spring garden prep before one warm day fools you
our average last frost lands mid-March here, and one 70 degree day in February is not a sign. this is the list, in the order I actually do it.
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1
Order seed catalog before Valentine's Day
the good pepper varieties sell out by late February every single year (learned the hard way)
2
Test soil temperature with an actual thermometer
not a guess, not "it felt warm." soil temp is what the seeds respond to, not air temp
3
Sharpen and oil the pruners
4
Prune roses before the buds swell
miss this window and you're cutting into new growth instead of dormant wood
5
Cut back last year's ornamental grasses
6
Divide overcrowded perennials
daylilies and hostas especially, do it while they're still small and manageable
7
Top dress beds with compost
8
Check drip lines for winter cracks before you turn the water back on
found two split lines under mulch last year, would've flooded a bed for a week unnoticed
9
Clean out and refill the bird feeders
10
Start pepper seeds indoors, 8-10 weeks before last frost
peppers are slow. if you wait until it "feels like spring" outside you're already behind
11
Start tomato seeds indoors, 6-8 weeks before last frost
12
Resist planting anything tender before mid-April
this is the one rule I break the most and regret every time. one warm week in March is not spring
13
Edge the garden beds
14
Mulch beds before the weeds wake up first
mulching after the weeds are already up is just mulching weeds
15
Inventory leftover seed packets, toss anything 3+ years old
16
Calibrate the soil pH test kit
cheap kits drift after a season or two, check it against a known sample first
17
Check the forecast before uncovering anything you protected over winter
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