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Spring Clean Your Vegetable Garden

It's been a long winter here in the Midwest, and we are still waiting for the snow to melt. However, when it does, we'll need to be out in the backyard taking care of the gardens that have been sleeping all winter.

For me, I have a collection of perennial flower beds, but I also have vegetable gardens that we'll be planting both with seeds and seedlings this year. Last year was the first year for two of the beds, and as such, it was easy to get things ready because it just involved building them and filling them with new soil and compost from our compost bin. This year we'll actually need to do a bit of spring cleaning before we can plant.

Here are a few things you can do to get your garden ready for spring planting

Weed Control. Once the garden is exposed and the soil is showing, you'll need to go about pulling weeds. Pulling early will stop seeds from spreading, and the weeds will also be easier to pull because they're just babies. If you think you need to take a more aggressive method to getting things under control, try a soil solarization process to kill things on a deeper level, using the sun to cook them.
Soil Prep. After you have the weed situation under control, you can move on to getting the soil ready to accept your seeds and seedlings. Aerating the soil by digging it up and turning it over is a great way to get things moving and ready for roots. You can also add organic material like compost and manure at this time. If you don't already have a compost pile, now is a great time to start one.
Decide What to Plant. This one may seem simple, but it actually requires a bit of preparation. Some seeds may need to start indoors first so they get a head start on the growing season. Decide what you'll be planting and whether you'll be starting from purchased seedlings or seeds. Get your containers ready and start any seedlings you may need. Look at your frost date and for tips on when to start seedlings indoors.
Grab Your Tools. After months of storage, get your gardening tools out and make sure they're clean and in good shape. Dispose of any broken tools and make a list of things you need to purchase and then head to the garden center to stock up so you're ready to dig in when the time comes.