by Lisa Giroday, Sandra Lopuch and Sam Philips | Ok fellow food growers (or soon to be food growers), it’s officially time to get outside and sink your fingers into the sweet spring soil! While it’s a tad early to directly sow many seeds outdoors (unless you have a cold frame or hoop house), there is plenty more to keep you occupied in the meantime. March 28th is the last average frost date, so it’s safe to start seed sowing after then. Spring is early this year, so why not shake a few cilantro seeds into the ground right now? If you’re into broad beans, what are you waiting for?

But FIRST, before you plant – Here are the TOP 3 things you need to do this week to prep your garden for spring:

1. Make a plan, draw a garden map

We always stress the importance of planning. Even if you don’t have an A-type personality, this, rest assured, is a fun process. It’s potentially even MORE fun than ordering your seeds for the season. Drawing a map will also ensure you don’t go apeshit on your seed purchasing like a hungry person at the grocery store, either.

Even if you have a small space, if you plan out what you want to grow, you can organize your plantings so that you can have multiple plantings in the season. You can also map out companion plantings, winter garden plantings, and have it all dialed. Ensure when you draw out your map that you take plant maturity into account: How much space will each kale or tomato plant need eventually? This will ensure you don’t have overcrowding in the garden that can lead to stunted growth and more. Need help? We love planning with you; it’s a part of what we do.

2. Start some seedlings indoors

Fact: You don’t need a crazy grow-op in your house! If you want to get your feet wet with starting seedlings indoors, you don’t have to go all out on your first try and purchase a grow light set-up and attempt to nurse tomatoes until June, unless you want to. Why not start with seeding a few veggies that get transplanted in April and don’t require a lighting set-up? Onions and greens are a couple of things you can seed indoors by light of a sunny windowsill and transplant outside in April once it’s warm enough.

3. Add organic compost and fertilizer to your beds

This is the fun, outdoor physical labour part we are all craving. Every season, it’s important to feed your soil. Your soil will also have erosion that has occurred over winter, so you’ll need a top up. It’s usually a couple of inches – just enough erosion to accommodate a layer of fresh compost to work in. We add a 2” layer to the top of the soil, plus a dusting of organic all-purpose granular fertilizer to increase the span of macro and micronutrients, and we work in to the top 4-6” of the soil.

And remember, if you’re itching to get outside for more activities than compost hauling, you can also spend some time cleaning, sharpening and oiling your tools, and cleaning out your tool bag. Have two right-hand gloves and lost the left? You might need a re-stock. Cleaning your tools also ensures there are no lingering disease or fungus that may be transferred onto new and healthy plants. Don’t have any tools? Now is a good time to stock up – a hand rake and hand shovel are essential.

THE VICTORY GARDENS ARCHIVE