With the recent warmer weather and the trees bursting with spring buds, now is the time to prep your yard for early plantings. Besides, working in the garden is a great way to relieve stress, and get some exercise. You can even get the kids involved.
Planting a garden needs to take place after the last frost. The National Gardening Association online database allows you to get an estimate of the last date for frost in your area by zip code. This date can help you make your gardening plan.
Many people are not sure how to get spring gardening started, so here is a checklist for getting a garden going this spring.
- Get rid of dead leaves and remove mulch from perennial flower beds, or if the mulch has broken down well, then mix it into the soil to feed germinating flowers.
- Now is the time to prune many trees and bushes. It is best to do it before the weather gets too warm, as they will start to bud and pruning once a tree has started budding puts stress on the tree. Stress lowers fruit crops and flowering. Early flowering trees and bushes should be pruned after flowering.
- Prepping your yard for summer should be occurring now, too. All fertilizing should take place before summer heat hits. If done later, it will cause grass to burn out. Growth of grass needs to occur before the heat, so the grass can go inactive to survive.
- Tilling and planting of early flowers and vegetables can take place now. This is the perfect time to prepare soil for planting by mixing in fresh compost and nutrients.
- Begin to mulch around shrubs to insure moisture is kept in the soil when temperatures soar. Make sure that mulch is no more than two inches high on flower beds and three inches around shrubs. There is no need to remove old mulch around trees and shrubs, just add what is necessary to get the beds to appropriate levels. Mulch holds down weeds, keeps moisture in the soil, and keeps the temperature moderate.
There are a number of local garden supply stores that can provide additional information on how to get summer yards and gardens started, and they offer everything needed to get things going – from shovels to mulch to beautiful plants and shrubs.
Tranquility Gardens
6158 Tolleson Road
Adams, Tennessee
https://www.facebook.com/TranquilityGarden/
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, 7:30 a.m. until noon
Tranquility Gardens is a wholesale plant nursery.
Lowe’s Garden Center
3480 Tom Austin Highway
Springfield, Tennessee
https://www.lowes.com/store/TN-Springfield/1747
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Sunday, 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Offering everyday low prices on all quality hardware products and construction needs, Lowe’s Home Improvement center has it all whether you are a beginner starting a DIY project or a professional. They carry everything to make a backyard inviting, including paint, patio furniture, exterior décor, tools, decking, grills, outdoor equipment, gardening equipment, plants, fertilizer, mulch, edging, and more.
WalMart Garden Center
3360 Tom Austin Highway
Springfield, Tennessee
https://www.walmart.com/store/304-springfield-tn/patio-garden-services
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 6:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
WalMart Garden Center
225 Wilkinson Ln
White House, Tennessee
https://www.walmart.com/store/4483-white-house-tn/patio-garden-services
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 6:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
This is the place to go to get prepped for spring planting. They carry everything needed for the beginner to the pro.
Wilkinson Plant Center
3020 US Highway 31 West
White House, Tennessee
https://www.facebook.com/wilkinsonplantcenter
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
This is a long-standing, locally-owned nursery business carrying everything to get a yard and garden ready for spring.
Windy Acres Farms
8839 Cedar Grove Road
Cross Plains, Tennessee
https://www.facebook.com/p/Windy-Acres-Nursery-Greenhouses-100063627577479/
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, noon until 5:00 p.m.
Windy Acres is a family-owned retail and wholesale nursery and garden center.
Standing Stone Nursery
3360 Tom Austin Highway
Springfield, Tennessee
https://www.standingstonenursery.com/
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Open since 2009, Standing Stone Nursery is the trusted source in Middle Tennessee for premium landscaping supplies. A family-owned business, they are dedicated to providing the highest quality landscaping supplies to meet all project needs.
TAH Landscaping and Nursery
On Highway 41
Greenbriar, Tennessee
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Located behind a private residence, this family-owned landscaping and nursery business is located on Highway 41, between Greenbriar and Ridgetop.
Corbin Creek Greenhouse
4920 TN-161
Springfield, Tennessee
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.
Growing plants is their first love. They grow quality plants with proven winners that are hearty, beautiful and engineered to stay that way making up 99% of their inventory. Their staff is always ready to help customers with ideas and real experience to make their outdoor space easy to care for and a pleasure to enjoy.
