Today is an outside gardening day! Remember, I’m doing Square Foot Gardening, so my gardening notes will be specific to that method. For a quick refresher, check out this post from earlier in the year: Garden Planning for 2014: Square Foot Garden Intro
I bought all of my seeds online this year after consulting local websites to find out which varieties grow best in my area. Here is what I will be planting and where I purchased it:
Burpee
- Artichoke: Lulu – 3 plants
- Luffa – 1, seeds
- Tomato: Black Krim, grafted – 3 plants
- Tomato: Amish Paste – 2 plant, seeds
- Tomato: Sunchola – 1 plant, seeds
- Cucumber: Supremo Hybrid – seeds
- Pea: Super Snappy – seeds
- Lettuce: Yugoslavian Red – seeds
- Lettuce: Braveheart – seeds
- Radish: Fire ‘n Ice – seeds
- Herb: Parsley, Single Italian Plain – seeds
- Hot Pepper: Hot Lemon – seeds
- Hot Pepper: Hot Jalepeno Early Organic – seeds
- Carrot: Purple Dragon – seeds
- Herb: Basil, Plenty – seeds, direct sow
- Flower: Nasturtium, Vesuvius – seeds, direct sow
- Strawberries: All Season Mix – 16, plants n/a
- Flowers: Zinia, Queen Red Lime – seeds, direct sow
Seed Savers Exchange
- Cauliflower: Early Snow – Seeds
- Broccoli: DeCiccio – seeds
- Cucumber: Parisian Pickling – seeds
Horizon Herbs
- Borage
- Calendula
- German Chamomile
- Echinacea Purpurea
- Lavender
- Lemon Balm
- Marshmallow
- Plantain
- Skullcap
- Thyme
- Valerian
- Comfrey
- Feverfew
- Thyme
According to my calendar, now is the time to plant cold weather crops like sweet peas, brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, and romanesco), beets, and radishes.
Today, however, in anticipation of a late snow tomorrow, I will hold off on planting and concentrate on getting Mel’s Mix (1/2 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 compost) into my last 2×6 bed. I also need to complete the construction of my trellises.
For the trellises, I am following Mel’s directions almost exactly. I constructed the frame out of 1/2″ electrical conduit that I had the people at Lowe’s cut to size for me. I fit that over 48″ long rebar that I drove one foot into the ground. I am tying nylon vegetable netting onto that frame. Easy!
This is important:
One error I made with my original garden plan was failing to take into account the shadow cast by my trellis. I had originally planned to put my trellises at the back of the garden beds. Turns out, that’s the south side. Bad idea. So I am switching the trellises to the other side of the garden so they won’t throw as much shade over the plants. This necessitates changing up my garden plans a bit, so once I get that finished, I will post the final garden plan for you all to see.
Shade is not my friend in this garden as I learned this fall.
Anyone else excited that gardening season has finally arrived? How are you celebrating the return of Spring?
