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.

Order seed catalog before Valentine's Day

the good pepper varieties sell out by late February every single year (learned the hard way)

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

Sharpen and oil the pruners

Prune roses before the buds swell

miss this window and you're cutting into new growth instead of dormant wood

Cut back last year's ornamental grasses

Divide overcrowded perennials

daylilies and hostas especially, do it while they're still small and manageable

Top dress beds with compost

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

Clean out and refill the bird feeders

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

Start tomato seeds indoors, 6-8 weeks before last frost

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

Edge the garden beds

Mulch beds before the weeds wake up first

mulching after the weeds are already up is just mulching weeds

Inventory leftover seed packets, toss anything 3+ years old

Calibrate the soil pH test kit

cheap kits drift after a season or two, check it against a known sample first

Check the forecast before uncovering anything you protected over winter

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