The Spring Equinox has passed and things are truly waking up in the garden. April showers do in fact promise May flowers!
›› Kayla Siefried
What to do in the garden this month? Amend your soil, direct seed some vegetable seeds, and prepare a bed to transplant seedlings into. This year, the Compost Education Centre has ya covered for seedlings, as our 10th annual Organic Plant Sale will be happening on North Park Street on May 8 from 10am-2pm.
Here’s what a spring soil amendment plan could look like:
Add compost. If you aren’t already making your own compost, the Compost Education Centre has plenty of free resources and workshops on how to start your own compost pile. And we sell our favourite bins too! (And the City of Victoria will have some available for free—read on for more details)
Minimally disturb the soil. There is an intricate web of life that exists in the soil, and by digging less, we allow soil structure to form, helping with water retention, the growth of mycelial networks, we keep worms safe, and we even support the soils unique ability to sequester carbon. It also saves our backs from becoming sore! Rather than digging deep, turning over soil or rototilling, consider nourishing your soil with fork pokes and organic matter.
Add Organic Matter. Top garden beds off with compost and also consider adding well-rotted manures, green garden waste, and keeping the soil covered at all moments possible with mulch. Your best mulch option is leaves, but straw does well too. If you didn’t manage to squirrel away leaves this past fall—fear not, and read on!
As mentioned above, the City of Victoria will have compost, leaf mulch, and woodchips available to the general public right here in Fernwood! Between April 12-16, the piles will arrive, and you’ll be able to come on foot, bike or car with your wheelbarrows, buckets, and bins to the piles that will be located on North Park Street, near to the entrance of the Compost Education Centre. It’ll be available on a first-come-first served basis.
Follow the Compost Education Centre and Fernwood NRG on social media to be sure you hear when it’s been delivered, then come on down to gather some organic matter for your gardens!