Gardening Tips From Real Farmwives of America & Friends Ott, A.

Guest Post By Real Farmwives of America & Friends' Amy Ott of A Latte with Ott, A

Here in Central Indiana there is still a chill in the air, but as each day passes another robin hops around our yard, the length of the day gets a little bit longer and the grass green up a little bit more. This is a great time of year to start planning your garden.  Here are a few tips for simple tasks to help ensure a successful garden later in the growing season. 

Plant some pansies. Pansies are a great flower to plant in early spring as they are hardy enough to be resistant to frost and come in several pretty colors.

Plant cool season crops such as peas, onions, swiss chard, spinach and lettuce in early spring so they mature before the hot weather arrives.

There's an old wives tail that you should plant your potatoes before Good Friday for good results.  (Except for this year where Easter is really late, you may want to do plant them a little earlier.)

Plant seeds inside to transplant into your garden later in the season. Seed trays are a great way to get plants started, just keep the seedlings in sunny place.

Plot out your garden space so crops grow in different spots than in previous seasons. This not only helps your soil, but also keeps plants from being susceptible to disease.

Clean up garden area and prepare the soil.  This can be as simple as cleaning out any dead plants on weeds that overwintered, to tilling the soil, to adding compost.