Seriously, it is that time of the year. As a gardener, it is one of my favorite times...a time for planning, a time for hopefulness, and a time for serious math calculating- How do you ever put and infinite variety of vegetable favorites in a finite space. Seed catalogues arrived. Favorites were circled. Checked the budget. Final choices were ordered. At last, the seeds arrived. I am so excited but I have to hold back just a week or two. Last year, I started the tomatoes this time last year. They got a bit leggy by planting time. So I will be following the University of Maryland Extension Service guide. If you are a Central Maryland gardener, I am sure you may find it helpful. It is a nifty schedule of when to start seeds in spring, put plants out, when to resow for fall planting, and so on. The link is:
www.growit.umd.edu/GE007_Vegetable_Planting_Calendar_for_Central_MD.pdf
Growing vegetables from seed is super easy. There are several methods but this is what works for me. I use plastic containers from store-bought lettuce, strawberries, or tomatoes. I put small drainage holes in the bottom and fill them with organic soil specifically for seedlings. I water the soil before I plant the seeds. These plastic containers have a dome or lid so when closed it makes a perfect greenhouse! In a few days (varies according to variety) you have little sprouts. I keep the well watered and in the sun, turning them often. Luckily, I have a sun room that gets a ton of sun. After a several weeks, I carefully transplant all the babies to their new home-a small peat pot already labeled with the variety ready to be planted when the time is right. By the end of April, my sun room looks like a greenhouse. After I take what I need for my garden, the rest are up for adoption.
What am I growing? Asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, yellow, green, soy, and lima beans, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, swiss chard, carrots, celery, cucumbers, fennel, kale, lettuce, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bell and hot peppers, pumpkins, spinach, yellow squash and zucchini, sugar snap beans, and tomatoes, tomatoes, and more tomatoes. Not to mention all the herbs. Whew! Now you know why I have to do a lot of calculating.
So are you ready to start a garden? Consider it. It is the best way to provide yourself and your family (and your friends) with the freshest and most nutritious produce ever. And it always tastes better when you grow it yourself!
Now is the time to get ready, now is the time to get set, and now is the time to GROW!
