The weather is a mix of rain, snow, sun and sleet. It’s hard to predict if the ground will thaw or if the frost will come to bite overnight. That being said, this is the month to plan. I must decide what to grow and where to put it all.
I also need to keep an eye on the weather. A week or so above freezing gives me the perfect opportunity for some early pruning. I need to make sure that any cuts I make can heal over before another freeze, but it’s nice to get some work out of the way. I’ve got roses, himrod grapes and raspberries to prune. These warm spells are also an excellent time to dig and divide up my oregano and mint. Doing this while the plants remain dormant means less of a shock to the roots and leaves.
Probably a good time to clean and sharpen my tools. Some of my gardening supplies have picked up rust from being stored over winter in my leaky shed. I probably should replace the shed. Another thing to research.
I check out my calendar and plan out different tasks for different days based on what I know about the weather. Pencilling in garden tasks around work, school, and appointments makes me consider buying a larger calendar. I’m running out of space… and hours in the day. ;)
The trickiest part is planning out what to put where. My garden is organic, and I don’t use any pesticides. This means I need to rotate where I plant my crops every year. For example, it’s a good idea to follow heavy-feeding plants like tomatoes with nitrogen-enriching crops like bush beans.
Rotating my crops also combats disease spreading through the soil. The simplest way to remember what order to plant rotating crops in is the common rhyme: beans, roots, greens, fruits.
Crop rotation also helps control disease and starve out soil pests. Potato/tomato blight can be more easily prevented by only growing these vegetables in one place every four years.
Tricky in my small garden, but I do my best.
For insect control, I tuck herbs in among my vegetables. Some herbs lure pests away from key crops, while others repel pests. My favourite herbs are dill, cumin and cilantro.
This brings me to companion planting: another piece of the garden planning jigsaw. Some plants like being planted together; think tomatoes and basil or dill and cucumber. These combinations can improve taste and yield. Other plants, however, can compete for nutrients and should be kept apart.
And don’t forget flowers! The bright colours of marigolds and native wildflowers along my garden beds look so pretty. They attract pollinators, increasing my yield and turning my garden into a little bee and butterfly sanctuary.
In summary, I’m grateful for this buffer season between hard winter and spring. I need the time to get ready! I’ve already done most of my pruning, and I just spent a week or so wrestling my 2023 garden plan into place.
Next month: It will be time to start digging!
With love,
Charity
