iGrowVeg

Vegetable Garden Maintenance Jobs To Do before Spring

Posted on 24. Jan, 2010 by Tracey in My Veg Plot

I look outside my back garden window and think to myself that my garden looks a big mess, grass and weeds sprawled over my shrub borders, overgrown lawn, mini greenhouse needs a clean down and clear out, pots and seed trays need to be cleaned. I’m hoping the spring bulbs appear soon to cheer me up whilst I prepare the mini greenhouse for its first seedlings of the year next month.

Then there’s the vegetable garden, here’s what maintenance jobs need doing before spring:-

1. Out with the Old and in with the New,

That’s right out with the old plants that are dying, that will be my spring cabbages (which haven’t survived the caterpillar attack), the remnants of the Pak Choi and the Fennel doesn’t look too happy either (I think I planted it too late in the year) to make space for the spring seed sowing.

2. Weeding

Pull out those weeds that have survived the winter in your veg garden to give your current plants some rest bite from them and room to grow once the temperature rises.

3. Replenish the Soil

When plants have been taken out, the soil needs replenishing with new minerals and nutrients to keep the next seeds growing in a medium they are custom to. To replenish the soil use home or shop bought compost and an organic fertilizer, mix this into the existing soil and leave 2 to 4 weeks before sowing seeds so the fertilizer has time to release the nutrients into the soil.

Image: Felixco, Inc.

4. Early Spring Cleaning

Grab your gloves! Its good to have a general tidy up around your raised beds, pots and beds. Clear any debris, leaves or twigs away as these may become home to pests like slugs and snails. Check under pot rims and bases for slugs and snails that have already made their homes and remove them.

5. Fix Whats Broken

Check how your furniture and equipment have fared the winter. If anything needs mending now is the time to do it before the spring comes with all the growing you’ll need to be concentrating on.

My jobs include: fixing one of the giant cloches netting, glazing has come loose in the mini greenhouse lid and securing the compost bin lid.

6. Tools and Growing Equipment

Check you have the right tools and seed trays, pots, propagators etc to start off your seeds on a windowsill (if sowing in February).

Bargains I’ve seen so far are:

• Argos – Windowsill Propagator contains 3 trays and lids in one long windowsill tray £14.99 Buy 1 get 1 free.
• Selections – Sow & Grow Windowsill Propagator with 22 Peat Pockets £3.99 less hassle no compost needed, just add water to see the peat pockets swell then add your seeds.
• Selections – Gardman Windowsill Seed and Plant Raising Kit £2.99 – A plastic 36 cell insert, tray and lid for windowsill growing.
• Selections – Garland Super 7 Self Watering Propagator £14.99 Ideal for a windowsill with 7 separate compartments with lids with capillary matting which draws water from the tray underneath.

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