February Garden To-Do List

It may not feel like it, but spring is just around the corner. Soon, the soil will warm up, the sun will come out, and you'll be able to check on your garden without the full winter gear—hat, coat, gloves, etc. I don't know about you, but I sure am ready for spring!

I will be planting lots of frost-tolerant and frost-resistant plants in my Nashville garden this month (my last frost date is in early April), and I encourage those of you who are within about 6 to 8 weeks of your last expected frost date to begin planting, as well.

Before you bust out your dibbers and trowels though, go through this garden checklist to prepare your beds for planting and ensure you're setting yourself up for a successful season in the kitchen garden.

Item 1: Clear Debris from the Garden Space

Start by giving your garden a thorough spring cleaning. There's probably a fair amount of debris—old leaves, twigs, dried-up pieces of fruit—that has made its way into your raised beds or hung around since the previous growing season. This debris should be cleared out before you start planting for the spring, particularly in areas where you'll be direct-sowing seeds. You want to start your spring garden with a clean slate.

Use a hand rake or your fingers to comb over the surface of your raised beds. Leave nothing that could (a) give pests a nice little hiding spot, (b) sprout and grow where you don't want it to, or (c) impede the growth of delicate little roots (like soil clumps and rocks). While you're cleaning, take care around perennials and cold season plants that have been overwintering in your garden beds.

Item 2: Add a 2- to 3-Inch Layer of Compost to Your Soils and Amend as Needed

Start your spring garden with the healthiest garden soil possible. If you're filling a raised bed or container, use a sandy loam soil blend—that'll give you a well-draining and nutrient-rich soil.

If your beds have been sitting all winter long, you might consider doing a soil test to check your soil for nutrients and make sure the pH balance is good. I have to admit: I rarely test my soil. I just refresh my raised beds with a 2- to 3-inch-thick layer of compost before each growing season. I typically find I have a very healthy garden by taking this simple step before planting. Once my plants are growing, I look for any signs they need some additional nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc.).

Ideally, you'll add compost to your garden about 50 days before your last frost date. Don't worry if that was yesterday. It's never too late to add some compost, especially if your soil has sunk down a bit over the winter. Add compost until the soil surface is level with the top of your raised bed.

Now, your raised beds should be fresh and ready to grow!

Item 3: Determine Your Cool Season Planting Dates

Most of you are likely within 100 days from your last frost date. For those of you in colder climates, February is the time to start your large cool season plants like kale and broccoli indoors. For the rest of you, your time has come and gone. Don't worry though. You can always grab well-grown plant starts from your local nursery.

When I say cool season plants, I'm talking about plants that love growing in temps between 45 to 75°F. These plants can tolerate frost, and some can even stay alive through some fairly chilly conditions.

Cool season plants include: kale, bok choy, Swiss chard, mustard greens, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, arugula, carrots, radishes, beets, dill, cilantro, parsley, and peas.

The best time to sow seeds or transplant seedlings for these plants is about 45 days before your last frost date in the spring. For those of you in warmer climates, that time might have already come and gone. My Houston friends enjoy their last frost date right around Valentine's Day, so they're already preparing for their warm season.

Item 4: Order Potatoes and Onion Sets

If you haven't already done so, now is the time to order you potatoes and onion sets. Both of these can go in the ground as soon as your soil can be worked. I typically plant them about 30 days before my last frost date.

Item 5: Get Trellises and Plant Supports

Use this month to make sure you have all the trellises and supports you’ll need for your garden this year so you don't find yourself in a situation where your plants are toppling over or taking over your garden.

During your cool season, large bush plants like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale may need some support from wooden stakes and twine. Vining plants like peas and fava beans will need some type of trellis that's at least 6 feet tall.

During your upcoming warm season, large bush plants like bush tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash, and zucchini may need to be staked or given a short trellis for support. Vining plants like indeterminate tomatoes, cucumbers, pole beans, gourds, and melons will need a strong trellis at least 6 feet tall.

Do the "Worst First" on Your Spring Garden Checklist

I always say to do the worst first. Some of these garden tasks are about as exciting as organizing thousands of photos on your phone, I know. You don't want to be cleaning up your raised beds. You want to be planting for spring already!

Knock these items off your checklist as fast as possible so that your garden is set up for success in the exciting season just around the corner. Some of you can already start planting and growing in your raised beds, and for the rest of you, your time will be here before you know it.

Here's to a wonderful spring season in your kitchen garden and many delicious harvests!

Photo Credits: Victoria Quirk Photo