Enhancing the garden ecosystem with spring planning

As the snow leaves and bare dirt is visible, gardeners are ready to dig in, literally. What we call the beginning of the growing season often starts with the garden cleaning up season. Gardeners are eager to rake up leftover plant material and mulches and see the bare dirt. Although the bare dirt does warm up faster than mulched ground, there are others to consider in our garden ecosystem.

 As the soil warms, the garden ecosystem begins to come alive. The Natural Resources Conservation Service  (NRCS) states that soil bioactivity (microbe and bug/worm life) begins when temperatures reach around 50 degrees. Remembering this will give gardeners a realistic expectation for when the growing season actually starts.

 Many insects that contribute to pollinating overwinter in larval forms in the top layer of soil, as well as in hollow stems of plant and mulch material. These insects will generally hatch when soil and air temperatures have been in the 50-degree range for seven to 10 days. If you must clean up, move loose plant material that may contain pupae to an unused area so that insects can continue their life cycle undisturbed.

 A homesteader's trick is to leave a few green onions in the garden over the winter. When they sprout, you know the soil is becoming warmer. 

Become aware of the temperatures that various seeds will germinate before planting them. For example, leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, chard and kale may germinate as cool as 50 degrees, although optimum soil temperature is 60-75 degrees, according to harvesttotable.com. Soil temperature can be taken with a meat thermometer.

 Spring garden chores can include pruning off last years' raspberry canes that bore fruit, they will not bear fruit again. Trimming and thinning perennials is best done early in the season so that they have a long window of time to reestablish. If any chrysalis from overwintering butterflies or moths are apparent on pruned plant material, set them aside in a protected area so that the larvae can hatch.

 Fruit tree pruning is best done in early spring, while the trees are dormant but about to wake up, states One Green World in their online fruit tree pruning guide available at https://onegreenworld.com/winter-pruning-guide-for-fruit-trees/. Pruning is to control height and let light into all the fruit bearing branches. Pruning also removes diseased wood, maintains shape and increases fruit production, according to the Montguide  "Pruning Fruit Trees in Montana." available through Montana State University Extensions and online http://www.msuextension.org/montguide. 

Spring soil testing every three to five years can be useful to plan how to amend the soil. There are home test kits available, sending the soil samples to a lab is the best way to learn how to amend the soil as well as to get information beyond the simple nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. 

To take a soil test dig a deep core six to 10 inches deep from a one to two inch wide hole from several spots from the area you wish to sample. Take 10 samples per 100 square feet or 20 to 30 samples from a large area of one to five acres. Select representative sampling sites over the whole area. Mix all the samples together in a bucket then select two cups of the mixture. Put the two cups of soil in a paper bag and let air dry for two to three days. Place the dried soil sample in a Ziplock bag labeled with your name and name of area sampled, i.e. vegetable garden, lawn, etc. so the testing lab can give recommendations for the correct crop. Submit your sample to a soil testing lab. The Missoula Extension Office recommends Midwest Labs for their economy and willingness to talk to clients on the phone. For more information visit https://midwestlabs.com/get-started/pick-analysis-package?industry=agriculture

Jean Pocha is a certified Master Gardener in Montana and lives in Helmville.  She is happy to answer reader questions.  Please email questions to jean@seeleylake.com