Landscaping Tips to Help You Prep for Your Best Spring Garden Ever

If you’re reading this blog post, it means you’ve almost made it through the winter. We’re almost there! Spring sun, fresh blooms and new beginnings are upon us.The GPL Team is here to help you prep your landscape so when spring comes, you feel ready to fully embrace the season without missing a beat. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about spring landscaping prep. Let’s get into it —

what and where?

These two questions are going to be the foundation of your spring garden preparation. What am I going to grow and where am I going to grow it? For starters, if you’re wanting a plethora of vegetables, it’s best to aim for a consistently sunny area of your yard. Not all veggies require 8 hours of full sun. For those that are intolerant to excess sun, you can prepare ahead and purchase plant shades in order to prevent any damage. Preparation will look a bit different for flowers and vegetables. Do your research beforehand so you can craft a solid game plan.

don’t forget to fertilize

Fertilizing can be an easily missed step that holds plenty of benefits. Simply, fertilizer helps give the best nutrients to your soil; aka it assists in growing the healthiest garden. Additionally, fertilizer develops the malleability of the soil, which makes it easier for roots to stretch through as they grow. There are lots of options for fertilizers, we would recommend chatting with your local nursery for some specific advice! *Note: make sure to uproot any weeds that may be intruding within garden beds before fertilizing!

Compost is another tool that is commonly used by gardeners to enhance the richness of soil. Planet Natural Research Center states that “most frequently and most usefully, compost is added to your garden as a soil amendment to improve soil structure, buffer pH, increase the population of micro and macro organisms, and add organic material on which soil organisms feed.”

mulch never goes out of season

Not only is mulch helpful to protect against cold weather throughout the winter, it also can act as a shield from spring sun and assists in maintaining the moisture that’s required to feed plants. Here’s how it happens: as mulch breaks down over time, it supplies your plants with more long-term nutrients! We would recommend wood chips as your choice of mulch as many plants will benefit from this option. If you desire to add a different option, do your research to see if it’ll be compatible with your garden.

understand your zone

Knowing what plants thrive in your zone is essential. We understand it may be tempting to add flowers, herbs, and/or vegetables from a zone that requires other needs that can’t be met by the nature of your zone, but we want to save you a headache AND heartache. Don’t waste your time! Learn more about your zone and stick to what works. For reference, the Bay Area is Zone 9b. If you are a reader from a different area, here is a good resource to find your growing zone from the USDA Planting Zone Map.