Garden Timing Is Everything!
By: Ron Cusano Mar.. 27, 2011 Vol. 3 Article 1021
They say in real estate that location is everything, but in gardening, timing is everything! Inexperienced gardeners wait until the weather gets warm and enjoyable before they even start thinking about their gardens. They will wait until May or June, plant cool weather crops like broccoli, peas, lettuce, spinach and the like, and then wonder why they go to seed before they get a crop! They will wait until June to plant Summer crops like tomatoes, melons, cukes, zucchini and others, and wonder why they get a sparse crop by Summers end. If you are or want to be a serious gardener, your garden season should be about 10-months, at least here in the northeast! For me, December and January are my “non-gardening” months, but even that’s not true, because I usually plan my garden and order my seeds in December. As we speak, my bell peppers and cayenne peppers that I started indoors in feb. are almost 5” tall, and ready to go to the cold frame as soon as we get a run of moderate temps. My broccoli is about 4” tall and ready to be set out under mini-greenhouses the first week in April. My eggplant, also seeded in Feb. will also join my peppers in the cold frame. My parsley, which can take up to a month to germinate, is a bit behind, but that will be planted in early April, after hardening off a few days. Today I seeded my basil and two types of tomatoes indoors, with the game plan being to have seedlings to move to the cold frame toward the middle or end of April, and plant under mini-greenhouses in early May.
My peas, sugar snaps, carrots, lettuce and spinach were direct seeded 2-weeks ago, because they thrive in cold, wet conditions! My new strawberries were also planted about a week ago, and the recent snow and cold spell did them no harm!
So if you have not thought ahead, planned and/or started your own seedlings, what is your next move? There is still time to direct seed cold weather crops like peas, spinach, lettuce, carrots and the like, but don’t wait much longer if you want a good crop in late Spring. There is also time to start Summer crops indoors, but again, don’t delay, unless you plan to use commercial seedlings from a local nursery. They will do in a pinch, but you are limited with the varieties offered and they are likely grown using chemicals. If you opt for the commercial offerings, make sure you harden them off in a cold frame or small area protected from wind and the elements for a week, before setting them out. Seedlings need to be acclimated to the harsh conditions found in the garden durting the early part of the season!
Please join me on our “Interactive Garden Forum” (CLICK HERE) to ask questions, share your gardening stories, and tell us how and what you are growing this year!
For a look at what varieties I will be growing this season, and my seeding and planting schedule, CLICK HERE! Check back ever now and again to see my updated reports on the progress of my seeding, planting and harvesting throughout the season!
Blessings,
Ron
“The Garden Guy”
