Whether you are planting your first garden or you are a seasoned gardener, planning and preparation is essential for a fruitful harvest. Start preparing in mid-winter so that when the ground thaws for spring you are ready to begin planting. Continue reading to discover what you can do this February to ensure a more productive garden at your Ohio home.
Choose the Garden Area
Depending on your living conditions, you may need to plant your garden indoors, which will severely limit the number and variety of plants in your garden. If your outdoor space is small or the soil is too difficult to manage, consider container plants or raised beds. You can plant most plants including tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers in these. However, some plants including corn, which requires several plants for pollination, is difficult to plant unless you have a large plot. Draw a map of your gardening area to determine the placement of plants, so you make the most of whatever space you choose.
Organic or Not?
If you want to grow a garden that is free of chemicals or genetically modified plants, you will want to go organic. This means you will need an organic soil and organic seeds or seedlings. Additionally, you want to use all-natural fertilizers and pesticides. Alternatively, you may choose companion planting, which is the positioning of plants so they repel insects and benefit the soil for each other. Organic gardening takes a lot of organization, so you need to start your research and planning for this type of garden as early as possible.
Go Shopping
Take this time to get your garden in order. Do you need to replace a rusty rake or holey gardening gloves? Start shopping now so you have the essentials, such as tools, fertilizer, soil additives and seeds, ready for the start of spring. Order seed catalogs online from companies that are nearest to the Ohio region, such as from Sand Hill Preservation Center or Seed Savers who are both located in Iowa, as seeds and plants from nearby companies are more likely to grow in your area. By preparing early, you have more energy and time to focus on your plants.
Start Your Seedlings Indoors
Get a head start by starting your plants indoors. Seeds are much more affordable than seedlings, but you will need to provide them with plenty of sunlight and water. Additionally, the correct growing conditions, i.e. light and temperature, vary per plant. For each of your seeds, do your research to determine the optimal growing conditions. Planting your seeds indoors ensures you will have plants ready to go into the ground as soon as springtime arrives.
Prep the Area
If you are planting outdoors in a field or raised bed, you will need to prepare the space. Clear out any fallen leaves, twigs or branches that are in your gardening plot. Give the soil a boost by testing it for nutrients. Contact your local cooperative extension office for tips and tools for testing soil. Prepare to add nutrients, such as nitrogen or aluminum sulfate, as soon as the ground can be tilled in order to make the soil more or less alkaline or acidic. In Ohio soil naturally is more acidic, so you will most likely need to supplement with lime for a more fertile soil.
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