Spring Garden Preparation for Ohio Gardens
It’s early spring in central Ohio, and we’re ready to tackle all of our spring gardening chores, which will make gardening easier later and will help Ohio gardeners to have thriving gardens. But how do you tackle those spring gardening tasks? Also, what can you plant in early spring in central Ohio?
Here are some simple steps to preparing your garden for spring and what you can plant in early spring in central Ohio.
1. Clean Your Garden Beds
Just like your indoor spaces, your outdoor spaces also need cleaning. Do the following simple tasks when cleaning your garden:
Clear away leaves and other debris (these are great for compost piles!).
Pull weeds and make sure to get their roots so they don’t come back later.
Replace old mulch with healthy, new mulch.
Replace any broken planters or pots.
Replace any broken statues or other garden décor.
2. Add Nutrients to Your Soil
Spring is the perfect time to add nutrients to your soil. This is called “amending” the soil.
Does your garden’s soil need to be amended? Perhaps. Natural elements–including weather, natural soil breakdown, and plants using the soil’s nutrients–can deplete your soil's nutrients and can make it difficult for plants to thrive.
The only true way to know how you should amend your soil and by how much you should amend it is by testing your soil with a soil testing kit. This will tell you what nutrients your soil needs and what your soil’s pH is, which can guide you in deciding what to plant. You can get a soil testing kit at your local Ohio garden center, such as Timbuk Farms.
3. Check Your Tools
Check the quality of your tools. Are your shears sharp? Can you find your trowel? Are any of your tools broken and needing replacement?
It’s easier to replace your tools before you need to use them. So, what tools do you use for planting, pruning, and harvesting? Do you have everything that you need?
4. Separate Perennials
Perennials (such as hostas, bee balm, marsh marigolds, and rudbeckia) can overcrowd each other. Overcrowded plants can reduce blooms, hurt plants’ health, and further compact soil.
So, before the true growing season begins, divide up your perennials. Dividing your perennials also has the benefits of controlling the size of your plants (if they’re getting a tad out of control) and giving you more plants, since dividing up one perennial essentially gives you two perennials.
Use the following simple steps to dividing perennials:
Dig around a plant’s perimeter while giving the plant a wide berth so you don’t damage its roots.
Gently remove the root ball by lifting it out of the ground.
Break up the root ball with your hands. You may need to untangle big roots and cut some roots.
Plant the newly divided plants as soon as possible. Give them enough space where they can stretch their roots into new soil.
5. Plant Native Plants for Local Pollinators
We’ve explained the importance of local pollinators to the ecosystem and to individual gardens before. But, these impactful creatures are worth noting again. You can help local pollinators just by planting food for them and creating shelters. If you want to learn more about supporting pollinators, you can check out our “Bee a Friend” series.
Also, planting native plants in Ohio is crucial to maintaining healthy local ecosystems and supporting pollinators. There are some beautiful plants native to Ohio, and you can learn more about Ohio’s native plants in our post on the benefits of native plants in your central Ohio garden.
6. Plant Your Vegetable Garden
Can you plant vegetables in early spring in central Ohio? Yes! You just need to know what plants can tolerate a sudden cold spell. To do that , you need to know what hardiness zone central Ohio is in and the last spring frost date.
Hardiness Zone for Central Ohio
Central Ohio is in hardiness zone 6a, and the average last spring frost date is April 25. On this day, there is a 30% likelihood that there will be freezing temperatures. So, if you’re directly sowing seeds, then it’s best to stick to cold-tolerant vegetables for early spring.
What Vegetables Can You Plant in Early Spring
To be safe, stick with cold weather crops during the early spring in Ohio. For direct sowing, these include beets, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, herbs, onions, peas, radishes, spinach, and swiss chard.
For starting your seeds indoors, consider planting eggplant, corn, cucumber, melons, peppers, squash, and tomatoes.
7. Visit Timbuk Farms for Gardening Help, Supplies, Seeds, and Plants
If you need seeds, plants, soil, tools, or other gardening supplies, then stop by Timbuk Farm’s Garden Center. Also, if you have gardening questions feel free to visit us or give us a call. You can also send us a message.
We’re a family-owned business and we grow everything locally right here in Ohio. We know Ohio gardening, and our garden experts are happy to answer any questions you have about your garden and how to make the most out of your early spring garden.
