On February 2nd, aka Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil could not find his shadow, and therefore, predicted an early Spring! Once the weather breaks, everyone gets the same idea to work on their yard at the same time and in many cases, it’s too late to get what you want, when you want it. So, how should you get a jumpstart on the neighbors?
- Put your mulch in order now. Choose a nice day and visit your local garden center to see what types of mulch they offer. Don’t forget to measure your beds before you go. You can ask a sales person to help you figure out how much mulch you need, based on your measurements, or you can use an online mulch calculator.
- Ordering seeds is one of the best parts of gardening, so get yourself a cup of coffee and sit down and make your order now. If you’re not sure where to order, check out our blog on seed starting here. Dream about spring while shopping for new patio-sized vegetables, fun-colored cherry tomatoes and cheerful flowers that can be directly sown.
- Replace any broken garden tools, hoses, sprinklers, peony supports or tomato cages. While most garden tools can last for years, sometimes the time comes to replace or upgrade sooner than you think.
- Research and purchase fertilizer for your beds, vegetable garden and lawn. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the package and set reminders on your calendar to keep growing with peak efficiency. Start fertilizing any houseplants or overwintered plants with a weak fertilizer solution now that the days are getting longer. Once the nights are consistently in the 50s, you can put them outdoors again.
- Sharpen blades on your lawn mower, pruners, hoes and loppers to protect yourself from overexertion and your plants from incorrect care. Sharpeners are usually very busy once the weather breaks.
