Gardening

With spring only a few weeks away I am excited about getting the first seeds and starts planted. Thoughts of tasty heirloom tomatoes, garden fresh spring greens, cucumbers, basil, a wide assortment of sweet and spicy peppers, and a colorful array of flowers will keep your spirits high through the challenges of spring. Designing new and sustainable, low maintenance garden features will help make your yard come to life. Adding on to my edible garden with new fruit varieties, vegetable starts bought from local sources, planting herbs to use in our kitchen, and seeing the perennial flowers come back year after year are some of the pleasures of spring for me.

Don’t let your garden stand empty this winter. With a little help, most of us can grow the vegetables mentioned below. In the northernmost states, a greenhouse, a high tunnel, a row cover or a small hot frame might be needed. Most southern areas of the US are well suited for growing winter crops outdoors if a thick layer of mulch (hay, dry leaves, straw, compost, or grass clippings) or a row cover is used. There are advantages of planting at this time of the year: less weeds, fewer insects, very little irrigation needed, and most of all, fresh vegetables.

As kids we learned that soil is made up of weathered rock particles, but as gardeners and growers we quickly discover that the way sand, silt and clay combines defines a lot about our gardens. Each soil type handles water differently, which means we have to be precise about how we promote healthy plant growth. Smart growers use specific drip emitters and sprayers to emit water precisely and effectively. Take a quick look at our guide for irrigating based on soil type before you go digging around in your garden.

Every Day is Earth Day at Dripworks. I know the theme this year is all about planting trees, but today I was inspired to write about how I celebrate our planet every day in the meals I prepare with my own fresh culinary herbs. They don’t take up much space to grow and they add spice to the rice, and a lot of flavor to meat, fish, poultry, or veggies. Sun and drainage are essential for most herbs. Some herbs double as everyday home remedies. They can be grown in a sunlit corner of your garden, on your deck, or even in your home on a south facing windowsill. Pick a spot that gets at least 4-6 hours of sunlight and allows for easy picking at mealtime. We plant most of the herbs mentioned here in the Dripworks Demonstration Garden.

I was driving to work the other day, radio tuned to my usual sports talk station, and the airwaves were all abuzz with chatter about opening day for the 2016 baseball season. It made me think of the work (dedication and sweat), thought (planning and strategy), and emotion (the thrill when the work pays off) that comes into play in both gardening and baseball. Baseball fans and gardeners alike have soul touching experiences that are triggered by simply stepping onto the landscape where they get to play.

It doesn’t matter how long the winter lingers, spring is always sure to follow. It is never too early to start prepping for your spring garden. Don’t let the chilly weather stop you from getting your garden off to a good start.