Welcome to the 2022 gardening season! We gardeners eagerly anticipate every new gardening season though we often get a little overwhelmed when the time comes. There's no need to feel overwhelmed this year! Read on to learn how to prepare for gardening in 2022 and find an easy-to-use gardening checklist.
A garden journal is an incredibly helpful tool used by gardeners around the world. The information in your journal will help you to prepare for and grow a successful garden year after year. You can use a paper journal and pencil, a digital journal, or simply take pictures with your phone and write captions with pertinent information.
Start your garden journal with this 2022 Gardening Checklist to keep your garden productive and on track all season!
Late Winter- Early Spring
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Prepare for inevitable garden maintenance by inspecting, cleaning, and sharpening your garden and lawn tools. Don’t forget to change the fluids in your lawnmower.
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Buy supplies you used up last year. These might include fertilizers, soil, seed trays, pots, bird nets, and plant supports.
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Choose and purchase seeds and bulbs.
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Force bulbs indoors.
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Start seeds of early season crops or those that take a while to mature indoors to make the most of your growing season.
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Divide perennials while they are still dormant.
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Prune bushes and trees where necessary, removing any dead branches.
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Pull weeds before they have a chance to take over the whole garden.
*Many gardeners forget about the importance of preparing garden tools before they’re needed. Use March to clean and sharpen your garden tools, including lawn equipment. Avoid the frustration and setbacks involved with picking up a tool when you need it only to find it needs repair or maintenance.
How to prepare soil for successful gardening:
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Perform a soil test.
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Purchase and apply any needed amendments as soon as the ground thaws.
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Plant bulbs and frost hardy seeds like echinacea when the ground thaws.
Spring- Summer
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After the last frost date, direct sow cold-hardy seeds like Carrots, Lettuce, and Morning Glories.
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Shop and purchase young plants to transplant into your garden as the weather warms.
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Fertilize flowering and fruiting plants to encourage continued production.
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Use the succession planting method to enjoy annual blooms for an extended period and harvest edibles regularly throughout the growing season.
Late Summer- Fall
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Clear out declining crops to make room for fall garden crops like Mums, Beets, Peas, and Winter Squash.
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Prepare your plants for their move to your indoor garden by checking for pests and transplanting or repotting them.
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Plant overwinter flower bulbs and crops such as Crocus, Snowdrops, Garlic, and Onions.
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Plant cover crops
How to prepare your garden for winter:
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Remove large or diseased plants. The rest can stay in place to decompose over winter.
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Remove invasive weeds to make gardening next spring easier.
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Spread compost and turn the soil.
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Mulch the garden, perennial bulbs, and shrubs.
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Continue watering perennials and trees until the ground freezes.
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Clean and store garden and lawn tools. Empty fluids from machines like your lawnmower.