Our New Year’s gardening resolutions just might help to make your 2020 spring gardens the most successful yet. While gardening slows down somewhat during the winter months, it in no way stops. There is plenty to do to keep up with your plants and even more to do to get prepped for spring gardens that are right around the corner. So check out this blog featuring gardening tasks to start off 2020!
5 Spring Garden Tips for San Antonio
1. Test Soil: If you’ve struggled consistently through the years with poor planting results, poor soil could be the problem. Finding out what your soil needs doesn’t need to be a process full of guesswork and headaches. See this article from Texas A&M Agrilife Extension for easy instructions for obtaining proper soil samples and where to send them for testing. You’ll be on your way to knowing what soil amendments your spring gardens need to produce luscious growth and bountiful harvests. We carry some amazing soil amendments at Rainbow Gardens like FoxFarm Happy Frog Soil Conditioner, and Back to Earth Cotton Burr. These products add necessary nutrients and acidity to our limestone soils, plus loosen the soil and make it very workable.
2. Plan Spring Gardens: If you haven’t done so already, measure and map out your spring gardens now. Successful gardens take time to plan and by researching plants now and/or scheduling consultations with landscapers you’ll have plenty of time to implement new ideas before the busy season of spring. If you wait until spring, you may find that many landscapers are already booked and even if you get a last minute appointment you might end up feeling rushed, leaving you to make rash decisions that haven’t been well thought out.
Take advantage of our Plant Finder Tool on our website to help plan your spring gardens. You can research plants based on category, common names, botanical names and more. Learn about plants’ growing requirements, see pictures, and discern which plants would be a good fit for your landscape. Make a wish list and then come see us at the nursery to see if we have your spring garden selections in stock. Being prepared and well-informed brings you the most success in your gardening endeavors.
3. Buy and Order Seeds: Our seed racks are loaded at both Rainbow Garden locations with a staggering amount of seed choices. While our seed racks will serve your spring gardens righteously and hardly leave you wanting for more, it’s still fun to sift through spring garden seed catalogs or search endless seed catalogs online. One of our favorite seed sources are Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, where you can find unique seeds for spring gardens like Pink Bananas (yes, pink) and Chinese Python Snake Bean (gotta see it to believe it). Of course we also love Native American Seed Company and carry many of their seeds in the store.
Starting seeds indoors is a way to make sure your favorite transplants will be available for planting in your spring gardens. Seed starting begins this month so hop to it. When you’ve made your selections or are ready to see what we have on the rack, come see us at Rainbow Gardens for the rest of your spring gardens seed starting needs like soil, seed trays, peat pots, grow lights, and more.
4. Sharpen Tools: There is a lot of cutting and trimming that takes place before your spring gardens really get moving. Nothing makes pruning and mowing season more of a chore than dull blades on your mowers and clippers. Jagged cuts in plant material are an open invitation to disease and insect issues. Brush rust off of tools with a wire brush, then sharpen and oil them. Get your lawn mower blades professionally sharpened; your turf and your spring gardens will thank you. Tools need an upgrade? We carry Corona pruners and other top brand selections. Start the spring off with shiny, sharp, new tools that will expertly service your plant.
5. Be Proactive: If you take away nothing else from this New Year’s resolution blog, we hope that you will realize that successful gardening depends so much on planning and forethought. The success of your spring gardens is truly dictated by how much you prepared or didn’t prepare the month before it. That is why we constantly encourage you to research, plan, and prep, well before each gardening season actually starts. Our event season kicks off in February, and we’ll be bringing you expert advice. So let’s make a deal. We’ll continue to share with you what we know and offer it to you in a timely manner if you’ll learn from it and enjoy more gardening success each year. Deal? Deal!
Good luck, good fortune, and good gardening. Happy New Year!
~The Happy Gardener, Lisa Mulroy
Hi there,
I am glad to introduce ourselves as a retail store in Iceland, i will like to purchase some products for my business.
Shipping to Iceland?
Do you allow pick up via Private Courier Company or freight forwarders?
Do you accept US credit card for instant payments?
Awaiting your response.
Best Regards,
Brian Lee
President/Owner
We are a small local business and do not ship.