Muhammed Akil leads as executive director of the Parent Coalition for Excellent Education in Newark, New Jersey. In his free time, Muhammed Akil enjoys working in his garden.
Although early spring may not be the height of gardening season, there are plenty of tasks to get the gardener out into the warming air. One of the most crucial tasks for this time of year is post-winter cleanup, as weather can cause debris to gather in the garden. Early spring is also an ideal time to repair any damage to beds, fencing, or trellises. With little existing growth, a gardener can more easily get to the sides and posts of beds. Dealing with fence posts, however, should wait until warm weather softens the soil.
The bare ground in early spring also makes it easier to fill in mulch where it has become bare. Experts recommend approximately 3 to 4 inches of mulch, which helps to keep weeds at bay. Gardeners should make a concerted effort to pull any weeds that do emerge in early spring, as this will save trouble later in the season when the weeds are heartier and there is more risk of damaging your own plants.
Dead foliage and plant skeletons are also easier to remove in early spring. This should be done before the new plants spring up to avoid damaging early growth. This dead plant material can go into a rolling compost pile, which can be used to relieve some of the sogginess left over from the winter.