Spring will be upon us before we know it. Below are a few RAPID-FIRE GARDEN TIPS from Clyde as you get ready for the growing season. Some of these ideas are in the sketch which we hand out at garden shows.

• Get your garden tools and related items in advance, Gloves, Knee-Pads, Rake, Hoe, Hoses and Nozzles, Shovel, Hand Shovel, Seeder, Seed Starting Flats, Potting Soil, Fertilizer, Weasel Tool, Wheelbarrow and others. Buy them "Off-Season" at a lower cost.

• Pick a level spot for the garden, one which gets full sun. If not level, choose a spot which declines to the south for best sun exposure.

• Turn sod green side down by hand with a shovel, then grind up dirt with a tiller or Weasel which is a great tool to grind up soil manually.

• Make your rows run north to south to take best advantage of the arc of the sun with minimal shading.

• Use Weed Blocking plastic to minimize weed take-over. Preventing weeds is easier than pulling them.

• Rake soil into 8-10″ high raised rows 18″ wide. This allows for more intense planting & keeps seeds from rotting due to excessive water during those toad-stranglers. We also form dirt dams in between hilled-rows so that rain is captured in the garden, but not on top of the seeds or sprouts.

• Use a yellow twine to help get your rows straight. Tie the Twine to (2) wooden stakes then stretch across garden when preparing the row or when planting.

• We use orange construction flags to mark planting locations, so young plants don’t get stepped on.

• Purchase a drip-tape irrigation system. Drip tape is great!!!! It uses 50-70% less water, and keeps you from watering the weeds. Drip tape is extra helpful if you live in an area where drought is frequently a summer reality…can find online. Good drip tape will come with a check-valve to maintain steady pressure in your lines. I really like the garden irrigation kit provided by Irrigation Mart. Here is a link to the garden kits their web site: http://www.irrigation-mart.com/products/KITS.aspx

• Pole beans require an Upright Lattice, but generate (2.5) times more beans. Pick pole beans early to avoid strings. We make our pole bean lattice out of cattle panels and t-posts – works great, see sketch below. Run lattice north to south to avoid shading other crops. We like Blue Lake Stringless pole beans.

• Get a soil test from Lowe’s or another hardware store, and test your dirt to see if it needs any nutrients. Cost = $5.00 roughly. Fertilize as needed. Your local state extension office can also help you with soil tests. They provide an excellent analysis of the garden bed, along with a recipe for improving the soil by amending (see sketch below). NPK and Acidity are important, but don't overlook the Cation Exchange numbers. They tell you how well the soil holds the fertilizers you add, see sketch below. Adding organic matter increases the Cation numbers.

• Use straw or some other similar biological materials to mulch around plants and between rows. It slows the weeds, and helps hold in the water during dry season. Then it breaks down into fertilizer.

• Learn how to compost. Composting turns your kitchen scraps into excellent fertilizer.

• Put aged (1 year or older) horse manure on your garden….work it into the soil…makes your garden explode with growth.

• If you decide to do starts from seeds in the house, be sure to keep them moist, every day. They can dry out and die very quickly. I have had great results with Miracle Grow plant starter potting soil.

• Cover seed flats with clear kitchen stretch wrap at first to help them germinate, then remove soon after germination.

• If you do starts in the house put a fan near-by seed flats so that your little seedlings do not die from damping-off, a moisture related problem.

• Try using a shop vacuum to suck up squash beetles if they attack your zucchini or yellow squash. Catch them in the morning while they are grouped up. Don't plant all your squash in the same area of the garden. Make it hard for the parent bugs to find plants. Watch for and remove squash eggs from the plants. They are normally in small shiny brown groupings on the leaves.

• Make and preserve your own Salsa, Onions, Green Peppers, Hot Peppers, Tomatoes, Garlic; all healthy and easy to grow. Walmart has Salsa Seasoning Packets, or let me know if you would you like our sweet salsa recipe.

• Teach your kids as you garden. It is an excellent way to spend a quantity of quality time with them! We had 6 kids and I spent lots of time with them in the garden when they were little.

• We like the Tomato Hoop idea (see below). It gives more support to the branches.