"Yellow daffodil garden, full frame. For more flowers (click"
Spring Gardening Prep: Tips to Plan, Protect, and Thrive
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Asia Tabb
"Yellow daffodil garden, full frame. For more flowers (click"
AIRED; February 13, 2026
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As temperatures start to rise and snow begins to melt, gardeners everywhere feel the pull of spring fever—the urge to rush outside and dive into planting and yard work. But according to Erica Jo, getting a jump start on your garden isn’t about doing everything at once—it’s about strategy and timing.
“Spring fever is a thing, right? So yes, something surges into every gardener that you do want to just blast off and do everything,” Erica Jo explains. “So first of all, probably a game plan actually—to be able to walk out in your garden with a tablet of some sort and write down what you see that’s going to need to be done.” Creating a checklist of tasks allows gardeners to harness their enthusiasm without feeling overwhelmed once the season fully arrives.
Planning is also a chance to reflect on past successes and challenges. “Also learning where you probably went wrong last year with your garden if they didn’t thrive and how this season I can make a change,” Jo says. She emphasizes that success often comes from adapting to the garden’s unique conditions. “Sometimes it’s like, well, maybe it’s time to try something else. You know, if you can’t grow zinnias in your shady garden, stop trying to grow zinnias in your shady garden. Pick something different.”
Early spring is also the perfect time to test soil, a step that can set the foundation for a healthy garden. Jo recommends Penn State soil test kits, noting, “Go under one inch, though, because the top inch has more compost and fertilizer kind of stuff in it, so go under that to get your sample. Then they’ll send you something back that tells you what your pH is and what your nutrient levels are, and then you have actual scientific data to maneuver forward with.”
Native plants are another key consideration when planning your garden. “If you can use native plants, that’s always going to be something that you can keep an eye on,” Jo advises. She encourages gardeners to match the right plant to the right conditions—sun, shade, moisture—while also thinking about how their choices support local wildlife.
Garden tools should also be part of your spring prep. “Sharpen your pruners, oil your handles, make sure shovels are clean. There’s things you can do to prepare without, again, uber cleaning your garden whenever there’s things there that need that,” she says.
And for those worried about unpredictable early spring weather, Jo offers a simple solution: protect what you can and let nature take care of the rest. “I actually put blankets over top of them so the buds wouldn’t freeze, but your early blooming Crocuses and early daffodils—they’re used to this, so you also have to kind of let nature do its thing,” she notes.
By planning ahead, reflecting on past seasons, and taking a thoughtful approach to tools, soil, and plants, gardeners can make the most of spring—even if Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of winter. With a little preparation, the season can be productive, beautiful, and rewarding.
