As the Spring time of year begins – it ’s severe to believe we are point into our 5th growing time of year at the farm ! One thing we have learned from the retiring four geezerhood is that a little job workplace now in the other season pay big dividends later in the twelvemonth !
As our vegetable seedlings develop indoors – it ’s meter to tackle the outside chore before garden time of year is in full swing music
From former March to late April – and before the garden time of year hits full - bore – it ’s time to get serious with getting everything else outside in full order . That include clear out flower beds , cutting back and dividing perennials , getting the compost big bucks cooking – along with a host of other sprucing up chores !
As our vegetable seedlings grow indoors – it’s time to tackle the outside chores before garden season is in full swing
If you let it – garden and landscape work can certainly seem to overpower – particularly if it all get onward of you . But as we often say – a unproblematic , small - scale , 15 bit - a - day approach is the headstone to keeping it all accomplishable .
Mary and I are both fully grown truster in trying to accomplish something every day at the farm , even if that something is just a little part of a much turgid undertaking .
It keeps thing manageable , keep them impress , and preserve you focused . After all – if you are really honest with yourself – you could always stuff in 15 minutes of your day to do something you make out .
We use a reciprocating saw to cut the grasses off about 4″ to 6″ above the ground.
So here is what we have been spend our 15 minute a mean solar day on …
First up each Spring is cleaning out the blossom and landscape layer around the farm . A little maintenance now will go along way to keeping your perennials goodish and your landscape beautiful all season long .
We practice a reciprocating proverb to cut the grasses off about 4″ to 6″ above the ground .
Compost is the key to a great garden – and you can make it for free!
We start by cutting back all of our cosmetic grasses 4 to 6″ above the ground – and then murder the dead foliation from perennial such as our daylillies , liriope , sedum , coral bells , etc . We use a battery - power reciprocating saw to make quick , clean and not bad workplace of cutting the grasses . A 12″ destruction sword work wonders cutting through the heavy Mary Jane .
We then glance over all of the rubble , leave-taking , etc . from the beds – and take it all to the compost bins to start the time of year ’s new quite a little .
One thing we wo n’t do yet is apply new mulch to our bed . Mulch is a great insulator – and the ground needs a fortune to warm up first before applying it . Mulching too early can keep soil damp and cool through the spring . We await until belated May to mulch beds to give up the soil and plant beginning to heat up .
The barn’s rain water tank – which fills quickly from the spring rains.
As an additional note – this is also a outstanding fourth dimension to divide any of the perennials and ornamental forage for other seam spaces . Dividing perennials is precisely how we have landscape the full dimension for nearly free . In fact , of the 500 + plants on the property – there are only a few that we have actually paid for – and the ease have all been grow through transplantation and division . Now that is elbow room to keep the budget in tact!See : How To Create Beautiful landscape gardening Without expend A Lot Of Cash
Compost is the key to a bully garden – and you’re able to make it for free !
One of the most significant job each Spring is to get the compost piles in order .
Compost is the winder to our garden ’s success – so getting our megabucks in order is extremely of import .
I say piles – because we have two freestanding ones each spring . One large heap save from last year that is finished and ready to apply for spring planting – and a second one that is commence from the Spring clean out of the chicken cage , flower beds and kitchen scraps saved through the wintertime calendar month .
See : 5 childlike Tips To Creating Great Compost
Last but not least – we set up our rain pee collection tanks to start collecting water for all of our summer watering want .
We use a two tank adjust up – one collecting rain from our barn – and the other from the corn - cot shed near the garden . Together , they gather and hold around 550 gallons of water to use when needed.(SEE : Our Simple Rain - Water Collection System )
The b ’s rainwater water storage tank – which fill quickly from the springiness rains .
It ’s significant for to us to conserve and re - use as many natural resource as potential – and our rain water collection system of rules has issue our full farm ’s water need for 4 twelvemonth running .
Each Spring , we lead off by press cleaning our credit card H2O tote tanks clean – and then set them up to be fill up from the early season rains . This yr as common – it did n’t take long . In fact – in just 5 days after setting up – a few rain shower bath have the b cooler already filled to the 250 gallon mark .
Getting all of these “ non - garden ” chores in order now really allow us to then turn our focus to the garden in May – and without the concern of the farm getting out of hand . It really is as dim-witted as 15 hour a twenty-four hour period !
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Happy Gardening – Jim and Mary !
