ITS ALMOST GROW TIME!!

Alright, Alaska has given the warning flag that the final lap of winter is making its rounds, so now is the time to start for the summer grow. Here are a few things to be getting done this month to ensure an on time and well sized harvest.

• Shake off that Hibernation: If you winterized any plants over the winter, start to get them prepped to grow by watering them, clearing out any dust or dead leaves, make sure you have supplies if you need to do any transplants, and for some verities it will be time to prune. It will also be time to plan where they will be growing in and start getting them warmed up and sunlight.
• Seedling Time: May your windows and tables and for the lucky people, your designated grow areas, be covered in little green houses full of seedling starts. Take a look at your seed packets and grab a calendar and plan out when harvest will be, the amount of needed growth time, and when those final frost dates are and get those seeds started so that they can germinate in a nice warm area and be ready for transplant.
• A Clean Area is a Green Area: As the snow melts and your growing space starts to emerge once again, it is time to reclaim that space from winter and get it cleaned up for spring. Make sure you are waiting to remove any mulch until the frost dates have passed, but get large debris gone, fix any fence damage, and overall get that garden looking spiffy.
• Plant the Flag: If you are adding raised beds or planting directly in the soil in new areas, bust out those little planning flags. Lay out the space and even write of the flags to say what is growing where to get that real world feel to your garden planning and make sure it matches those plans you drew up over winter.
• SOIL TIME: Now as your soil warms up and within those weeks when final frost has either past or is about to, work on checking your soil health along with adding any good things you might be needing to. When adding additives make sure though you are giving bumper room for where you plants will being growing to ensure there is no burning or over doing it for the plants.
• Out Pest: Pest control is easiest before the pests can come in, be that moose or aphids, make sure you are adding in those preventive measures to your growing area. Come up with a plan if there is a pest that has been a routine issue and see if there is an alternative that can help prevent its growth or block its path.
• It’s Alive: Propagation is a great way to diversify the garden without always using more area or can give a better start for plants that starting as seeds take too long to establish. So, if you are buying some make sure those are on their way so that you can acclimate them to your area; if you are grafting or creating your own propagations start marking that out for where you will be taking them from and just as the soil gets warm enough get those taken out and ready to start rooting on their own. As rooting can take awhile for propagations take as cuttings you will want to bring them inside to help speed up the process and give it the best chance to be established before the ground freezes again in the fall.