Its that time of the year, where you can smell Spring in the air. When you walk into any store and see gardening stuff everywhere!
I love this time of year. I love the flowers, the colors, the new spring collections popping up. Mostly I love that it marks the beginning of spring gardening. For the past six years, I have planted a garden in my backyard (there’s a link to last year’s post here. I have tried, experimented and failed many times. Today I’ve decided to give you a few tried and true products and tips.
I hope this encourages you to grow your own little garden. And also, that it helps you with your green thumb 🙂
Seedlings:
Usually I buy seedlings from local growers, or I start my own seedlings at home.
I buy seeds from MIgardener – You can’t go wrong with $.99-cent seeds!
When starting my own seeds at home I use Jiffy organic seed starting mix.* I also use their seedling pots, and for the first time, I am using their pellet greenhouse (I will have to update you on my review).
Fertilizers:
In the past, I have used my own compost and worm castings. Yes, my own worm poop! But when it’s not available, I use store bought products such as Jobe’s vegetable and tomato fertilizer. I was so pleased with it that I also use several of their other fertilizers for our fruit trees.
I am also in love with MIgardener’s Trifecta+. It’s a bit on the expensive side, but when I have used it, it has boosted the number of my vegetables and their size.
Pest Control:
Springtime is also when pesky little bugs come out. Inevitably they invade my garden every year!
I have tried my own insecticidal soap, neem oil, my own essential oil spray. I have even tried sprinkling diatomaceous earth everywhere. However, two items I buy that will always be in my garden for pest control are Sluggo and Whitney Farms insecticidal soap. Can’t live without them!
Tools:
We all know that tools are an investment and we shouldn’t go too cheap (insert my Dollar Tree finds from this morning, hehe). However, not everything I buy is a dollar store find, I do have a few favorites that I won’t skimp on. Sheers! My favorite pair is the Fiskars pruning sheers. If cleaned with rubbing alcohol and oiled every once in a while, they will last a long time.
Some of the other things I carry with me when I spend time in the garden are: A good pair of gloves, my water, a hat & sunglasses and my phone. Yes, my phone to play music. Gardening is a big relaxing time for me, and if I could bottle that feeling up and give it you all, I would.
I hope that these products are useful to you, and if you have some faves of your own, please do share.
Happy Spring Gardening!
*Disclaimer- some of these links are amazon affiliate links, meaning at no extra cost to you, SDMB will earn a small portion if you click through and purchase.
