How to wake up your garden after the snow melts
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Gentle spring prep tips for a thriving season ahead
The snow is finally retreating, the sun is sticking around a little longer, and your garden is beginning to stir. While it's tempting to rush into full planting mode, early spring in colder zones like ours (hello, Zone 4!) is a time for observation, patience, and gentle care. Before you dig in—literally—let’s talk about how to properly wake your garden from its long winter nap.
🌤 Wait Until the Soil Dries (Mostly)
The first warm day might have you itching to get your hands dirty, but hold off until your soil is no longer saturated. Walking or digging in soggy soil compacts it, squeezing out air and damaging the soil structure your plants rely on.
Pro tip: Grab a handful of soil and squeeze it. If it stays clumped or water seeps out, it’s still too wet. If it crumbles, you're good to go.
🍂 Gently Remove Winter Mulch
If you protected your perennials with leaves, straw, or mulch last fall—great! They’ve been cozy all winter. Now that temps are warming (consistently above freezing), you can gently remove or pull back that mulch layer.
Uncover crowns and new growth to prevent rot
Leave a light layer around the base of plants to suppress weeds and protect against surprise frosts
Look for Signs of Life
Early risers like Aquilegia, Pulmonaria, and Primula will be the first to poke through. Take a walk through your garden and look for:
Swelling buds on shrubs
Reddish-pink or green shoots emerging from perennials
Heaved roots (frost can push them upward—press gently back into place)
🧹 Clean Up—But Not Too Much
Clear away soggy leaves and broken stems, but hold off on a full cleanup until temps stay above 10°C (50°F). Why?
Many beneficial insects—like native bees and ladybugs—are still hiding in that garden debris. Give them time to emerge before you disturb their shelter.
🌿 Feed Your Soil, Not Just Your Plants
Before you reach for the fertilizer, start by feeding the soil. Healthy soil = healthier, happier plants all season long.
Add a layer of finished compost around your beds
Sprinkle in some organic granular fertilizer (like 5-10-10) around perennials as they emerge
Consider adding worm castings or mycorrhizal inoculants for a microbial boost
🌱 Divide & Conquer (If Needed)
If you spot overgrown clumps or perennials that didn’t bloom well last year, early spring is the ideal time to divide them (once the soil is workable).
Good candidates:
- Daylilies
- Hostas
- Bee Balm
- Shasta Daisies
This not only revitalizes the plant but gives you bonus plants for free!
👀 Check for Winter Damage
- Walk the garden with a critical eye:
- Prune back broken branches
- Look for signs of frost heave or crown rot
- Trim any mushy or blackened foliage back to healthy tissue
Don’t panic if things look rough—many perennials rebound impressively once the weather steadies.
🌸 Ready to Grow?
Once your garden is cleaned, fed, and breathing again, you're almost ready to start planting. Resist the urge to rush; your perennials will thank you for a thoughtful start.
Looking for plants that bloom from May to October?
👉 Browse our hand-picked, Zone 4-hardy perennials at GardenerNation.com
Happy spring, and welcome back to the garden! 🌿
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You will be seated overlooking Ruth Lake and while sipping a refreshing beverage, you will handpick your dream garden from our stunning look-book of locally grown perennials. 🧋📒
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☎️ Landline: 705-724-5050
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