Are you an old hat at gardening? Or just trying it out for the first time? Or maybe you like to do the same few things each year? I love gardening! I definitely don't know all the things. And I'm NOT a pro! But I like learning. Researching. Remembering what the ladies in the family taught me. And always asking my mama for her advice (that's what mamas are for, right?). I love our local nursery's advice too! Plus trial and error is a great learning tool.
Some things like peppers and strawberries I've got down pat (we even had ladybug larva on our pepper plants last year!). But others like peaches and tomatoes give me trouble. Every year. But I keep learning and trying new things. Last year on a whim, I threw some pea seeds in an area I had a little extra room. And they were a HIT. So much so that an entire trough (yes, we use horse troughs as planters!) is dedicated to them this year. Hopefully this year I'll get to serve some for meals since last year the kids devoured them straight from the garden as fast as they matured! It was a good problem to have.
But the real question is, are you getting your early spring garden ready yet? You can be! I know it just snowed last week here in Colorado and we can probably expect 1-2 more snowstorms, but you CAN plant in this weather! Our carrot and beet seeds are sown in their trough, and have been for a few weeks. The beets are just starting to pop. The green onions seeds are sown in their pot. The peas have been transplanted outdoors (they were WAY to big to stay inside!). The peas even survived a few nights of below 20 degrees with a sheet thrown over them! The strawberries are greening up. The parsley and cilantro were just transplanted outside today. The rhubarb is spreading like wildfire.
Most cold weather crops can survive 25-30 degree nights and even lower temps if you take care to protect them from frost. A tomato cage or box with a sheet thrown over it will keep most of the frost hardy veggies safe during a short cold snap. And some bitter veggies will actually be sweeter with a frost or two. Below are some veggies you can plant now for an earlier harvest!
* Peas (these will stop growing as the weather gets to warm so plant now!)
* Brussel Sprouts
* Broccoli
* Carrots
* Kale
* Leeks
* Lettuce (it bolts, or goes to seed, when it gets hot so plant now and cover if it is supposed to freeze)
* Cabbage
* Turnips
* Radishes
* Beets (my FAVORITE!)
* Onions
* Garlic
There are more cold hardy plants, but this will give you a start if you're as eager as me to get my hands in the dirt!
What are you planting right now?
Rachel Bartels
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