PLANTING SEASON WILL BE HERE SOON!!!
Just a few short weeks ago, February 2, 2019, the adorable, furry creature known to the world as Punxsutawney Phil, DID NOT, I repeat, did not see his shadow.
This oddly exciting tradition dates back to the 1800’s and as folk lore suggests, NO shadow means an early spring. Well praise the lord because this winter has sucked and I am more than ready for some spring weather. This also means that the clock is ticking and I need to get my planting plans and gardening trowels in order.
If your anything like me, one of my mottos has always been, Bigger is always Better. LOL. I apply this same motto every year in my garden as well. Each year, I dig out another patch of grass that serves no purpose and I plant something that will reward me with an even bigger harvest.
So the first thing to do, is to decide what you want to grow. There is no point in growing food you will not eat. So in my garden I usually plant many of the same things and then each year I add something new. I don’t want a entire garden full of new crops that I have no idea what I’m doing because my harvest will probably suck.
So this year I will have the following:
- Heirloom Tomatoes. ( S )
- Cheery Tomatoes. ( S )
- Broccoli Rabe ( S )
- Egg Plant ( P )
- Cauliflower ( P )
- Beets ( S )
- Onions ( set )
- Garlic ( Set )
- Swiss chard ( S )
- Sweet Basil ( S )
- Oregano ( P )
- Dill ( S )
- Cilantro ( S )
- Oregano ( P )
- Sage ( P )
- Jalapeno Peppers ( P )
- Bell Peppers( P )
- and my wild card will be Sweet Potatoes ( Tuber )
So once you figure out what you want to grow you need to decide what part of your yard you are going to grow it in and if you have the proper light requirements. Lucky for me, I have all the right locations to meet the lighting needs of the plants I have chosen.
Now I need to determine what I’m going to purchase as seeds and what will be purchased as plants. You can choose from seeds ( S ), plants ( P ), sets ( S ), or tubers ( T ). I don’t have a TON of space YET, to start seeds, so I’m only going to do seeds for a few things that I know I need the quantity of whats in a seed pack and that are pretty easy to start from seed. The others I will buy plants, tubers and sets.
If your ordering your seeds and or specialty plants, you should do so now. They will ship plants at the proper planting time and your seeds will arrive immediately. Two great seed sources are Seed Savers Exchange ( seedsavers.org ) for those heirloom seeds and Burpee Seeds ( burpee.com) for the more fun and exciting seeds and or plants. Obviously you can also check out your big box chain stores or local hardware store. Sadly the big box stores don’t take very good care of their plants, so the last thing you want to plant is a stressed plant. So be sure to go to a local hardware store that takes pride and care with their plants. can also be a great resource for any questions you might have
The next step is to make a little drawing and figure out where you will be planting your new babies. Make sure you are keeping in mind where the sun and shade are during the entire day so you can plan your garden accordingly. Below you can see the drawing of my back yard. Give it a shot. Start planning your garden today. If you have any questions, please let me know. I love gardening so ask away. Be sure to post your garden plans so others can get some good ideas.
Happy Gardening. Don’t forget, a well planned garden will bring you loads of veggies. Often times plenty to share with your neighbors.
Until next time…..
Steve
