Spring garden care guide
What to do in March-May — a month-by-month plan tuned to Azerbaijan's climate: pruning, soil, fertilizing, watering, and chemical-free pest control.
Why "before spring" starts now
Azerbaijan's spring is capricious: +20°C in February, then −2°C mid-March. That swing is the most dangerous window for a garden. Prep must finish by end of March; otherwise you chase the whole season. Below: a month-by-month guide from 30+ year gardeners in Baku and Absheron.
March: prep month
Week 1 — sanitary pruning
- Remove dry, frostbitten, diseased branches (45° cut)
- Thin crossing branches
- Seal cuts with garden putty — keeps disease out
Weeks 2-3 — soil work
- Tilling depth: 25–30 cm
- Aeration: punch holes for oxygen to roots
- Organic matter: compost (4–6 kg/m²) or well-rotted manure
- pH check: Baku soils run alkaline (7.5–8.0). Tomatoes want 6.0–6.8 — add sulfur
Week 4 — mulching
A 5–7 cm layer of compost. Benefits:
- 40% better moisture retention
- 70% fewer weeds
- Protects roots from summer heat
April: planting
| Plant | Method | When |
|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Transplant | Nights above 8°C |
| Pepper, eggplant | Transplant | 1 week after tomato |
| Cucumber, squash | Direct seed | Last week of April |
| Strawberry | Crown division | 35×35 cm spacing |
| Greens | Seed | Resow every 2 weeks |
May: care and first harvest
- Watering: every morning before 7 AM. A drop on a leaf in sun = scorch
- Feed: N-P-K 5-10-10 (bloom) speeds flowering
- Strawberries start fruiting — net them from birds
- Roses — spray garlic water against aphids (natural fungicide)
Azerbaijan-specific tips
Watering
Baku summers drop below 60% humidity with strong wind, so transpiration spikes. Drip irrigation lifts a 30-day harvest by 50%.
Wind shelter
The Absheron peninsula needs wind breaks. Oat grass rows and bamboo fences work well.
Salty water
Baku tap often hits 800+ mg/L minerals — salts up the soil. A 200 L rain barrel is your summer insurance.
Natural pest control
- Tobacco spray — against aphids (1 cup tobacco + 2 L hot water + 1 tbsp soap, steep 24 h)
- Garlic + chili tea — for ants
- Ladybugs — attract them (they love dill, fennel)
- Eggshells — calcium + slug barrier
Minimum 6-tool kit
- Pruning shears
- Corner spade
- Rake (15 teeth)
- Drip kit
- Mulch knife
- pH meter (15 AZN)
5 common mistakes
- Overwatering — root rot, yellow leaves
- Wrong-time pruning (after May) — no fruit set
- Too much chemical fertilizer — kills soil microbes
- No crop rotation — soil depletes
- Watering right after a cold day — root shock
When in doubt, 30 minutes with a pro gardener saves 10% of your seasonal budget. Do it by video call: show the garden, get advice.