Spring cleaning already! We had a “heat wave” in winter (January) this year and although it’s not officially Spring for another three weeks, if you live in the Pacific Northwest you will know Mother Nature doesn’t care! Due to the current unseasonably high temperatures and sunshine the crocus and heather are flowering, with daffodils and tulips peeping through the soil 6 to 8 weeks early. There are several reasons to resist planting outside too early in the spring 1) there are very few bees and insects to pollinate spring fruit flowers and 2) night temperatures are still dropping below zero celsius at night. So why not spend some time spring cleaning and planning in the garden. Here is a list of possible to do’s on a sunny afternoon to help you on your way:
Outside Spring Cleaning in the Veggie Patch
- Wash the inside and out of your greenhouse, cold frame and any protective glass cloches with a mild soapy solution to remove grime and dirt so that maximum light will pass through all surfaces. Rinse well
- Also wash grime and dirt build up from surfaces which may face the garden (a wall, fence or shed) so that the reflective light will encourage your plants especially if you have a shady garden
- Repair any raised beds, bird baths, trellis supports if required
- Each year I grow tomatoes in a different patch of ground and every Spring I dig a hole in the soil, and fill with 2 – 3 shovelfuls of my compost, mark with clean tomato cages and the garden is ready for transplants – usually April into the greenhouse and May into the garden in this area of the Valley
- Start to plant directly in the greenhouse – try direct seeding some greens such as pak choi, spinach, kale – all can be transplanted outside later (if not eaten)
- The early blueberry bush looks like its buds are ready to burst, much too early, so check your local nurseries for any flowering plants (in containers) you can buy to attract insects to your garden. I call these my Portable Pollinating Pots
- Trim the top of your tall boundary hedges to let more sunshine per day on your vegetable garden. Three or more feet will permit a lot more sunshine on your garden
- Clean out last years dead plants and seeds which were left to winter over as feed for the chickadees and finches. Leave this task till last as insects, including bees, winter over in dry plants
- Flocks of robins have been sighted already so clean and repair bird baths and bird feeders and be bear aware in the early months of spring especially if you have bird feeders and compost bins. We have raccoons with us all year so continue to be vigilant especially around the compost
More Garden Spring Cleaning Ideas
- Spray with dormant oil before the buds begin to open
- Have evergreen branches or plastic / cloth covers ready to cover and protect growing rhubarb and other early plants in case of a surprise frost
- Check your compost bins and maximize your compost at this time of the year
- If you do not make enough organic compost for your vegetable and flower gardens buy organic compost to mulch once plants are established, and before the weeds take over the beds. Organic compost is often available through local municipal recycling programs
- Consider removing plant protectors (and heat lights) if night-time temperatures are higher than 10 degrees celsius.
- Make sure your garden tools, gloves and boots are all working and ready to be used. Disinfect with 50/50 vinegar water solution – soak and scrub
No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth,
and no culture comparable to that of the garden
~Thomas Jefferson
Spring Gardening Inside
- Start tomato seeds inside – this is a major focus for most gardeners in late winter / early spring. Some veggies are transplanted to the (unheated) greenhouse in April and some in pots to be transplanted outside in May. The outside tomatoes will be protected by large plastic bags over frames or homemade hoops
- Start your favourite herbs and flowers such as parsley, marigolds under your indoor grow lights to be moved to the greenhouse in April. Here is a seed planting chart for Coastal British Columbia
- Consider and plan a new container garden or perhaps a rain garden
We had our first Rufus hummingbird visit the garden on February 22 and he is visiting the feeders every day. He went straight to where last years hanging baskets were located and now the hummingbird feeders are out. While writing this article I am watching robins, chickadees, sparrows and a species of thrush out my office window so make sure there is clean water available.
It is a joy and pleasure to be able to be out in the sunshine and give the garden a general clean up early in the year, planning where to locate any new flowers, bulbs or bushes in the coming weeks and consider transplanting or separating plants already in the garden. There is always a large choice of vegetables to grow; and never a chance to get bored in a garden.
Happy Spring gardening!
Links & References
- Why grow your own vegetables – without chemicals – the healthy choice
- An easy to grow vegetables – how to grow kale
- Garlic is another worthwhile space-saving vegetable although bulbs should be planted the preceding October
- Chard, zucchini and rhubarb are all super simple to grow and productive additions to any garden
- A family favourite strawberries
- And of course parsley
- Plants to attract bees to your garden
- Winter 2015 Weather for Vancouver, British Columbia
- When deciding which vegetables to grow this year, sort and age seeds. Life expectancy of vegetable seeds
- Sparrows are singing their spring songs
- Example of how to build a simple rain garden
- Lots of information about building a rain garden – the Australian way
Gardening is learning, learning, learning. That’s the fun of them. You’re always learning.
~ Helen Mirren
Update: Spring, 2018
- We have Anna’s Hummingbirds overwinter and put out feeders in November / December each year and take them in the following Spring when there is more natural feed for them. The hummingbirds are wonderful garden companions
- Many insects overwinter in the heavily mulched (with fall leaves) flower and vegetable gardens. 8 Reasons to Mulch Your Garden
