By Karen Heslop
The beginning of spring brings more sunshine and warmth that many people want to take advantage of by starting a garden. To ensure your spring garden is successful, it’s best to go with plants that thrive well in the spring and will carry over into the next.
If this is your first time, choosing a few easy ones will make a huge difference.
Daylilies
These multi-colored flowers grow well and easily in most areas. When planted in spring, they flower constantly through to summer. If you’re trying to beautify large areas, this flower is an ideal choice. Daylilies are fairly easy to take care of as they grow in full sun and well-drained soil. You’ll need to water them a little more when summer comes around.
Pansies and Violas
Pansies and violas are considered to be annual flowers, though they tend to fade a little under the summer heat. With proper watering, they will last through the winter and tolerate the frost well enough to bloom again in the following spring.
Primrose
These perennial flowers also come in different colors and varieties. While you can plant them in spring, they have the potential to flower throughout all the seasons if you buy the variety that can survive even through winter.
Honeydew Melon
It’s best to plant honeydew in the late spring as the seeds flourish in warm soil. You’ll need to have space for this vine to prosper as you’ll need to create three-foot-wide mounds for each set of six seeds.
There should be ample space between each mound. Don’t forget to add fertilizer or compost to the soil as well.
Raspberries
To get these delicious berries, plant them in early spring. Raspberries do well in well-drained soil so it’s best to use raised beds that have been adequately treated with compost. Overwatering can lead to root rot so pace yourself.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes do well in warm soil so wait until late spring to get started. Since they need a lot of room to grow and spread, make sure there is enough space between each seed. Compost and fertilizer will also provide the right number of nutrients for the plants.
Tomatoes can get quite tall, however, so be prepared to provide some kind of support structure as they grow.
Bell and Chilli Peppers
Peppers are a spring garden favorite but if your overnight temperatures still haven’t hit 55° F, you might be better off starting with the seedlings inside. Once the temperature warms up, you’ll be free to transplant them.
Lettuce
The great thing about lettuce is that the plant comes in so many varieties, you can dedicate a portion of your garden to it. Lettuce grows quickly so if you choose one of the varieties that can re-grow after being cut, you can have up to three successful succession plantings.
New plants can be added every two to three weeks as long as the weather remains cool and you water them often.
Beets
Beets like the cool soil you have in the early spring so that’s the best time to plant them. To get started, it’s recommended that you soak the seeds in warm water before planting them three inches apart. The plants don’t need a lot of room but make sure the soil is loose and free of stones. You’ll also need to water them well.
Potatoes
Since potatoes usually tolerate the cold well, you’ll be fine with planting them in early spring. These plants need quite a bit of attention though. To start, the soil needs to be loose and acidic when you’re starting with the cuttings.
As the plants from the cuttings grow, you can add more soil. Keep in mind that potatoes don’t do well under the full sun so plant them where they can be covered.
It might be tempting to throw every plant you can think of into the ground this spring, but you’re more likely to reap the rewards of a great garden if you take things slowly. Assess what each plant needs and determine what you can manage.
A small plot that’s flourishing is better than a large one that has nothing going on.
