Get Ready to Garden

If you’re needing to get your gardening hands dirty these days, it may seem like spring is worlds away. However, according to Melinda Rabbitt DeFeo who handles Garden Enrichment for, there is plenty to be done.

“It’s time to prune,” says DeFeo. Fruit trees, roses, raspberries and blueberries are definitely ready to be pruned she says.

“The consensus is go for it! Now's the time.”

DeFeo also recommends that due to the warm weather, it is a good time to work your compost piles, mulch garden beds, spread ashes or add them to your compost and start seeds for your cool weather crops (under cover) as well as getting those slower slow sweet peppers sprouting.

DeFeo advises that, “If you have heat to keep seedlings warm when the temp drops along with space and time to upshift to larger containers when plants outgrow their pot, tray or pack, then you can move forward with warm weather crops. But don't ignore that you will need all three to successfully hold vegetables plants indoors until mid-May or so.”

Because of this winter’s warm weather, bugs are definitely something we’ll be thinking about this year according to DeFeo.

“The unseasonably warm winter will probably not kill off enough of them and the best way to head them off is to feed your soil - yes folks, healthy soil keeps the bugs away. Of course if your neighbor planted a couple acres of potatoes and hasn't managed their pest load well, it will take more effort on your part, sorry!”

The warm weather also means an overabundance of ticks.

“Don't slack off on daily checks, they are beyond small at this time of year.”