3 ways to prep your garden in the early spring

3 ways to prep your garden in the early spring

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SALT LAKE CITY — While temperatures may be starting to thaw around Utah, winter will still technically be with us for a little less than a month.

Many Utahns lament a short growing season, but by planning ahead, gardening can be a successful and fruitful endeavor in the Beehive State.

February and March may still bring snowstorms, but there are many things to do inside and out to prepare for a warm summer full of weeding, watering and harvesting fresh produce.

Seedlings

Planting a good crop of seedlings indoors will not only ensure a garden is ready to be planted on time, it can save money. Generally, a packet of seeds costs between $1 to $3 and contains dozens of seeds. Buying pre-grown starters at a garden store can cost up to $4 a plant.

For most plants, seedlings can be started in mid-February. Almanac.com recommends starting your seedlings about six to eight weeks before the last predicted frost in your area, depending on what you’re planting.

The last frost in Salt Lake City is on or around April 26, according to data collected from Utah State University. Colder weather plants like broccoli, spinach, chard and beets can be started sooner. Check here for specific dates for each plant.

Garden design

Some gardeners have been using the same plot for decades. Others are just starting out and are looking at how to best lay out their space. While digging and tilling should be held off until the soil is dry, February can be an ideal time to make a plan for where things are going to go.

Sun exposure is the most essential factor when planning out gardening space. Depending on what’s being planted, a garden should be set up to maximize sun exposure. Tomatoes and squash do best with at least eight hours of full sun a day, according to GardeningKnowHow.com. Foliage will thrive in the shade, but to yield the highest amount of actual produce, sunlight is essential.

Remember that the location of sun in your yard will change. During the winter months the sun in the northern hemisphere rises in the southeast and sets in the southwest. Keep this in mind when plotting out garden space, as summer sun rises in the northeast and sets in the northwest, peaking nearly straight overhead.


"Manure that has not been properly composted may also be rich in weed seeds," Taun Beddes

Soil preparationTaun Beddes is the horticultural agent for the Utah State University Utah County Extension Service. He has worked with the soil in the state for years and has found the best times to amend and prepare the soil for a fertile garden.

“The best time to prepare the soil for spring gardening is actually in the autumn of the previous year,” Beddes said. “In late October, leaves, compost, manure or other organic matter can be incorporated into the soil. These will break down over the winter and improve the soil for spring.”

If the soil has not been prepared in the fall, there are still many ways to effectively amend it in the spring, Beddes said

“As soon as the soil can be worked in the spring, it is fine to incorporate 1-3 inches of plant based compost into the soil, if it was not done in the fall,” Beddes said. “I hesitate to apply manure based composts in the spring because they may be too salty for garden plants until the salts are flushed away.”

If manure or other acidic compost has been added, Beddes said, gardeners should wait a few weeks before planting to allow the rain and snow to wash away any salt. Beware, he added, of what the manure might contain.

“Manure that has not been properly composted may also be rich in weed seeds,” Beddes said.

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Robynn Garfield

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