Spring Gardening Tips for Beautiful Home Landscaping
Learning to grow a garden brings so many benefits to your life and your home. You get to spend time outdoors breathing fresh air while growing plants yourself to either beautify your home or grow food for consumption. Either way, you are giving back to the plant and raising the property value of your home.
We experience all four seasons here in Oklahoma, and when you wish to garden, it's essential to understand how and when to begin the process. Whether you are just starting or need to prepare your existing garden for the spring season, we're here with gardening tips to help you see success this growing season.
When Can I Start Gardening in Oklahoma?
The winter weather in Oklahoma can be pretty tricky — just because we get a 70° day does not mean you get to start popping your seeds in the ground. There can still be days where it gets below freezing, which can kill your plants before they have been able to take root. Once we experience the warm weather, though, you should begin to prepare your landscaping for gardening. Below is are some items you should check for when prepping your space:
- Hardscaping features
- Ice damage on current plants
- Holes from animals such as gophers, moles, snakes, and more
- Large amounts of debris and trash
How to Prep Your Soil for Spring Gardening
Once you have a professional inspect any animal holes you’ve discovered and cleaned out the garden bed from trash, debris, and other items, you can begin prepping your soil. You can then turn the ground to loosen the dirt and awaken it before planting your seeds. The spring gardening season is all about new growth. Feeding your soil with fertilizer and manure gets your plants more nutrition and gives them a better chance to grow big and strong. Once you turn the soil, you can visit a local garden center to find out exactly what nutrients would be best for your garden. You will want to mix it thoroughly to get even feeding. Once completed, you will be able to start planting in your beds.
If you currently have year-round plants in your garden beds, it would be best to remove any dead twigs or leaves and prune them back. You will promote new growth since the plant can focus its energy there instead of keeping the dead alive. They will be able to blossom quicker and grow longer as well.
Support Your Plants Correctly
When planning your garden or landscaping, make sure you give your plants the support they need by installing structure systems before placing the seeds or starts. The dedicated DIY-er can quickly build items like trellises, or you can purchase them from a garden supply store. They can be as simple as some string attached to your roof, or they can be crafted from wrought iron in elaborate designs.
Benefits of Gardening
The world of gardening can open you and your home to many different benefits. Getting exercise outside and breathing in the fresh air can do wonders for your physical and mental health. Also, taking up a hobby is a great way to pass the time. Growing flowers you can pick and display can also help you save a bit of money if decorating is something you love. You can also save money by growing your fruits and vegetables. Homes with blooming flowers also tend to price better when placing them on the market. Below are some other benefits you can personally feel from digging into the Earth
- It helps fight disease by allowing you to get more vitamin D from the sun
- Build strength by walking around and hauling dirt
- Improves memory by paying attention to watering times and more
- Boost your mood by seeing and smelling your flowers
- Reduces stress by creating a beautiful environment
- Help reduce addictive habits by keeping yourself busy with other tasks
- Foster human connection by growing a community garden
Be Prepared for Harsh Weather
Even after you feel safe enough to place your plants in the ground, there could always be a surprise cold snap before the warm weather entirely takes hold. For the sake of your garden, you should be prepared to cover your plants. While your local garden center will have professional covers, you could always use items around the house such as light blankets, plastic sheeting, tarps, buckets, and more.
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