If you’ve headed into your local garden center recently, you know that there are aisles upon aisles of seed packets filling any open space. Almost more fun than exploring the holiday light shows, walking along the seed aisles can fill your head with visions of your garden to come. Spring planting is much closer than it appears to be. Even though the temperatures are anything but friendly, and snow still blankets much of the ground, it’s never too early to design your garden’s layout for the coming season. There are some simple ways you can adjust your current layout to help your plants thrive. If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, we’ve even got some recommendations for both flowers and vegetables that grow beautifully in a wide range of growing zones, and will bring some colorful intrigue to your garden!
Before we dive into the hottest plants for the spring season, we’ve gotta talk nutrition. If you’ve been growing annuals with similar nutritional needs in the same areas for a number of years, you may want to switch up your growing regimen to allow some natural fertility to repopulate the soil. For example: if you’re working in a flower garden where you’ve been growing zinnia in the same spot, try growing a light feeder plant like celosia to give your soil a season or two to recover. If you’re growing in a vegetable garden, stagger where high-feeding plants such as tomatoes and peppers are planted to ensure that your soil stays fresh. Try planting peas or radishes where your tomatoes were last year, and plant your tomatoes where your leafy greens were planted. Staggering your planting placements can give your soil some much-needed rest, while also still providing you with bountiful veggies.
If you’re working with plants such as lilies, roses, raspberries, or asparagus, you’re not going to be replanting those year-after-year, and it’s important to keep the localized soil happy. Amending your soil in the fall and spring with Activated Compost, and fertilizing in the early spring with All-Purpose Fertilizer, is an easy way to ensure that your plants get all the nutrition, biology, and organic material they need to grow beautiful blooms or delicious edibles.
If you’re looking to spice up your spring flower arrangement, check out our recommended list of flowers below. All of these plants grow in at least zones 3-7, and are a beautiful and unique addition to any flower garden.
Secret lust coneflower, Zones 3-8
Northern Pitcher Plants, Zones 3-7
Amethyst in Snow, Zones 3-9
Batik Bearded Iris, Zones 3-8
Tricolor Chrysanthemum, Zones 2-10
Many of the varieties on this list are likely plants you’ve seen before in the lineup of potential spring seeds to grow. If you’ve looked at these edibles before and wanted to give them a try, this is your sign to grow something a little bizarre.
Amaranth, Zones 2-11
Black (Indigo Rose) Tomatoes, Zones 2-11
Cucamelon, Zones 2-11
Luffa, Zones 6-11
Kiwano, Zones 4-11
The spring season is almost upon us, and though there is plenty of legwork to be completed before we can get to the best parts of the spring season, Purple Cow Organics is here to help you find the right fertility solutions for your garden every step of the way.