GARDEN GROUNDWORK

Early spring brings time to plan and prepare for the growing season

- NIKI JABBOUR 

WHERE I GARDEN, in March and April it can feel like spring one day, and the next we’re getting walloped with a snowstorm! I use these months to prep the garden, get organized and sow seeds.

I’ve learned that the best way to optimize my growing space and maximize production is to have a planting plan. It doesn’t need to be complicated, but laying some groundwork now helps keep the garden on track all season long. Below are five strategies I use to get off to a strong start in spring.

MAKE A PLAN

With 30 raised vegetable beds to manage, I must stay organized to ensure I’m getting the most out of my garden. There are several ways to keep track of planting, but I like to sketch out a map of my garden beds, labelling each one with the crops I wish to grow in it.

For example, one bed may start with a crop of spring lettuces, followed by an early-summer seeding of bush beans, followed by a midsummer planting of cabbage seedlings for a fall harvest.

I’ve found that having this visual map of my planting plan works best for me. Other gardeners use spreadsheets or a garden journal to stay organized.

REMEMBER TO ROTATE 

When I’m creating my planting plan, I keep crop rotation in mind. Practicing a three or four-year crop rotation helps to reduce pest and disease pressure and to minimize the depletion of soil nutrients.