This Year, Solve Problems Before You Start

Common problems you can address now:

Soil--Compaction is a common problem that leads to stunted, sickly plants. Wait till the soil is dry enough to crumble in your hand before you dig, walk, or plant. Then a fork or a piece of steel should glide down easily in your beds. If not, consider loosening the soil with a broadfork, hand fork, or even a piece of rebar. Adding organic matter (compost) gives roots a better chance. Any amendments you need, like ground limestone or alfalfa meal, can be scattered then. (If you aren't sure what amendments you need, think about getting a soil test, or speaking to your local Cooperative Extension Service agent.)

Climate--If your soil is cold and wet, tall narrow beds allow it to warm up. If hot and dry, flat or sunken beds retain moisture. If your plants have suffered from too much wind or scorching sun, perhaps you could shelter them this year with companion plants, placement by buildings and structures, row covers, or temporary structures. Last year, we decreased stress on our plants and increased yields by building a temporary wind fence.

Overwork--When gardens get overwhelming, weeds are often the reason. It's been a big issue for us! It's worth delaying planting if necessary to give your plants the best start and prevent overwhelm. For early-spring crops, a shallow cultivation (skim-till) of the top 2 inches of soil can sever weeds without hurting earthworms and other deeper-dwelling soil life. For summer crops, cardboard or black plastic laid down now can kill weeds in about a month. Either way, rake up the dead weeds, spread compost, and plant. Going forward, run a scuffle hoe, loop weeder, sharp hoe or other shallow, implement over each bed weekly. If weeds are tiny, you can hoe almost as fast as you can walk, and it saves hours of work later.

Pests--Insects can smell stressed plants and target them. Good soil preparation, adequate water, and balanced fertility are your first line of defense against pests. Compost helps with all of these. Next, invite your friends! Research shows that crop yields are higher and pest damage is lower when 1/4 of the area is planted with flowers to draw beneficial insects and pollinators.

Water--This is another major source of overwork, burnout, and lowered yields. If you have seen yellow margins or lower leaves in the past, if you have spent too much time watering, or have had erratic watering, now is the time to upgrade your system. It doesn't need to be a full-on automatic system or anything fancy to be better than what you've got. For example, you can get battery-operated timers that screw into a faucet and turn the hose on and off. One of these connected to a sprinkler or some simple drip tubing can make a big difference in your life and your garden without a lot of trouble or expense. I put off getting these for years, and I wish I had all those hours back that I spent hand watering! For more, check out this post and this post.