One of the most unique and enjoyable amenities at Lakeside Apartments is our beautiful resident garden. Residents are able to reserve one of the complimentary 5’x5′ plots, and the only requirement is that it must have something planted all year round.
Here are some tips for planning your spring garden in Northern Virginia.
1. Prepare the bed. After a long winter, you’ll want to prepare the bed for spring planting. This involves removing sod and weeds, brushing away other debris and cultivating the soil about 12 inches deep. You can also spread a layer of compost over the top of the soil for added nutrients.
2. Research what you’ll plant. You don’t want to plant anything that’s out of season (such as pumpkins or apples), so be sure to research what types of fruits, vegetables and flowers are in season in the springtime. You might try carrots, beets, arugula, broccoli, cauliflower, raspberries or strawberries.
3. Plant in the right order. In the early spring, when the weather may still be a bit frosty, you can plant things like perennials and shrubs, as well as sow seeds for vegetables. In late spring, you can remove bulbs and prune your shrubs.
4. Consider adding mulch. You might also like to add one to three inches of mulch to your garden bed in order to prevent weeds from growing and slow the spread of disease.
5. Check the pH balance. Periodically, you might want to check the pH balance of the soil using a soil test kit to see where you might need to enrich the different areas of your bed.