Ready? Get set and get out there into the garden. Ah, but wait a moment. We lose more plants at this time of year than any other because we’re so winter-weary we’ll head out on the first warm, sunny day. Don’t.
Safe planting times differ across the country, so here’s a rough guide as to when and what you can do over the next few weeks. And when you plan your budget (yes, you must), be sure to leave something for bulb purchases in the autumn.
Timing
Ancient farmers said you could plant when you could sit on the ground with your bare bum, but nowadays you need to know frost dates. The accepted past-freezing date ranges from April 19 in Victoria to June 2 in St. John’s.
This is especially important for vegetables. When you choose your veg seeds, check out how many frost-free days they require and make sure you have that. And note: Frost means 0 C but damage can also occur when it’s slightly above.
Prepping
Let fallen leaves lie. Worms will use them up within a few weeks. Start your garden prep gently: Tidy edges and paths but avoid raking so you don’t damage new shoots. Very carefully remove mulch around plants on the south-facing areas you want to warm up quickly. Anything you remove can be tossed into the composter for later use.
Rinse out the rain barrel and get it ready for spring rain. If you don’t have one, get one.
Turn over the vegetable patch and add a layer of compost or manure (or a combination) and let it settle. Remove any weeds you can identify.
Vegetables
New gardeners should start with about 10 per cent of the budget devoted to vegetables. By now you’ve started your indoor seedlings; turn them daily, giving all sides equal exposure to the light source, to ensure they grow evenly. They also need daily watering and misting, and thinning out.
If you have no seedlings, you can sew directly into the soil as follows: carrots, two weeks before the last frost is predicted; tomatoes, a week after the last frost; basil, two weeks after last frost. Frost-hardy plants include arugula, kale, lettuce and peas. Frost tender: tomatoes, basil, cucumber, squash.
Plant vegetables among perennials and annuals, especially chard and kale: Sow seed outside right after last frost. Keep harvesting outer leaves. They look ornamental and taste delicious.
Woody plants
New gardeners should plant 50 per cent of their budget in trees and shrubs. These are the skeleton of the garden, will establish a look and provide year-round form.
Established gardeners should consider investing 30 per cent of the budget in trees and shrubs once the garden has started to mature.
Mulch with compost (or a combination of compost and manure) around major plants and newly planted areas once you’ve finished mucking about in the garden. Do this any time, especially in places where there is likely to be a drought. Make sure the soil is loaded with moisture before you do this and protect with mulch (but never dyed mulch).
Trees and shrubs, a.k.a. woody plants, can be planted fairly early in the season: Plant deciduous trees before buds break in spring; plant evergreens up to four weeks after leaves on deciduous trees unfurl.
For a stylish look, plant dwarf evergreens. They are exceptional plants for small city spaces and can spruce up an old garden. Make sure they have lively companions such as ornamental grasses, which are in scale (not a teeny evergreen and a giant grass).
Prune all the dead wood out of your shrubs now; wisteria can be whacked back to the structure (main branches) but leave enough so that you see buds popping out.
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