Get a Head Start on the Spring Garden of Your Dreams

Northeast
Northeast gardeners may come down with a touch of cabin fever around this time of year; take your mind off all the snow and ice by prepping your tools and equipment for the first thaw of the season. Inspect your mower, shrub rake, and other gardening gear to be sure everything is in tip-top shape. Repair or replace anything that needs attention so you can get right down into the soil come spring. The chilly winter months also provide an important opportunity to evaluate the health of any trees on your property; don’t let a big snowstorm make the decision for you!

If you’re really desperate to get growing, you can also try your hand at winter sowing. Cut a one-gallon jug in half and fill the bottom with seed-starting mix. Add some hardy seeds and seal with duct tape to create a mini-greenhouse you can keep outdoors!

Southeast
Pre-spring months in the American Southeast can be an enigma—cold spells come coupled with warmer days and sometimes even flower blooms! Gardeners in this region have learned to stay flexible; head out to the shed and grab your pruners while your yard is still dormant. Cut down those winter weeds and prune flowering trees. Place the pruned ends of early bloomers such as Japanese apricot or witch hazel into room-temperature water and enjoy a fresh and fragrant spring preview from the comfort of your couch!

At this point in the year, you can also start to seed some of your first cool-season veggies—radishes, peas, carrots, and so on—but be prepared for that sudden and unexpected freeze, which can occur even into early spring!

Northwest
Gardeners in the cool and temperate Northwest are likely ready to start sowing seeds that sprout in spring. Before you begin, be sure to create a detailed plan for what you’d like to grow and when—then set to work! Cool-season veggies such as brussels sprouts, broccoli, lettuce, and onions can begin growing indoors (wait three to six weeks before transferring them out to the garden). Outdoors, you can begin planting annual flowers like poppies and pansies, while veggies such as peas, spinach, and turnips can be sowed directly into your garden.

Be a friend to the bees! You can attract bees to your garden by planting buzz-worthy spring flowers such as manzanita, bay laurel, and borage. Little known fact: Bees are helpful pollinators that will improve the overall productiveness of your garden!