Yup It's Spring


Yup It's Spring

 
   It's another spring and what have we learned? The more things change the more they stay the same. The world is in tatters so we go to the garden for solace. 
 
   It's time to have the best garden possible and share the spoils with our neighbors. We need to get our gardens going early and keep them producing all year. The early garden is full of frost resistant nutrient rich plants. Some cold hardy vegetables are Spinach, Kale, Peas, Lettuce, Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Onions, Carrots, Cilantro and many more.

   Although these plants grow easily by direct seeding into the garden, these plants benefit from getting their start indoors. Taking advantage of indoor heat gets the seedlings up quickly and can be hardened off and planted out once the earth has thawed. A little help from a snow cap or cover of some type gets these plants off to an early start.

   I have a goal each year. I try to have several harvests from the garden by May first. Each year is different for sure, some early, some late. But utilizing some simple covers makes a big difference. A simple cold frame is easy to construct. A bit of clear poly and a basic frame to attach it to, will create a mini greenhouse that will take the edge off a night time chill.

   Remember that on sunny days we need to crack the cold frame open to keep it from overheating.  Sometimes, I start the season by covering the beds with clear poly on sunny days to start to warm the soil before I plant. Many of these cold crops will be removed (harvested) by mid-May and that's when we will plant the heat loving plants like Tomatoes, Peppers, and Beans. 

   Unfortunately, I feel like we will not always be able to rely on grocery stores for every food requirement we have. It's time to sharpen the saw. Learn about successful gardening and start practicing today! Start canning, freezing, and drying your own produce. I remind you all that my gardening classes and lectures are available on our website and we have many videos that can help you get started. Look for food preparation and preserving articles from my wife Wendy in this blog in the near future. 


   Tune into the garden show on iHeart Radio every Saturday or tune in online to get your weekly dose of gardening. 

 

Ken Salvail