Your Complete Spring Garden Checklist

Spring is the most exciting — and busiest — time in the garden. There's so much to do that it's easy to feel overwhelmed. This week-by-week checklist keeps you organized and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

6-8 Weeks Before Last Frost

Start seeds indoors: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and herbs. Order seed potatoes and onion sets. Clean and sharpen tools. Test your soil pH and amend as needed. Plan your garden layout on paper. Check seed inventory from last year — most seeds last 2-4 years if stored properly.

4-6 Weeks Before Last Frost

Start more seeds: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce. Prune roses and fruit trees while still dormant. Turn compost pile to speed spring warming. Clean out cold frames and greenhouses. Direct sow cold-hardy crops if soil is workable: peas, spinach, and radishes.

2-4 Weeks Before Last Frost

Begin hardening off indoor seedlings. Prepare garden beds: remove winter mulch, add compost, and rake smooth. Install supports, trellises, and cages. Plant potatoes and onion sets. Divide overgrown perennials. Apply pre-emergent weed control to paths (corn gluten meal is organic).

After Last Frost

Transplant warm-season seedlings: tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers. Direct sow beans, corn, and melons. Mulch everything with 2-3 inches of organic mulch. Set up drip irrigation or soaker hoses. Plant annual flowers and new perennials. Hang hummingbird feeders. Take a deep breath — you're ready for a great growing season!