Spring Garden Tasks

In the spring, spend 15 minutes once or twice a week walking around your garden looking for insect pests and diseases. They require less aggressive treatment when caught early. Bait and trap for pests early in the season, be sure to clean up hiding places. Carry a plastic grocery bag so you can collect damaged leaves and fruit—get down to the plant's level.

As the weather improves, you can get a start on the growing season with these easy jobs:

Sharpen and clean those crusty yard tools to restore them.
Dig organic matter and other amendments into beds.
Harden off seedlings by setting them outside for gradually increasing times.
Use row covers and cold frames to protect tender plants.
Mulch to suppress weeds and conserve water.
Plant and feed lawns.
Plant roses, cane berries, grapes, artichoke, asparagus, rhubarb and strawberries.
Feed azaleas, camellias, and rhododendrons.
Direct sow onion, peas, lettuce, spinach, chard, turnip, carrots, beets, parsnips, radish, potato, chives and parsley.
Wash aphids off tender growth with a hose.

Seed Starting Basics

Preparation

Collect containers, soil-less medium, tubs, trays and bleach
If containers are being reused and disease was an issue in the past, soak in 9 parts water and 1 part bleach, rinse.
Drill holes in containers as necessary
Moisten soil-less medium in tub with warm water

Plant

Fill containers almost full with moist medium
Plant seeds at depth 2-3 times seed size
Place 2-3 seeds in each container
Label containers
Place containers in warm spot or on heating mat
Cover containers (if desired) to block out light
Check daily for germination
When seeds have germinated, remove covers
Place plants 2-3" under light for 16 hours a day, or a sunny window or greenhouse if you have enough daytime light
Mist gently with water if dry, or water from the bottom - keep moist, not wet
Fertilize only if medium is made up of vermiculite and peat

Transplant

Thin plants to the one hardiest plant in each container. Clip off the unwanted plants rather than pulling them up, to protect the roots
Gently remove the plants and repot into larger containers
For tomatoes - when the plants have two sets of true leaves, remove the bottom set of leaves and repot into larger container, burying up to the top two leaves. This can be done three times before planting in the garden, keeping only two sets of leaves exposed above the soil.
Harden off plant by gradually exposing them to the outdoor environment a few hours a day to start and gradually increasing exposure time, for about two weeks. Partial sun is ideal, and a light breeze will help the plants to strengthen their stalks.

Soil-less Medium Recipes

1 part sterilized sand + 1 part vermiculite or perlite + 1 part peat moss

1 part vermiculite + 1 part peat moss with fertilizer

4 quarts peat moss + 4 quarts vermiculite + 1 Tbs superphosphate + 2 Tbs ground limestone