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If you aren’t planning on selling your home this season, it’s time to get your spring vegetable garden planted!
Six Tips to help you garden this spring.
No More Dirty Nails – No one likes getting dirty, and dirt under your fingernails is one of the few annoying parts of spring planting. Prevent all that hassle by running your fingernails across a bar of soap before you start planting. This will seal off your nails so dirt can’t collect beneath them. After you’ve finished for the day, use a nailbrush to remove the soap and enjoy your hard work and sparkling clean nails!
Understand Your Growing Season – Tennessee lives in zone 7 planting, which has a medium length growing season. Until the last frost occurs in April, now is the time to plant your cool season greens: kale, cabbage, spinach, and swiss chard.
Start your seedlings –Begin planting seeds indoors in a Jiffy pot, or another easily transportable container. Allow 4-6 weeks to grow before moving outdoors.
Prepare Your Bed – While your seedlings are growing, prepare your garden beds! Raised bed gardens are a cost effective way to ensure that your soil is best prepared for growing season. A mix of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 vermiculite will ensure you have the right combination of nutrients and drainage to keep your plants happy.
Maximize Space – Square foot gardening in your raised beds is a great way to maximize your space. Use boards to create your raised beds, and put down a layer of cardboard or newspaper to block weeds. Make sure your beds are no wider than 4 feet so you can comfortably pick the middle squares. Once you have your beds and soil in place, make a grid of 1’x1’ using twine.
Companion planting – Tomatoes do well with basil, cucumber, and carrots. Carrots also do well with green beans. Squash does great with corn and melons. Cabbage loves dill, and lettuce loves tall flowers, such as cleomes. Keep this in mind when planning out your gardening.