GETTING YOUR GARDEN READY FOR SPRING; WHAT YOU CAN BE DOING NOW Hilltop Farms offers tips

The crocuses have been up early this year, the air is warming up quickly, so what should you be doing to get your garden ready? Brian Panessa, owner of Hilltop Farms Garden Center in Croton-on-Hudso, offers some tips.

One of the easiest things to do while you're waiting for the ideal planting day is to clear any leaves or debris that have gathered in drainage areas over the winter. Seedlings always do better in soil that drains well so now is the best time to clear specific areas before bushes and trees begin to sprout. You can use any decaying material for composting.

Early spring is an excellent time to rake the lawn and begin to introduce light and air into the soil for stronger grass growth. Add lime to your soil if it has a pH below 6.2 as it should be added several weeks before planting.  Re-seed areas that need it by using a metal rake to break up the hard bare areas and give the seeds ample opportunity to grow and be sure to water often. 

Spring is also a good time to transplant any bushes, trees or shrubs because of the relatively consistent moisture in the soil. Be sure to dig down under the root ball to avoid cutting any roots and place the plant into a large enough hole to back fill with soil, compost and organic fertilizer.

Start looking for, and removing, early spring weeds. Roots are shallow now so they are easier to pull. It is also a good time to mulch in any bed areas that are bare to minimize the growth of weeds. Be sure to spread to a thickness of 3-4 inches. Some gardeners use this time to put down plastic sheeting to reduce weed growth, then mulch on top. Remember to keep mulch a few inches away from young trunks to reduce the possibility of rot that could occur around small trees and shrubs.

While we had a mild winter this year, we were hit with that ferocious October snow storm last year and many trees and shrubs suffered broken limbs and trunk damage. Now is a good time to assess the damage and properly deal with any branches or bushes that have experienced a break of some kind.

If you have an established bed, don't dig; you could disturb a complex ecosystem which is already functioning well. Instead add nutrients from the top and let them work their way down into the soil. If you have perennials in that garden however, this is a good time to split or divide them while roots are still short.

There are several early spring vegetables that you can plant once the ground is free of ice crystals. Peas, spinach, and lettuce all do well planted early. After 2-3 weeks you can plant broccoli, cabbage, kale and other hardy vegetables. Remember to cover anything you plant early with some protection should a frost be predicted. This is also an excellent time to plant bulbs.

Early spring gardening can go a long way to ensuring you have a healthier and more robust landscape this year.