Spring garden season is here! Pure joy is in the air now y’all. Sunshine and spring rains are just changing my entire perspective on life. The long cold winter is finally coming to a close and I couldn’t be more thrilled about the coming season. Of course, high on the priority list is the spring garden. 

This is my third season gardening, however, I don’t feel as though year one counted. We had one raised bed which resulted in an oregano plant and 3 total snap peas for the entire season. In my defense, I was very pregnant and very busy with work, and the temps rose to 120 Fahrenheit! All of the excuses are being thrown out this year though. We will be away for a week in the middle of the summer. Otherwise, we are in 100% garden mode this summer. 

Lest you worry, a friend will water the garden while we are away!

Spring Garden Seed Purchases

So, the question remains, what am I planting? I purchased seeds from Survival Garden Seeds this year. Heirloom variety plants have always been my preference. I purchased some from a large box store last year and my germination rate was abysmal. To be fair, we also had some serious issues with our soil and its fertility. I still think that there was more going on than weak soil! 

I’ve heard great things about Survival Garden Seeds, so I am hopeful that we have great success. The two bundles I chose were the Home Gardner and the Floral pack. 29 dollars for 30 packets of seeds seemed like a great deal to me. I also picked up a pack of heirloom variety snap peas from Azure Standard. I also will be planting some seeds I saved from my bachelor buttons and snap peas from last season. 

Planting the Spring Garden

Now that it is near the end of March, I have begun planting the garden. I should have begun this planting a couple of weeks ago, but I just was not quite there yet. This weekend was sunny and beautiful so I was ready to go to work in the garden. Since the risk of frost has largely passed, but is still lingering, I planted the hardier plants in my collection. 

For me, this meant planting fingerling carrots, lettuce, spinach, turnips, and a second variety of lettuce. We are working with fairly limited garden space. I am sowing the seeds all quite close together and will thin out the weaker plants as needed. 

The seeds have been sown, all that is left to do is wait for the seeds to germinate and sprout! This is such an exciting time. Every morning I walk out to see if any new green buds have popped up overnight. The rain is still in full swing here in the PNW, so the spring garden is fully hydrated. I have a little one who loves to use the hose, so I’m sure we won’t have any trouble remembering to water the garden once the rain stops!

We also have several little sprouts that had self-seeded from last season. In the raised bed there are 2-3 little carrot tops that look encouraging. Alongside the carrot tops are two sprouts that I haven’t identified yet. One sprout may just be some grass, but the other looks like sage. All of this growth is highly encouraging. Last year the raised bed produced nothing other than the grandfathered-in oregano and lavender. Speaking of the oregano, I think I may have to relocate him to a pot or in the ground. He is likely to overtake the raised bed if he grows unhindered another year!

Fertilizer and Compost Plans

In years past I have not used fertilizer or compost. Yikes. I know. It clearly did not go well for me! This year, we have plans to switch things up (thankfully). I purchased some kelp fertilizer from Azure standard that is arriving today at our drop. There is so much information on different fertilizer and compost methods out there that I finally just had to choose one. I’ll keep you all updated. 

In terms of compost, we have no finite plans. The makeshift homestead is located in a tight neighborhood, and we have concerns about attracting rodents with a compost pile. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to tackle this? I will definitely need some sort of container before I can begin the process. We go through plenty of compostable food waste, leaves, yard waste, and cardboard which we would far prefer to compost. Looking forward to any tips you have!

Final Thoughts

I am beyond excited for this spring garden and all of the garden season to come. Growing our own food is becoming more exciting as our family grows. I love to have a little helper with every task, and the time spent in the dirt with the sun on our faces is completely precious. A no-waste greenhouse solution for those of us in very small spaces is in the works. So stay tuned for another post about that! 

I would love to hear what your plans are for your spring garden and when you will begin planting in your zone! Enjoy the excitement of the approaching spring and open up your windows to breathe in the heavy spring air. Another new beginning is here!