A guide to ‘crisis gardening’ as more people turn to backyards to grow produce during pandemic

With stay-at-home orders and social distancing, backyard gardening is a growing trend.

Under the COVID-19 pandemic, and many at home with extra time and worried that grocery stores may not be able to provide some produce, “crisis gardening” is hitting backyards.

Read: Grooming you to groom your pet: Tips to care for your dog or cat during stay-at-home order

After this weekend’s cool snap and we head into April, it’ll be a good time to get out in your yards and gardens. Here’s are 9 things you can do now:

• Prep your soil, take out weeds, take out unwanted plants from last season
• Do a soil analysis; the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences can do it for free
• Plan your new plants -- get good seed from reputable sources. Now’s a good time to plant.
• Trim dead leaves/limbs off plants, clean up and trim back.
• Oak trees are dropping leaves and growing pollen. Clean up leaves.
• Mulch, you can start soon!
• Watering the plants: Start during warm days!
• Make sure planting locations have good light, trim plants around to allow light.
• Make sure you have a good water source.

Happy growing! And remember, gardening is a lifestyle, and it can take 90 days to grow some seeded vegetables, and six months until your chicken can lay eggs.