Garden Calendar Northern Hemisphere

[Shannon Bennett]

I thought I'd start a thread on a month by month to do list for vegetable gardening.

January

Getting your seed order in is top of the list this month. It is also the time to sit down and make a few decisions as to which veggies your family eats and how many seeds are needed. I am trialing yellow tomatoes and several winter squash varieties this year. I am also trying a couple of new plants this year thanks to my beloved getting me a greenhouse for my birthday. The new plants are sweet potatoes and peanuts. What you grow should reflect your families tastes and ultimate plans for the vegetables. I can and pickle, as well as put carrots, onions and potatoes in a cool basement. My carrots, which I buried in sand last fall, are still just as good as the day I pulled them up. Onions are getting soft so I will probably dehydrate the rest. I need a good variety that will get me through an entire winter.

The other important task is to make a garden plan. Planting randomly means that inevitably you end up with too many of one vegetable and not enough of another. It also often results in one plant shading out another. There are a couple of on-line garden plans available. I like Mother Earth web-page as it seems user friendly, but there are several others and, even one that is free.

This is also the first month you may set out asparagus if your soil can be worked. I live in Idaho so, that task will have to be put off until next month.

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Garden Calendar Northern Hemisphere

There is one other item that I failed to think of when I started this post. Probably more than one. LOL And that is if you are a seed saver now is the time to proof your seeds for viability. Grab a paper towel, wet it, and then place 5-10 seeds on the towel. Fold the towel into quarters and place it in a zip type bag. Make sure to write on the plastic bag with indelible marker the type of seed you are proofing and the date. If the seed needs a chilling period toss it in the freezer for 2/3 weeks then into the fridge for a week. Strawberry seeds are a good example of chilling as the best sprouting method. If the seeds do not require a cold period go ahead and place them in a warm spot. Make sure the paper stays damp but not soggy. Carrot seeds require light to germinate so they need to be in a sunny but not overly warm place.

Some gardeners feel that all seeds benefit from a short time spent in a fridge to mimic winter. When it is time to sow, pull them out and plant them either indoors in trays or, outdoors in the soil. If you are a seed saver, putting them in the refrigerator is a good idea- if you have the space.

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Garden Calendar Northern Hemisphere

February starts the first big push for indoor veggie starts.

I will be posting for zone 7 which has average frost free dates in mid April. Please adjust your planting dates to fit the hardiness zones in your area.

First and Last Frost Dates, by Hardiness Zone
<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=5 align=center border=1><TBODY><TR><TD>USDA Hardiness Zone</TD><TD>First Frost Date</TD><TD>Last Frost Date</TD></TR><TR><TD>1</TD><TD>July 15th</TD><TD>June 15th</TD></TR><TR><TD>2</TD><TD>August 15th</TD><TD>May 15th</TD></TR><TR><TD>3</TD><TD>September 15th</TD><TD>May 15th</TD></TR><TR><TD>4</TD><TD>September 15th</TD><TD>May 15th</TD></TR><TR><TD>5</TD><TD>October 15th</TD><TD>April 15th</TD></TR><TR><TD>6</TD><TD>October 15th</TD><TD>April 15th</TD></TR><TR><TD>7</TD><TD>October 15th</TD><TD>April 15th</TD></TR><TR><TD>8</TD><TD>November 15th</TD><TD>March 15th</TD></TR><TR><TD>9</TD><TD>December 15th</TD><TD>February 15th</TD></TR><TR><TD>10</TD><TD>December 15th</TD><TD>January 31st (sometimes earlier)</TD></TR><TR><TD>11</TD><TD>No frost.</TD><TD>No frost.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


This month is the time to start the following indoors.
cabbage
cauliflower
eggplant
leek
lettuce
onions
scallions

Plant shallot seeds indoors and sets outdoors this month.

