Don’t wait until the air turns balmy to start thinking about planting. The sooner you start, the more you will be prepared once the spring sun starts to thaw the frozen ground. 

What are you going to plant? What do you need to do to prepare the soil? What do you need to order? If you know what you are going to be planting and have everything you need on hand, you will be ready as soon as you can begin to work the soil.

Looking Back At 2021, What Worked Well?

Start by reviewing what worked last year and what didn’t. If your veggies were delicious and prolific, you will probably want to plant the same this year. 

Just remember that it is best to rotate crops, so you might want to plant them in a different spot with similar conditions. The same goes for your flowers and ground cover. 

Make sure that you have the seeds and bulbs on hand. If you are transplanting, make sure you know where you are getting the plants or seedlings and how many you will want to plant.

What Do You Want To Change?

If some things didn’t work, do a little research on other varieties. Was your climate too warm or too cold? Maybe the soil wasn’t right for that variety. With a little time and effort, you can come up with some good alternatives that should do better this year.

Order Your Bulbs & Seeds Early

With all the issues related to the supply chain, you need to make sure that you order your seeds and bulbs so that they arrive long before you are ready to plant. You can’t plant what you don’t have and if things show up late in the spring, it might be too late to get time into the soil.

Don't Be Late With Pesticides & Fertilizers

The same applies to pesticides and fertilizers. Pesticides won’t protect your plants if they are stuck in a warehouse somewhere, and your fertilizer won’t help your plants grow if the bag hasn’t arrived at your house yet.

The Early Bird Gets The Worm With Flowers & Veggies

Start working the soil of your beds as soon as the ground begins to thaw from winter. Spade in the mulch and any other organic matter that they might need. If recommended, work in a little fertilizer as well. 

Gather Your Gardener Tools

Ask what do you need? Of course, you will have tools leftover from last year, but things wear out, break, get lost, or loaned out. Since not everyone plans ahead, you might be out of luck if you wait till everyone else hits the stores to buy their tools. 

Winter is a great time to take your rototiller, chain saw, shredder, etc. in for servicing. Spend a couple of days in your shed or garage changing oil, replacing cables, and sharpening blades so your equipment is ready for the first warm, sunny weekend.

If you don’t do your own maintenance, take your machines into the shop before they are deluged by other home gardeners who procrastinate.

What Does A Well-Dressed Gardener Wear?

Winter is a great time to get your wardrobe ready. Sturdy and durable are keywords. It doesn’t have to look that nice, but it does need to be rugged and washable. Look for gloves that will protect your hands while being supple enough so you won’t have to take them off for fine motor tasks. You might want to opt for a rugged pair for heavy work and a lighter pair for more delicate tasks.

Sturdy shoes or boots are a must. You don’t want to spend an hour spading up a bed while wearing thin-soled shoes. If you have a lot of heavy work, you might want a pair of steel-toed boots that will keep your delicate toes safe and sound. And don’t forget heavy socks to help prevent those painful blisters.

A variety of older shirts and pants will be helpful, that way you can put on heavier or lighter depending on the weather. You might also want something that is water-resistant for those damp mornings or drizzly afternoons.

Hats, sunglasses, knee pads, sunblock, bug spray are also things you will want to have on hand.

Drop A Gift Hint

If you start early, you have plenty of time to let those that love you, how much you love gardening and how nice it would be to get a Christmas, Valentine’s Day, birthday, or anniversary that you can use as you garden during the coming growing season.

Take a look through our plant selection and get your order in so you will be ready when spring arrives. Looking for a gift for another gardener but not sure what they need? We have plenty of gift options that will make any gardener light up with joy.

With a little extra work before spring hits, you will be ready, willing and able to start planting when spring arrives. Good luck this summer with all your fruit, veggies and flowers. May 2022 be your best gardening season ever!