You may have noticed those crocus flowers popping up everywhere and the beginnings of new buds on the aspen trees. It’s time to get your garden ready as planting time is just around the corner. A few early preparations for this coming growing season will bring benefits all year long.
Plant seedlings If you enjoy planting from seed as we do, now is the time to begin planting those seeds and growing seedlings in a greenhouse or coldframe. Seedlings are vulnerable to Colorado’s cold night time temperatures this time of year, so be sure to keep your seedlings in a warm place, away from gusts. If you are interested in a greenhouse or coldframe, read more about the types of outdoor structures we offer.
Clear gutters and rainwater harvesting drainages. Now is the time to ensure that the melting spring snow will have adequate runoff. Be sure to compost the leaves and organic matter you remove from your gutters and ditches, and check to make sure your water harvesting systems are clear of debris that may obstruct the flow of rainwater. If you would like to redirect water from your roof to your garden, Backyard Revolutions offers rainwater harvesting systems.
Install raised beds and trellises. Raised beds can be converted easily into coldframes to extend your growing season through the winter months, and they are low maintenance and can be place nearly anywhere. Contact us for an on-site inspection of your property and we can build you a beautiful raised bed for growing veggies and herbs.
Trellises are a good addition to any vegetable garden, especially for vegetable varieties with fast-growing vines, such as peas, pumpkins and watermelons. Make the most of a small space by allowing your plants to grow up instead of out. Backyard Revolutions can create a custom trellis to fit into your raised bed or anywhere in your garden.
Prepare your garden beds This early in the spring, roots are quite shallow, so weeds will be easiest to pull up now and will not have a chance to take hold in your bed. Mulching bare spots will also minimize the emergence of new weeds. You can also lay down a thick layer of newspaper in places where want to suppress emerging weeds and clear the soil of roots for later planting.
Compost Add compost or well-seasoned manure now to give your soil time to fully compost and adjust pH levels in preparation for planting. Do not dig down into the soil, as established garden beds have a complex soil ecosystem which is best left undisturbed. Nutrients form the compost or manure will work their way down into the soil.
