Preparing For Spring
Frost can become a plant�s worst nightmare, and consequently, a gardener�s main enemy as well. Imagine having to grow vines to support your crop of tomatoes, and the cold climate kills the vines before the tomatoes can ripen. The same goes for melons. Who wants to enjoy but a few harvests of fruits that you have prepared and waited for in months? You will want some precious weeks of growing time, and you will need to ensure that your plants would get the same.
Hence, here are some tips that would give you an early jump on spring so that you could enjoy a most bountiful harvest that would reward those many months of gardening chores.
1. Know the earliest frost-free date. Determining the same would depend on your geographical location. The key here is to determine the earliest time when frost recedes to give way to the warmer days. You could consult with your county extension agent for this information, as they keep records of the same. Or you could check with the National Climatic Data Center, through their website that can be found at www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html .
2. Once the earliest frost-free date is determined, simply count backwards. The number of weeks that would govern your count would depend on the period required by the growth of the plant you wish to rear. This would give you an idea when you should start sowing your seeds.
3. Should you sow on your lawn? No. You should sow your seeds in containers or soil beds that can be placed inside your house. This is called indoor gardening, though it is only temporary. The trick here is in getting a head start on spring, so that you would just have to transfer the young sprouts to the garden or the lawn once the warmer days come.
4. One important consideration is the quality of the soil. Try to avoid garden soil as the cold weathers may have allowed the formation of fungus that would contaminate your budding indoor crop. To start seeds, you could simply purchase seed starter mixes from most retail gardening stores. There should be a seed starter mix for the type of plant you have in mind.
5. Try windowsill gardening. Most garden stores sell kits that would help you establish windowsill hotbeds or cold frames. Or you could build one yourself. Windowsill gardening would help ensure that your young crop would receive an adequate amount of sunshine for the photosynthetic processes required for their healthy growth. Most flowers and vegetables need at least 6 hours of sunlight everyday for maximum performance.
6. Transplanting your seedlings require some commitment and diligence. Try to toughen them up by exposing them to the harsher conditions outdoor before removing them from their containers and placing them on your garden or lawn. This would help your seedling acclimatize to their new environment, and would help ensure that they would survive the transfer.
7. The soil may have hardened because of the cold climate. During the first days of the warmer months, and right before transplanting, try to till the soil and moisten it for a few days. This would guarantee that the soil would have optimal conditions required to support the delicate seedlings. Dig a hole on the ground of the lawn or the garden, the size of which can accommodate a root ball. Gently place your seedlings on such a hole, and cover it gently, with enough space to allow for easy sprouting.
Your gardening enjoyment does not have to be dictated by the changing seasons. You could beat the cold months by following what we have discussed above. This would also provide for you a bountiful harvest or lush colors of blooms come the right time, and the fact that you will be able to achieve the same despite the harsh weather would make your garden the envy of the people who will get to enjoy the same.
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