Beginning Season Checklist

As we inch into the 2026 growing season, many vegetable growers may look out across their dormant gardens and wonder, “Where exactly do I start with this mess?” Even with fall cleanup completed, large swaths of dormant soil can feel overwhelming for people with a forest of lush, productive growth in mind as their ultimate end product. With topics to consider ranging from maintenance to pest control, to disease mitigation and fertilization, having a definitive yet simple “get going” checklist can move you in the right direction.

First and foremost, you’ll want to assess the state of your garden since you last touched it. Has it become overrun by winter weeds? Have voles made a nice home in your strawberry patch? Did a freak rainstorm wash half of your topsoil away? Ripping the band-aid off and noting the unfortunate carnage now will give you a clear idea of where your to-do list should begin.

Rather than begrudgingly accepting more tasks, think of it this way: the more repairs you make now, the fewer issues you will have later. Existing weeds will not be allowed to go to seed, preventing further additions to your weed seedbank. Voles will not be allowed to continue munching on your crops, as this renders them useless from a produce safety standpoint. Your soil can be amended rather than attempting to grow bountiful plants in dense, rocky clay.

Remember, growing a vegetable garden requires ample investments in time, nutrients, water, and money. Offhand, beginning-of-season tasks should focus on protecting these investments in the long run.

Once repairs and amendments are made, you can finally begin planting and getting those early-season vegetables into the ground. Bear in mind, however, that March is the very beginning of the growing season. The risk of frost typically isn’t past the KC region until mid-May. Only the hardiest of your spring crops should initially be planted to avoid any remnant hard freeze that could arise. These include radishes, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. By the end of March, however, potatoes, onions, carrots, lettuce, and peas should also be in the ground.

Finally, don’t neglect protecting your plants. Be it from hungry wildlife like rabbits and deer, emerging insects like cabbage loopers, errant weather events like ice storms, or simply an unruly neighbor who has a propensity to drive in your yard, installing protections now helps ensure the longevity of your garden. This means it will be very advantageous to have pest control knowledge and remedies on standby – especially being aware of the pests likely to show up and their window for doing so. It means installing additional infrastructure, such as support trellises or removable hoops, to protect plants in extreme weather conditions. And it means perhaps installing an extra fence or two for the deer, rabbits, or neighbors.

All in all, your checklist to begin the garden season is to assess, repair, amend, plant, and protect. The work may be tedious, but the reward is well worth it.

by Anthony Reardon, Horticulture Small Farms, 2026