What To Know About Prepping Your Backyard Garden (now) For Spring Planting

We've got expert advice to keep your garden thriving in warm weather.

If you have good oilseeds, white cabbages, and other cool-weather crops, or if you have a bare patch of land that can be turned into tomatoes, we spoke with a longtime planting expert at North Carolina Center to find out how. . He can do it. Get our yard ready for spring planting, from outdoor patios to outdoor gardens.

The News & Observer spoke to a horticulturist at the NC State Cooperative Extension, a public resource that connects experts with members of the community.

Rich Vinech, Wake County Chief Gardener Community Garden Manager, shares how we can prepare our gardens for spring.

When to start preparing the summer garden?

You can start right now! Plan your space and start thinking about your favorite fresh vegetables. You can grow your own seeds at home. Here's what you need to know:

▪ April 15 target: Warm weather plants can be planted in the ground by April 15, although anyone can plant warm weather seeds between April and August, Vines said.

If you want to maximize your growing season, start making flower beds and dream all summer about turning hot peppers into homemade salsa.

▪ Spend some time planning : find the right place for your garden, prepare the soil and think about what you want to grow. This will save you a headache on the road.

▪ Grow your favorite plants: Check out the NC General Crops Chart to see how the plants you want to eat grow. Find it by visiting wake.ces.ncsu.edu and searching for "general harvest table".

Beginning gardeners should start out little by little with a few plants at a time, but that doesn't mean you'll only end up with a few tomatoes, cucumbers, or peppers. Well done, the garden gives a lot of vegetables. Grow what you want to eat at any time of the year.

▪ Start with seeds : With grow lights and heaters, you can start planting your favorite vegetables today.

Beds with container gardens

Your garden can be a raised bed, a sunbed, or a container garden. There are a few things to consider when deciding what type of landscaping to put in your backyard, Vine says:

▪ Raised beds : These are more expensive because you have to build (or buy) a large bed and fill it with soil and organic matter. They are more suitable for the disabled or the elderly, as they can be done while sitting.

The plants you can grow will be limited by the area of the garden, and physical restrictions may limit the types of plants you want. (For example, some tomatoes can be six feet tall, which is not suitable for people in wheelchairs.)

▪ Raised beds : You may need to dig up part of the garden or make the garden soil more arable, which can be physically demanding. (You can mix Central NC potting mix with soil, compost, and organic matter to get the best mix.)

You can determine the size of a garden when the entire area receives sun and water sources reach each garden.

▪ Gardening : You don't have to prepare your garden for growing in containers. All you need to do is find large flowers (or other large containers) for whatever you want to grow.

Container gardening is a great option for those who have a balcony or patio, or who want an open space that receives sunlight.

Remember that they are hot in summer and cold in winter and need more watering.

How to garden in hot weather

▪ Find the three needs : soil, compost and compost.

If you buy soil, you can get a 50/50 mix that includes soil and compost. Or you can buy them individually and mix them together, Winage says.

▪ Make Soil Health a Priority: The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Human Services offers free soil tests from April through November.

A similar analogy: fixing a floor without knowing what's going on is like going to the pharmacy without seeing a doctor. Before you fertilize, find out what your soil needs for optimal growth.

▪ Loosening the soil : When mowing the soil, you want to move the soil from the bottom up, but this can destroy soil microorganisms and push out weeds.

As long as the soil is firm and dense, you give room for new plants to grow and their roots will quickly penetrate the soil.

▪ Plant differently : If you had a warm climate garden last year, plant your plants differently this year.

For example, if you planted tomatoes on the right last summer, try planting them on the left this time.

▪ Give your plants space: Even experienced gardeners want to make the most of their space and plant crops inches from where they should be.

But placement guidelines are there for a reason: your young seedlings will be incredibly tall and need the right spacing to reach their full potential and avoid disease.

▪ Cover all areas : It is important to cover your soil. If you don't want to buy your own mulch, you can use wood shavings, leaves, or other protective materials.

How to get an internship in horticulture

▪ Take Advantage of Community Gardens : Winx runs community gardens in Wake County and can see them in action to teach new and experienced gardeners how to care for plants at home.

▪ Start small: as little as possible. Since summer crops can be planted from April to August, plant one or two plants in April, and when they are ready, plant back in June.

“All the community gardens I started with were very small, just two or three beds, then we grew to six, then 12, then 20, then 30,” Vine says. A little"

Professional Gardening Tips for Beginners in North Carolina

▪ Need help? The NC State Extension Garden Helper Directory can help you find the person best suited to your needs. For more information, visit emgv.ces.ncsu.edu/need-gardening-help.

▪ To find a local program , go to emgv.ces.ncsu.edu/find-your-local-program.

▪ Almost all of the questions beginner gardeners have are answered in the NC Extension Gardener's Guide . Find the manual at content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook.

Here are a few guides to expanding the state of North Carolina that can be especially helpful when getting started:

▪ If you would like to contact gardeners in your area, you can visit the NC Community Garden Partners directory at nccgp.org/garden-directory.

▪ The Extension Office offers a gardening class called "Growing a Ready Garden" at the Wake Public Library. To find a program near you, go to wake.gov/events and search for "Ready Garden Grow".

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