Hello everyone! If you’re anything like me, you are eagerly awaiting warmer weather and the ability to start spending more time outdoors. Waiting for that sunshine is a perfect opportunity to start planning your garden! Today we are going to be going through some basic steps to planting a smart vegetable garden along with some tips and tricks to ensure a successful harvest!
The time of year is very important to consider when planting your garden. It is important to wait until after the last predicted frost date to plant to help ensure success of transplants or seed germination. In addition, you should plant crops corresponding to the time of year that they thrive. This is because warm-season crops are more sensitive to late-season crops and may not survive if planted too early.
Cool Season Vegetables:
The time of year is very important to consider when planting your garden. It is important to wait until after the last predicted frost date to plant to help ensure success of transplants or seed germination. In addition, you should plant crops corresponding to the time of year that they thrive. This is because warm-season crops are more sensitive to late-season crops and may not survive if planted too early.
Cool Season Vegetables:
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Onions
It is also important to consider the time of year when planting because soil temperature plays a role in the success of crops. Most crops do well at a soil temperature of at least 60 F. You can find a complete list of soil preferred temperatures here.
Next, you are going to want to decide if you will be growing your vegetables from seeds or transplants. Transplants are small starter plants that will be planted directly into the ground. Seeds provide a wider selection of vegetables but takes more time and planning than transplants. Some seed types include:
Additional Sources:
-Keely Charles
Next, you are going to want to decide if you will be growing your vegetables from seeds or transplants. Transplants are small starter plants that will be planted directly into the ground. Seeds provide a wider selection of vegetables but takes more time and planning than transplants. Some seed types include:
- Hybrid seeds:
- Created by crossing two different parent varieties from the same species.
- They combine the best traits of varieties to improve disease resistance, yield, and uniformity.
- Open-pollinated seeds:
- Have more genetic diversity and offer more variation than hybrids.
- Pollination occurs by insects, birds, wind, or humans.
- Heirloom seeds:
- Open-pollenated varieties that have been handed down for generations, hand selected by gardeners for a specific.
- Open-pollenated varieties that have been handed down for generations, hand selected by gardeners for a specific.
- Hardening Off:
- You will want your plants to acclimate to your gardens growing conditions by placing them outside in a shaded area for a few hours a day over seven to 10 days.
- Removing flowers:
- This helps to ensure that the plant’s energy foes towards root development and increases flowering and fruiting throughout the season.
- Mulching:
- Applying a 1- to 3-inch later of organic mulch around the plants base will help maintain soil temperature, conserve water, and reduce competition from weeds.
- Succession planting:
- Planting seeds multiple dates throughout the growing season can provide continual harvests of vegetables.
- Invite pollinators and other beneficial insects:
- Add flowering herbs, annual flowers, and native perennials to your vegetable garden to help provide natural pest protection.
Additional Sources:
- Frost-Free Dates, https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/frost-free-dates
- Preparing the Smart Vegetable Garden, https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/preparing_the_smart_vegetable_garden
-Keely Charles
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