Also on the to do this month is to survey your fruit trees and start the pruning needed. To keep trees producing as much as possible open up the center and reduce the central leader if appropriate. Cut off any suckers. Eliminate all branches that rub against each other. Eliminate or change the angle of any branches that grow vertically. You can make or purchase small spreaders which will help the tree to make the right angles for best fruit production. 45 to 60 degree angles are best. Before actually making your first cuts make sure your tools are sharp. (LOL I love my bench grinder. Watching all those sparks fly is fun.) Dipping your cutting tools between each cut in a bleach solution will help to stop the spread of disease. If you are cutting out any diseased wood bag them and throw them in the trash. They are not to be put in your compost!

Speaking of compost, give that pile a quick turn.

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Garden Calendar Northern Hemisphere

Making seed tapes, easy fun project for February. Your kids might enjoy doing this with you.

This year I am going to make a number of seed tapes. Gluing seed to paper indoors is a lot more comfortable than bending over outdoors trying to get the spacing right, the number of seeds per hole right and the rows straight. All you need are seeds, "glue", a yardstick and toilet paper. I made my glue by mixing flour and a little water together to make a thin paste. I have read of other who use the same glue kids are sent off to school with.

First unroll your toilet paper to the length you plan on planting your row. Or, you can do it in sections if that works better. A 20 foot row of carrots might be easier dealt with in 5 or 10 foot sections.

Select the seeds you want to plant.

Read the package directions. Using a yardstick, make marks on the paper with a pen at the suggested plant spacing. An example might be 3 inches for peas.

Dot the marks about 1 inch from the edge of the paper with your glue.

Drop seeds on to the dots. One or two per dot should be about right. If you are making seed tapes for beans or peas, sprinkle a little inoculant onto each dot as well.

Fold paper over making them either 3 or 4 layers thick. Press. Let dry. Mark the paper with the type of seed in the tape and the date the tape was made. Roll up paper into a loose roll. Insert into a zip type bag and place in fridge. When you are ready to plant just take your zip bag out to the garden, unroll the paper and plant the paper at the correct depth for germination. So much easier on your back don't you think!

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Garden Calendar Northern Hemisphere

March! The big push starts this month for indoor seed starting. Considering most of us are still under a blanket of snow and, suffering from subnormal temperatures, it is hard to believe now is the time to start planting warm weather crops. We also start to plant outdoors for the first time this year. Hopefully, the weather will improve by the middle of the month.

Indoor plant list for March

asparagus
calendula
chili peppers
eggplant
fennel
leeks
lettuce
onion
peanut
peas (if you cannot get into your garden yet)
peppers
Swiss chard
tomato

When your soil can be worked outdoors

garlic
peas
onion
lettuce

A task most of us dislike needs to be done right after the seeds are sown indoors. Washing the windows where you have placed your indoor starts. It really will help get more light to your seedlings. Leggy seedlings are not going to be as productive as short sturdy plants that got more light. If light is going to be a problem then setting up a fluorescent light fixture that can be raised or lowered over your seedlings is a good option. Make sure you include one warm and one cool bulb in your light fixture. They will cover all light wavelengths to ensure healthier plants. Raising the heat on the bottom of the trays will encourage your warm weather crops to sprout.

If you planted onions last month you will need to spritz the seedlings with a diluted fertilizer after the seedlings are two inches tall. Leeks especially really need the added fertilizer while they are still in their seedling trays. You are aiming for starts that are at least pencil sized by the time you transplant.

Fun Project for March (especially if the weather refuses to permit you to go outside)

