The ground in your
garden has been holding moisture all winter. Let's see if the soil is ready.
Preparing your garden plot
We will want to perform
a 'ball test' to see if it's ready to be worked.
Pick up a handful of
soil and squeeze it firmly into a ball.
If it sticks together,
it's still too wet or it may be the clay variety.
If you try to work wet
clay it will compact hard as a rock.
Let the garden dry out
for a few days longer, especially if it's been a wet spring, and test
If the ball falls apart
easily then the soil is dry enough to be worked.
Once it passes the 'ball
test' you'll have to check it's temperature to see if it's warm enough
for the seeds.
- Dig 8" down (20
cm) at a point near the middle of the garden and put your hand in
You can feel if the soil has warmed up or is still chilly to the touch.
- Refer to the back
of your seed packets to see if they prefer to be planted in
warm or cool weather.
- If you have seeds
that are okay to plant in cool weather , you can get started just
as Spring Equinox approaches, March 21.
- For seeds that need
warmer soil wait a few days and do the test again.
- If you want to help
the soil warm up faster, put down a layer of thin black plastic.
- After a few sunny
days, roll back the cover and do the same test again
- Once your soil is
warm to the touch you can prepare your garden plot ready for planting.
To prepare your garden
plot you will need:
your Garden Plan,
a measuring tape,
a ball of garden twine,
a garden fork and
a metal rake.
- Refer to your Garden
Plan to find the exact location of your garden.
- Use the measuring
tape to mark out the length and width of your plot.
- Put a stake in the
ground at each corner and tie the twine around them to surround your
garden on all 4 sides.
- Use a shovel to
remove grass, weeds and rocks from your garden plot inside the twine
- If you wish, you
can remove the twine.
- Use the garden fork
to turn over the soil and break up any big lumps.
- If you have clay,
don't dig it over, just break up the lumps.
- Work from the back
of the garden toward the front so you don't compact the soil you just
- Now is a great time
to condition the soilif you need to.
- Using the teeth
and back of a metal rake smooth and level the surface.
- Your garden is ready
for the next step: preparing your rows