5 Essential Spring Gardening Tasks + Giveaway

Anyone else completely over winter yet?

As a girl originally from Colorado, I probably enjoy winter more than most. However, with spring on the horizon, I am longing for warmer days and eager to get growing.

I satisfied some of my green thumb appetite by ordering Cut Flower Garden by Erin Benzakein of Floret Farm. This book is chock-full of gorgeous, lush photos and helpful tutorials for growing flowers and arranging them into stunning projects. It’s a wonderful combination of inspiration and instruction, and now it can be yours!

I am giving away an autographed copy (plus a special surprise!) to one lucky CBV reader. Here’s how to enter to win:

(1) Subscribe to receive my newsletter, and
(2) Leave a comment on this post.

That’s it! If you’re already subscribed, there’s no need to subscribe again — just jot a quick note below.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED:
The winner is Jane Holt. Congratulations!
Thank you to everyone who entered and joined the fun!

And now, let’s dig in to spring gardening stuff!

It won’t be long before the days lengthen and spending time outdoors will be a joy. Here are the tasks I perform in spring to get my garden looking its best. They’re based on my region, Zone 8A, and what I have in my garden (flowers and plants, not veggies). Please adjust the timing of these tasks to your neck of the woods for terrific results in your garden, too!

(1)  Prune rose bushes. Trees and shrubs, too.

Late winter to early spring is the best time to prune rose bushes. Wait until there are signs of fresh growth, then don a pair a gloves, prep your tools and get to work. I have an apricot drift rose that was planted about two years ago. Now that it’s established, this is its first pruning.

Advised by this video from Star Roses & Plants, I cut it back about half its height with hedge shears — not quite as aggressively as the video — and then tidied up with hand pruners. The guy in the video assures that it will now triple in size. I’ll keep you posted on its progress on Instagram!

While I’m out there with my shears, I remove any dead, diseased or broken branches from non-flowering trees and bushes and modestly shape the boxwoods. (My dog, Kona, supervises.)

I hang onto the boxwood clippings to make fresh boxwood wreaths — just in time for Easter — or to preserve for other decor projects.

(2)  Clean and mulch flower beds. Construct new ones, if desired.

Resisting the urge to dig, I remove debris from the winter and dress beds and trees with a layer of fresh mulch. The mulch will help retain moisture while also keeping weeds at bay. I try to get the mulch in place before weeds begin their rampant return, otherwise, this is a good time to start pulling them up while their roots are still shallow.

As for new beds, I’m looking forward to building a planter around the tree in the front yard. It’ll provide a space for colorful flowers while also improving our curb appeal.

(3)  Start seeds indoors for summer flowers.

One of the reasons I bought Erin’s book was to learn how to start seeds so I could grow an array of fresh seasonal flowers throughout the year. This is my first time growing flowers from seed, and I’m hoping to grow delphinium, foxglove and hollyhock. Oh my!

These are all tall flowers (3-6 ft in height) and two are toxic to animals so I’ll likely need a new bed or containers for transplanting. If anyone has any firsthand experience growing these in their gardens, please share some tips below. I’ll certainly keep you posted of my progress on the blog as well.

(4)  Prepare to plant summer bulbs, seedlings and containers.

Now for the moment we’ve all been waiting for — planting!

I use Dave’s Garden site to figure out when I can start planting outdoors (just enter your zip code to receive an estimate). Living in Zone 8A, the risk of frost ends March 26 with a definite no-frost date of April 11. I split the difference and start planting in early April.

I plant a ton of containers to beautify our outdoor spaces. This year, I’m adding ranunculus and lilies to my staple of colorful plants. Here are two tutorials to help you get started on planting containers and hanging baskets.

(5)  Maintenance the lawn mower.

Officially, this isn’t a garden prep task, but a well-manicured lawn certainly complements a stunning flower garden. So if you haven’t done so yet, avoid the rush by servicing your lawn mower now. Sharpen the blade, change the oil and replace the air filter.

Now that Sam is home from deployment, he handles the bulk of our yard work, however please allow me to brag a bit about the lawn-mowing skills I developed while he was deployed. Not bad for a rookie, right?!

Whether you’re gardening in containers, raised beds or a two-acre field, proper planning and preparation in spring will lay the foundation for a terrific growing season. What are you planning to grow in your garden this year?

For more garden ideas and inspiration, please follow my Pinterest board.
Happy planting!  — v.