Spring Garden Preparations 

Spring has arrived with a bang. The birds are singing, flower bulbs are emerging, and the trees are leafing out. It’s time to start your spring preparations. You want to launch the season on the right foot which means getting all your ducks in order so your garden can flourish. 

Carrying Out Spring Inspections

It’s time to carry out a spring inspection of the yard. Grab a notepad and pencil so you can make notations. 

• Inspect garden plants for damage from snow, cold, or ice.
• Note all the beds that need cleaned out and if they require additional mulch.
• Peruse over the garden’s hardscaping such as sheds, trellises, walkways, fences, and more to make sure that nothing has cracked, shifted, or fallen into disarray.
• Check for evidence of animal burrows which can wreak havoc on your garden. 
• Look over any plants, shrubs, or trees that will require spring pruning. 

Nourish the Soil

Every three to five years you should test your garden soil to determine the nutrient levels. Once you have a baseline then you’ll know which organic material and additives to add to make your garden flourish. You can submit a soil sample to your state’s Extension Service. Typically, the state will have instructions on their website.

After testing, you’ll know exactly what your soil needs so you can purchase the specific products for enhancement.

Top Dressing the Soil 

Always top dress the soil with an inch or two of quality humus or manure. Apply the top dressing during the early spring right before your bulbs start to emerge. You also spring for organic plant food on the soil’s surface. 

Purchasing Humboldts Secret Nutrients 

At this time, you should order Humboldts Secret Supplies in preparation. Try Humboldts Secret Starter Kit 1 and 2. Both come with everything that you’ll need to make your garden start bursting with life. 

Time to Prune

Spring is a great time to start pruning woody trees and shrubs. Prune away any branches that have broken or become damaged because of the cold, snow, and ice. 

Flowering shrubs that bloom on new growth can safely be pruned in the spring. The shrub’s flower buds develop on the new growth so you can safely cut them back before blooming starts. 

 Bushes to prune each spring include:

• Butterfly bush
• Smooth hydrangea
• Rose of Sharon
• Roses
• Panicle hydrangea 

Shear back your evergreens such as arborvitae and boxwood. Cut them back when you first detect the flush of new growth. .

Shrubs NOT to prune in the spring include those that bloom on last year’s stems. If you prune these varieties then you risk potentially cutting off the current year’s flower buds 

Do not prune the following shrubs in the spring:

• Weigela
• Azalea
• Lilac
• Quince 
• Forsythia
• Ninebark

Springtime Plant Transplanting 

Spring is the time to divide and transplant perennials that have undergone a growth spurt and are not taking up too much space. Move perennials that bloom in the summer and fall during the spring months, so their growth cycle is not disrupted later in the season.

Evergreen shrubs also respond well to being moved in the spring prior to when their new growth emerges. Moving deciduous shrubs in the spring when they are still dormant also puts less stress on the plant. 

Contact Humboldts Secret Supplies to learn more about our solutions so you can start your spring preparations for a fantastic summertime landscape.