 Chives and lettuce growing in a a raised bed (Markus Spiske) unsplash By Teri Silver Months of winter’s snowy cold weather has us all waiting for the warmer temperatures of spring – and boy, are we ready! But some gardens truly thrive in spring while others seem to stall. Reasons for a faltering garden could involve early-season preparations, pH balance and soil condition, plant selection, and timing. Prepping the Soil Garden dirt from previous seasons may still have bugs and disease nesting in it — which can hinder new growth. Getting the soil ready for planting starts with cleaning the garden bed. Remove trash, rocks, sticks, dead leaves, and other debris. Use a sharp spade to edge out dead grass and weeds. ● Loosen the soil with a hoe or rake ● Dig through the dirt ● Grind up wads and clumps ● Remove old roots, rhizomes, and stolons. Cleaning up the soil is somewhat similar to dethatching yard grass (although dethatching in spring may be bad for the lawn). Soil pH Healthy spring garden plantings start with testing the soil for pH — the measurement of alkalinity and acidity. The pH scale, from 0 to 14, indicates neutral at 7.0, right down the middle. (Anything below 7.0 is acidic — above 7.0 is alkaline). The pH scale is logarithmic, which the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture explains this way: Soil with a balance of 5.5 is 10X more acidic than soil at 6.5. (If pH is 4.5, it’s 100X more acidic as soil with a pH of 6.5). In any case, if the acidity doesn’t mesh with the plant, your greenery may not grow well. Test your soil to determine the best pH for flowers, fruits, herbs, and vegetables in your garden. These tests are available for purchase at local nurseries, hardware stores, and online. Plant Selection How does your garden grow? That depends on where you live and what types of vegetables, flowers, fruits, and herbs can handle your climate. For example, bramble fruits — druplets that grow on woody canes like raspberries and blackberries — grow best in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 to 8. In a nutshell, average minimum winter temperatures determine the kinds of plants that are most likely to survive in any particular area. Cold weather climates are suitable for most green veggies. Timing is Everything! Planting too early could mean your greenery is destroyed by a late frost. Planting too late in the season threatens your crops with an early frost or late harvest. Check the seed germination and sprouting dates of the fruits, herbs, and veggies you want to plant. Easy produce to grow? Peppers, tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, peas, carrots, onions, and other colors of the fruit and veggie rainbow. Read seed packages for information on the best time to plant your garden oasis. Poorly Performing Gardens Stale-looking gardens may have a few more problems beyond soil acidity, choosing the right kinds of greenery, and when to plant. For example: ● Gardens need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Poor sunlight leads to weak, floppy stems. ● Soil health and the food web are made from a combination of nutrients, decomposition, minerals, and organic matter. Decayed plant and animal matter make up healthy soil — purchasing the right kind of fertilizer should help garden herbs and veggies thrive. ● Overwatering or underwatering. Monitor rainfall to determine how much to add every week. Poor drainage means flooded soil. ● Insects often damage and destroy plants. Caterpillars, mites, and aphids are just a few types of bugs that chew through leaves and stems, sucking out the nutrients. Inspect the greenery as often as possible. Organic insecticides may help keep pests under control, but chemical products are sometimes necessary. ● Disease can spread throughout your garden plant with fungi, viral, and bacteria-borne spores. Space out each plant so that air can circulate properly. Diseases on foliage include powdery mildew, dark spots, and rot. (Tip: Too much water can drown roots and encourage fungal diseases). ● Weeds grow quickly, suffocating “good” plant roots. Weed your garden as needed, or at least once a week. Mulching helps to suppress weeds, regulate soil temperature, and keep the ground moist. Although the ultimate picture comes from Mother Nature, gardening is an art form. Still, when you do your homework, your green thumb will come out — bringing a wonderful daily garden harvest to the dinner table.
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