I haven't done the garden for a very long time and it is a mess. Do I dig a fertiliser in first? How long do you leave it before planting.

Hi! Tapemeasure


I haven,t done the garden for a very long time and it is a mess. Do I dig a fertiliser in first? How long do you leave it before planting.You fail to say what part of the world, and what season your in. It would have a bearing on my answer.

Generally, fallow land needs to be addressed at the end of the local growing season.

If you are in the middle of your Winter, and can still access the area you want to improve, an application of pulverized lime can help to sweeten the soil, but you should preform at least a rudimentary soil test before you go any further.
Try to visit a dedicated garden shop in your area for testing, and garden supplies.

For further help see:
cornell.edu/soils/factsheets (http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/soils/factsheets.html)
Start with, Soils basics, then Fertilizing Garden Soils.

That link was found at:
Gardening Resources, Cornell University (http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/index.html)

You can use this schedule to help you for next year:
http://plantstogrow.com/Botany/Workshop_notes/Notes/Perennial%20%20garden%20%20maitianence.pdf
You'll notice there is no listing from January to Mid-March because the ground is usually frozen then.
That's when you should be working on tool, and power equipment maintenance so they are ready to go in the Spring.

You also need to decide what you want to plant, and purchase seeds now before the supply runs out.

K