Planning to plant: Spring cleaning a good idea in the garden, too

MOSES LAKE — A garden, just like a house, can benefit from spring cleaning.

Mitch Simon, manager at Quincy Hardware & Lumber, said it’s important to get rid of any weeds that have taken root since fall. This is also the time to rake out all those leaves and whatever else accumulated during the winter.

“Make sure your garden spot is clean,” Simon said.

April is the time to add soil nutrients. Simon suggested peat moss, compost or animal manure.

“Soil preparation is the main thing,” he said.

Robin Prchal, owner of Emerald Desert Nursery near Quincy, said early April is also the time to do some pruning.

“Perennials and grasses need to be cut back,” she said.

April is also a good time to transplant, but only if the gardener is transplanting from a container to a spot outside. Prchal said it’s not a good time to transplant from one part of the yard to another.

Gardeners should have a plan before they start planting.

“Get a piece of paper and draw it out,” Simon said.

The writers at the website sowtrueseed.com said gardeners should remember to take plant growth into account when plotting their layout, and give plants enough room to grow.

So once the garden space is cleaned, plowed and fertilized is it time to plant? Not so fast, even though the lettuce, broccoli and tomatoes are available in stores and “the danger of frost is over,” Simon said.

The growing season in Grant County is very long, and gardeners and gardens have plenty of time.

“I think it’s a little early,” he said. “If I was planting a garden, I’d wait.”

Farmers are starting to plant peas and legumes, he said, which is a sign those seeds can start going in the ground, if gardeners are eager to get started.

But Prchal said it’s absolutely not time yet, not for a while.

“We do not really recommend planting anything that is not winter-hardy until, believe it or not, Mother’s Day,” she said. “That is the rule of thumb in our area.”

Prchal recommended starting plants indoors. Some “mini-greenhouses” are the size of a tray, she said. Plants also can be put outside during the day, but they should be brought in at night, she said.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.