It’s about time! Winter is finally over, which means it’s time to put away the snow shovels and start thinking about spring projects, such as your outdoor garden.

If you are like me, you are probably have that itch to get outside and start getting plants in the ground. While weather in Maryland weather may be a bit unpredictable, with overnight frosts sometimes stretching into April, it may be a bit early to start sowing your summer crops into the ground. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get out in the garden and start to get it ready so you can hit the ground running this year.

Here are some simple steps to get you started:

1. Clean

Make sure your soil is ready for planting. The weather and storm systems can be harsh to your garden, grass, shrubs, and trees. During the fall and winter seasons, your garden may have been left exposed and even neglected. The first step in preparing your garden for Spring is to clean up any weeds, leaves, twigs, or other debris that may have developed over the months. First, rake your yard. Then, clean out old plant material, mulch, weeds, and other debris. Not only are they quite the eyesore, they can limit the growth of your new plants. Afterwards, start to loosen up the  soil and replenish soil in any garden beds that are low. Be careful about using an automated tiler. While they may be great for breaking up the soil, they can destroy your underground ecosystem; the blades may kill earthworms and other microorganisms that help decompose the soil.

2. Groom

Weeds always seem to get an early start growing every year.  Before you know it, they completely overtake your garden – seizing all of the sunlight, water, and nutrients from the desired plants they are competing against. Use a combination of fertilizer and herbicides to enrich the soil and rid the garden of unwanted weeds.

3. PREP

Open up the shed and pull out those garden tools that have been sitting all winter. Spend a few minutes grabbing the gardening tools and clean them off with soap and water. If you use mineral spirits on the wood handles, it will help protect the surface – prevent the wood from splintering.

4. PLAN

Decide which flowers and vegetables you will plant this season. Some crops are cold-weather crops and can be sown directly into the ground shortly. Others may need to be started indoors and then transplanted or sown directly into the ground over the summer. Regardless of when the planting will begin, you should start to map out where the plants will be located now. Some factors to take into consideration are:

• Crop Rotation
• Amount of Sunlight
  • Full / Partial Sun
  • Will the neighboring plants block sunlight from the nearby plants?
• Companion Plants
  • Will you plant flowers that may attract pollinators, like bees, to promote growth?
  • Which plants are compatiable or incompatible with each other (deter pests, regulate shade, improve the soil, suppress weeds, etc.)?
• Ease of Access
  • When it is time to tend to your gardeen for maintenance, are you able to reach what you need to?
  • Are you able to comfortably sit or stand nearby those plants that may require a little bit of extra attention?
• Water Access
  • Where is your water source located?
  • Are you going away for an extended period of time that may require the configuration of a drip irrigation system?

5. GET STARTED

Get out there and get started! Gardening isn’t an exact science, and it doesn’t always go as expected. However, giving uour garden a little bit of TLC this spring will help set you up for success.

Knowing how to unclog a drain is an important life skill. Clogs have a tendency to appear at the worst time possible. They are frustrating to deal with and often result in you calling a costly plumber to alleviate the issue. However, there are a few simple ways that you can help keep your drain clog-free.

Avoid Using Chemical Drain Cleaners

Many chemical drain cleaners can do more harm than good. In fact, drain cleaners can exacerbate the issue, damage your drain line, and be hazardous to your health.

So, how do drain cleaners work, exactly?

Not all drain cleaners are the same. However, they are all fairly similar. They contain a blend of different ingredients that create a chemical reaction that is intended to break down the clog’s debris to the point that it cannot adhere to the drain. Unfortunately, chemical drain cleaners often loosen clogs rather than completely eliminating them. When they do, the clog simply travels farther down the line, where it’s even harder to reach and clear. 

While drain cleaner may be effective at disintegrating smaller clogs, they may cause long-term harm. The harsh chemicals used are caustic; they are corrosive and may eat away at your pipes. While your drain may be cleared, these cleaners may be the culprit of a future leak or pipe burst.

If you are lucky enough to have drain cleaner effectively remove a clog without damaging you drain line, you are still endangering your household. As previously mentioned, the blend of chemicals are extremely harsh. The mixture can burn your skin and result in many long-term effects, such as: asthma, poisoning, blindness, or worse.

Stop Using Your Drain as a Trash Can

You might have a garbage disposal, but that doesn’t mean you should dump all of your food scraps and discarded leftovers down the drain. Your garbage disposal it only intended to help with those items that may slip past your kitchen sink drain stopper. If you do have to use your garbage disposal, be sure to:

• Remove grease from pans with paper towels, then toss.
• Flush existing waste with cold water for 15 seconds before using the garbage disposal.
• Periodically run the disposal instead of waiting until it accumulates a lot of scraps.

Don’t Put Grease Down the Drain

Keep an old pasta sauce jar, coffee can, or some other container nearby. Dispose of any excess cooking grease into it before washing the pot or pan, instead of just letting it go down the drain.