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Hello, again!
Late February can be a challenging time weather-wise. We’re so close to the official start of spring on March 20, but winter just doesn’t seem to let go. Remember February 21, 1971? It felt like we got two feet of snow in Wichita! In reality, it was about 10–13", but that Sunday morning blizzard shut the town down. Many made it to church that morning and ended up staying there for a couple of days!
With cole crops, cold-tolerant pansies, and violas ready from our production facility, we plan to have them in stores early next week. Are we completely done with freezing temperatures? Probably not. However, since we grow these plants in cool conditions, they are well-acclimated to withstand our normal early spring temperatures. Looking at the 30-day forecast, it seems like the worst of winter is behind us after this week. With highs consistently in the mid-50s to 60s and lows in the mid to upper 30s, I wouldn’t hesitate to plant our cold-tolerant annuals and vegetables.
Soon, we’ll also have onion sets and plants, seed potatoes, and asparagus starts available. As temperatures continue to warm next month, it will be the perfect time to plant early spring vegetables from seed rather than transplants. Consider direct-sowing carrots, beets, radishes, lettuce, spinach, and early peas. Be sure to check out our seed racks at the store! It’s an ideal time to prepare your garden for the season ahead.
Johnson's Soil Recipe is a great foundation for improving soil structure, whether you’re working with sandy or clay-heavy soil.
Here’s what you’ll need for 100 square feet of garden space:
• Three bags Cotton Burr Compost (2 cu. ft.)
• One bag Hi-Yield Bone Meal (3.25 lbs.)
• One bag ferti-lome Gardener’s Special (3.25 lbs.)
• One bag ferti-lome HuMic (3.25 lbs.)
To improve soil health before planting, mix these amendments into the top 8–12" of soil using a tiller or garden shovel. Deeper is fine, but it may not always be practical in heavy clay soils. A key tip: Never till or work the soil when it’s too wet. Doing so can create hard clods that are difficult to break up later. Be patient and wait until the soil has dried to a crumbly consistency.
Here is a list of Soil Recipe ingredients and the benefits of each:
Cotton Burr Compost 100% organic compost that improves poor soil immediately by restoring vital organic matter and humus. It increases moisture holding capacity of sandy soils and is unsurpassed at breaking up clay soils.
Hi-Yield Bone Meal (0-10-0) Provides a slow release form of natural phosphorus to help plants produce sturdy root systems, hasten maturity and stimulate plant growth.
ferti•lome Gardener’s Special (11-15-11) An excellent all-purpose plant food that contains both fast and slow release nitrogen. It provides a generous supply of plant nutrients needed for healthy growth and contains necessary trace elements to aid in development of plant and crop yield.
ferti•lome HUMIC A Granular Humic Acid soil amendment for vegetable gardens, flowerbeds and compost bins. This concentrated soil conditioner is derived from remains of decomposed organic plant materials and humic acids to enhance nutrient uptake and stimulate soil microbial life, which encourages root development.
After planting, consider applying Hi-Yield Herbicide Granules Weed and Grass Preventer (Treflan) to the soil surface around your plants. This helps prevent annual weeds from germinating. Always check the product label to ensure compatibility with your plants before applying.
Get ready for a great gardening season, and let’s welcome spring with healthy soil and thriving plants!
Your friend in the garden,
Marty Johnson
Owner - Johnson's Garden Centers
