The Urban Permaculture Farm Magazine

In the depths of winter when days are short and nights are long, I keep my mind occupied with daydreams of spring moments in the garden. Planting the first rows of carrots, watching crocus bloom, even pulling the first weed of the year holds a special place in time as Mother Nature awakens from winter slumber.

My garden is in West Chester, Pennsylvania. A Zone 6 for all you science types out there. Like many gardeners on the East Coast, my garden is currently covered by a few inches of snow. The garden was "put to bed" last November after the last summer veggies were removed. My garden soil is currently sleeping under that snow, waiting for spring to emerge and temperatures to rise. In spring, the sun warms the soil and activates the hibernating soil biology; the "good bugs" that live in the soil, help recycle nutrients, and protect plant roots.

Let's talk soil science for a minute. For every ten degree rise in temperature, cellular reactions increase two-fold. This means the warmer the soil, the faster the soil biology will move about, consume and recycle nutrients, and interact with plant roots. This phenomenon is why raised beds are preferred in northern areas with shorter growing seasons. For those of us in the middle or south, raised beds improve drainage and jump start the growing season by a week or two.

The growing season begins after soil temperatures reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Plants adapted to thrive in cooler climates begin growing before those adapted to warmer climates. This is why we sow spinach or beets in early spring, but wait until Mother's Day to plant tomato or pepper starts in the garden. The vast majority of plants need soil temperatures above 50 degrees F before roots start growing. The exception to the rule is hardy evergreen plants, adapted to grow all year long. However, in the veggie garden, plant growth grinds to a stop after the first few hard freezes.

Bare soil freezes faster than soil covered with living plants. Cover crops like winter rye or oats make a protective mat on the soil surface to slow the rate of soil cooling. Here in PA, I sow seeds underneath fall veggies about 60-45 days before the first frost date. Cover crops are turned over into the garden in spring, adding choice organic matter to feed the soil microbiology. Use your shovel to dig and turn over cover crops about 14 days before planting time to allow the fresh organic matter to decompose into the soil.

So how can you prepare for spring? Continue flipping through seed catalogs, dog-earing pages, dreaming of summer sun and ripe tomatoes. The soil will continue hibernating until we have enough hours of sunlight to wake the soil from winter slumber. My advice to speed things up, besides cover cropping and raised beds, is to wait on applying mulch to garden beds until soil temperatures reach at least 65 degrees F. Small soil thermometers cost about ten dollars and are found in many greenhouse supply catalogs.

These suggestions for increasing the productivity of your veggie garden require a little work, but beautiful soil is worth every minute of maintenance. You will thank me later when your harvest doubles from building raised beds, sowing cover crops, and mulching at appropriate times. So keep day-dreaming and be ready to kick-start next season when the soil thaws and comes to life!