Welcome to the season of soft sunrises, bare hands in soil, and all the slow, hopeful beginnings a garden brings. Living in Zone 10 (hello, endless summer!) means we’re lucky to grow nearly year-round—but that doesn’t mean we skip the prep. It just looks a little different… warmer, maybe wilder, always full of promise.
Whether you’re gardening in coastal California, South Florida, or a tropical nook you call home, this guide is here to help you lay the foundation for a lush, resilient spring garden—rooted in love and layered in mulch.
🕰️ Time & Energy Check-In
Soil Prep: 2–3 hours per 100 sq ft
Shade Structure Setup: 1–2 hours
Daily Love (Maintenance): 20–30 mins a day (extra watering, light touch-ins)
This isn’t about hustle—just a rhythm of tending and listening to your garden’s whispers.
🧺 What You’ll Need (Gather Your Tools & Intuition)
For Soil:
- Garden fork (or whatever tool you like to dig with)
- Wheelbarrow or baskets
- A good pile of compost (2–3 inches is your friend)
- A simple pH kit
- A few soil helpers: sulfur (for alkaline soil), organic matter, maybe some sand
- Moisture meter (optional—but great for understanding your soil’s moods)
- Gloves + rake
- Something to play your favorite podcast while you work
For Protection & Peacekeeping:
- Shade cloth (30–50% is sweet spot)
- Poles, sticks, or anything sturdy to hold it up
- Clips, ties, or your favorite rigging trick
- Drip irrigation setup (simple or smart!)
- Mulch (straw, wood chips, even palm fronds work!)
- A timer if you’re forgetful like me 🌞
🍂 Part 1: Soil Prep for the Warm Season Soul
🌱 Step-by-Step
- Feel Your Soil
Test your pH (Zone 10 leans alkaline)
See how well it drains
Check for life—worms? roots? a little magic? - Clear & Breathe
Pull weeds, remove old growth
Loosen compacted soil
Let it exhale - Feed the Earth
Add compost, mix in sand or sulfur as needed
Turn the soil deeply (8–10 inches)
Let it smell rich and sweet - Water-Wise Rituals
Lay down your drip lines
Mulch like you’re tucking your garden in
Build basins to hold the water close
✨ How You’ll Know It’s Working
- Water soaks in, not puddles
- The soil feels like chocolate cake
- The mulch stays cool beneath your hands
- Earthworms show up like old friends
🌿 Part 2: What to Plant & When (Spring)
February:
🍅 Tomatoes, 🫑 Peppers, 🍆 Eggplant, 🌱 Bush beans, 🍠 Sweet potatoes
March:
🌽 Tropical corn, 🥬 Heat-tolerant lettuces, 🥒 Okra, Southern peas
April:
🌿 Malabar spinach, Long beans, Chayote, Tropical pumpkins
🧑🌾 Companion Planting for the Heat-Loving Crowd
Tomato Family Mix:
Tomatoes + Sweet potatoes + Marigold + Mexican tarragon
Tropical Green Group:
Malabar spinach + Brazilian spinach + Okinawa spinach + Lemongrass
☀️ Part 3: Shade & Watering Wisdom
Setting Up Shade
- Watch how the sun moves
- Place cloth over your sunburn-prone plants
- Make sure it breathes
Watering Without Waste
- Install drip lines
- Use timers
- Adjust emitters as plants grow
🌼 Maintenance Rhythm
Daily (20 mins):
- Check soil moisture
- Say hi to your plants
- Tidy and listen for signs of stress
Weekly (45 mins):
- Deep water
- Peek under the shade cloth
- Catch pests before they settle in
Monthly (2 hrs):
- Refresh mulch
- Adjust shade %
- Clean irrigation filters
- Re-test soil (especially after heat waves)
🛠️ Tiny Troubles, Natural Fixes
Wilting leaves or dropped blossoms?
More shade, misting helps too.
Dry, cracked soil?
Mulch deeper. Add water basins.
Salt crusts on soil?
Try a gypsum flush or deep watering.
Pest parade?
Call in the ladybugs. Try neem. Practice rotation.
🌸 Year-Round Tips from a Cozy Corner
- Keep a little notebook or digital log
- Track what works (and what flopped)
- Watch how the sun shifts over the seasons
- Celebrate small harvests
- Take pictures. They’ll make you smile next year.
Gardening here is different. It’s tropical. It’s bold. It’s generous. And it thrives with attention, care, and a little daily ritual. Your Zone 10 garden doesn’t rest—it evolves. And so will you.
With sun on my shoulders and dirt in my nails,
So
Your city gnome with a watering can