Having a plan in place in advance of the actual beginning of the growing season helps keep me on track. Just so I’ll have it in a place where I can’t possibly lose it under a pile of papers, I’m posting the plan for the next month or so here.
Just about now (early to mid-Feb.): start seedlings indoors for the brassicas and the earliest spring greens (the spring kale, the coolest-weather lettuces, spinach, any biennial and perennial herbs - parsley is one - that haven’t been started yet); plant the scallions outside (I know, that sounds so wrong, but “as soon as the ground can be worked” is already here!).
20-27 Feb.: on the nicest day in that week, plant the English peas.
As near to March 1st as I can manage: plant potatoes and onions outside; start peppers, eggplants, tomatoes inside; if any seedlings from mid-Feb. are ready to bump up into bigger pots and more nutritious soil, take care of that.
8-15 March: plant seeds outside for carrots, beets; if the greens and/or brassicas are far enough along, transplant some outside after hardening them off; start some of the more heat-tolerant lettuces inside.
20-30 March: transplant outside any little plants that look ready; plant some spinach and radish seeds outside; inside, plant some of the smaller sweet potatoes to get slips started; inside, start from seed assorted flowers, squashes, cukes, any/all remaining greens, ground cherries, tender herbs (e.g., cilantro, basil), the Slobolt lettuce (the most heat tolerant).
If tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are ready, bump up to bigger pots and more nutritious soil.
You obviously know what you are doing. You are two months ahead of us up here. For the past 10 years I have planted by the moon and it sure does take all the guess work out of what when. Peace
ReplyDeleteRuralrose, I like to think that I know what I am doing, but nature tends to throw me a few curveballs every year.
ReplyDeleteOur last freeze date is 12-15 April (depending on who you ask), so it definitely is time to get started on the spring crops. I have two part-time jobs, so my garden schedule has to work around those. Maybe someday I can get the moon in there, too! I know other people for whom that works.