BEGIN PLANTING COOL WEATHER CROPS

Greetings everyone.  WOW, I do think that spring is here!  Still crisp and cool in the morning.  My spinach I planted on April 6th is up and about 2 inches tall.  Fresh spinach in about 3-4 weeks.  Excited to have fresh produce.

So, today we planted the potatoes, big red's, more than enough for my son and I but will share with the Food shelves when harvested.  Dug a trench about 6 inches deep added compost and covered.  Also I use container gardening for most of my herbs as I can keep them on my front step and pick them whenever I need flavors for cooking.  Just a short way to go and enough shade that they get both sun and shade.  Cilantro, Rainbow Rhubarb Chard planted in containers also and on my front step. 

In my 4 by 4 feet raised beds west of the garden fence, arugula and beets planted because they enjoy cool weather.  It will be the first planting of beets, which are mouth watering to us....we love eating and pickling them.  Beets can be planted every few weeks to keep beets on our plates.

Today, my big open half of my garden where potatoes were planted along the fence, we "broadcast" a green manure/cover crop of field peas, hairy vetch and clover, raked them in slightly and then put the overhead sprinkler on that part of the garden.  This will make great organic material for the soil and the peas and clover are high in nitrogen, which most plants need.  I plan on planting my tomatoes, peppers in this area this year.  It has been about 3 years since I planted them in this area.  Crop rotation is good to do for all vegetables, especially tomatoes as my soil holds the fungus responsible for blight.  It just seems that it is impossible to get rid of it, but still do let the soil rest.  Lets see what happens this year.

So let the planting begin.  I suggest that you do your research and identify what cool weather plants you can put in your garden at this time.  I will begin to plant broccoli cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower,, kale, romaine, onion sets, parsley, radish, turnips over this coming weekend....last of April.  All tolerate and some prefer cool weather.  I always keep in mind that we can have a frost.



A great resource for planting dates, when to start seeds, planting distances, dept of seeds and more is available at:

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/vegetables/planting-the-vegetable-garden/

Happy Planting!!!