making a plan to water your garden is crucial. Some gardeners could benefit from irrigation systems while others need to check the weather daily to decide if their plants will receive ample rain or could use a drink from the hose. If you have a multitude of plants covering a lot of ground, you might want to consider keeping track of their water intake with a garden journal or app.
Stay on top of pest management
It wouldn’t be a garden without a few pests. Staying on top of pest management is the best way to make sure you don’t lose more plants than necessary. Worms, beetles, snails and slugs are just a few things to keep an eye out for as the weather warms up.
Fertilize your plants
Many plants benefit from a regular dose of fertilizer, but you want to make sure you aren’t overdoing it. Choose a date to fertilize your plants and set reminders on your phone or notes in your calendar to know when you should fertilize them again.
See more: 9 Creative Spring Gardening Projects for Kids
Harvest cool season produce
Remember those cool season vegetables and herbs you planted in March? For some gardeners, now is the time to bring in the bounty. Depending on what you planted and what your day and nighttime temperatures are, you might even be able to squeeze in a second planting (especially for things like arugula and kale in colder climates).
Plant warm season vegetables
Like usual, planting your warm season vegetables (and fruits) can depend largely on your specific zone. But if you haven’t already, May is the time to get plants such as tomatoes, peppers and summer squash in the ground if you want to start enjoying the fruits of your labor when summer rolls around.