The Protein Essentials Test Kitchen has been hard at work getting the organic vegetable garden ready for spring! It is truly a labor of love. Here’s what we have been up to. Use some of these tips to get your garden ready.

All the soil must be turned over. First we rake any remaining leaves and debris from the top layer of soil, adding these to the compost pile. Next every inch of our three raised beds gets turned over. Really get in there and disrupt the place! This will help rid your soil of any diseases or insects that have stayed over winter in your garden.

Add compost and new top soil. If you have had erosion over the winter, now is a good time to add new soil. Once you have added the new soil, mix in the compost. New soil should be allowed to acclimate to your garden before you introduce any plantings.

Prune. You can prune in the fall or the spring. We prefer the spring method. Different plants require different pruning. Grape vines need to be pretty agressively pruned while  apple and plum trees require a more delicate touch.

Check your hoses, repair or replace any hoses that have developed leaks. Check your fencing. If you live in an area where you are fighting off wildlife this is especially important. Turn over your compost pile, especially if you have not been adding to it over the winter.

Plant. We have planted early spring crops of lettuce, spinach, kale onion and radish. These crops all do well in cooler weather. We have also planted our more tender crops in indoor containers to be transplanted when the weather is warmer.

Ready for spring!