Mulch Madness: Get Your Garden Ready in 7 Days (2024)

Welcome to The Spruce's Mulch Madness! It's time to start getting your garden ready for the growing season, and our seven-day "full court press" will help get you there.

From arming yourself with some of the basics (what USDA hardiness zone are you, really?), to elevating your lawn game and making sure you have the best Spruce-recommended products to keep your garden happy all season long, we've gathered some of our most elite tips to help you have your best growing season yet.

Day 1: Let's Get Ready to Garden!

To be successful in anything, preparation is key—and that's true of gardening as well. Before you even break ground in your beds or start thinking about the flowers and vegetables you want to grow this year, there are a few things you'll need to brush up on to make sure you're ready for the season.

Day 2: Focus on the Fundamentals

Now that you've done the prep work, it's time to start with some of the fun stuff: making healthy soil, familiarizing yourself with your hardiness zone so you can choose the right plants, and starting to get those seedlings in the ground and hardened off.

Day 3: Elevate Your (Lawn) Game

Whether you prefer a traditional grass lawn or are opting for clover or another grass alternative, making sure your lawn is in great shape in spring will set it up for success through summer and into fall.

Day 4: Keep It Inbounds

If you don't have a garden, don't worry—you have plenty of options for container gardening whether you have a small terrace, a patio, a deck, or a front porch. Learn how to start a container garden, choose the best shade plants for containers, and even give yourself some added space with the help of a raised garden bed or a plant shelf.

Day 5: Get an Assist

Gardeners know this is a team sport, which is why companion planting is so crucial. Companion planting can help attract beneficial insects, deter pests, and even help improve the quality of soil in your garden.

Day 6: Crush Your Opponents

Nothing is more frustrating than putting all of that effort and physical work into a garden, just to have it become overrun with weeds, pests, and invasive plants. But with our best tips for identification and prevention, it doesn't have to be a reality for your garden this season.

Day 7: Raise Championship Plants

This garden could go all the way! All that's left to do is to ensure you're raising championship plants for the rest of spring and summer. So how do you do that? With help from mulch, hose timers and garden hoses, and making sure you're choosing the best plants and vegetables for your area and growing needs.