So you had some damage to your trees over the winter and you needed to prune heavily or, even take some of them down. As the old saying goes," if life gives you lemons make lemonade". In our case we are going to make mushroom logs. Generally speaking hardwoods make the best medium for mushroom culture with the exception of chicken of the woods mushrooms which prefer pines and firs. The wood should be freshly cut down over the last winter and this spring. It should also be somewhere between 8-14 inches in diameter. The logs can be any length as long as you drill holes about 3 inches apart. Two to three feet works best for me but I know of some people who use logs as long as five feet. You are going to drill 5/8 inch holes by two inch deep all over the logs. Next you take a rubber mallet and pound the mushroom plugs into each of the holes. You can pour melted cheese wax over the holes or not. Some people feel that if your climate is dry the wax helps to ensure the log will stay damp enough to ensure inoculation. You are done! Now all you have to do is to put your log outdoors in a shady place and make sure it stays damp. Partially burying the logs and setting a sprinkler nearby is a good idea for those times when the rain refuses to cooperate. Depending on the size of the logs, how far apart you spaced your holes and, what variety of mushrooms you chose, will determine when you get your first harvest. My favorite company for ordering spawn is Fungi Perfecti. But, you of course, can order from anyone you like. I have no financial interests in F.P., I just like the people I talk to when I order.

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Garden Calendar Northern Hemisphere

APRIL!!!

I won't be posting any fun garden projects this month as most of us who garden will be extremely busy with turning over beds, weeding and planting all the crops that go in this month.

Preparing the beds will be the first order of business. If your beds are raised getting them ready for spring planting will be significantly easier. If they aren't raised you might consider spending the time and perhaps money to elevate the beds. With the exception of those people who live in desert climates, raising the garden plots will make the gardens more productive, easier and cheaper to water, weed and fertilize. Never stepping or kneeling on a bed means increased oxygen in the soil and therefore increased plant growth. Soil compaction results in stunted plants. Water and fertilizers are cheaper because they are only applied where your plants are- never between the beds. It also means as the beds are never packed down weeds pull up far more easily. Raised beds also mean good drainage and an earlier warm up of your soil in the spring.

You can use almost anything to build up the edges of your soil including nothing more than just mounding up the soil you have. I have seen rocks, hay bales, tires (which might not be the best choice), bricks, and cement blocks used. As a rule of thumb I use one bag of manure every 2/3 feet in a typical four foot wide bed. And every spring I add one bale of compost (1 cubic yard) per 8'x4' bed. If the compost is from your own garden just add as much as you have on hand. Brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, etc...) will be your heaviest feeders followed by leafy plants. Do not apply a lot of fertilizer to tomatoes or carrots. Tomatoes will produce more foliage and fewer tomatoes if they are heavily fertilized and carrots will be covered with fine roots making them look hairy. Potatoes also do not benefit from a lot of fertilizer as they tend to get scabby. In fact most root crops should not be heavily fed. Crop rotation will cut down on pests and disease and also allows you to only have to feed a portion of your garden each spring. Finally, peas and beans don't require any fertilizer as they make their own. So each spring start your coles and brassicas along with lettuce, kale and other leafy vegetables off with a nice addition of fertilizer. Plant your tomatoes and root crops in the beds where you had your heavy feeders last year. And your third rotation should be peas and beans. If you grow corn it should also be considered a heavy feeder.

If you live in a desert climate where water and heat are your limiting factors to success, then digging and planting your crops in shallow trenches is the way to go. The golden rule of not stepping in your beds still applies! This gardens' access to water is hugely benefitted by adding compost in HEALTHY amounts. Keep your soil covered with some kind of mulch as soon as your plants are high enough to not be smothered by the covering. Salts can build up in these sunken beds so avoid steer manure as a fertilizer. Manure from rabbits and chickens, as long as it had already been composted, is preferable as it usually contains less salt. Less is more when it comes to fertilizer in deserts as the soil is often quite fertile once water is applied. Drip irrigation is ultimately cheaper than any other kind of water application.

Plants to be started indoors this month.
basil
chives
cucumber
dill
Echinacea/ can also be started outside later in the month
fennel
feverfew/ can be started later in the month outside
lavender/can be started outside later in the month
melon
nasturtium
oregano
parsley
sage
strawberries from seed
squash
sunflowers
thyme
valerian
zucchini

Plant list for direct sowing outdoors.

broccoli
beets
Brussels sprouts
cabbage
carrot
calendula
cauliflower
cress
lemon balm
peas
potatoes
radish
spinach
swiss chard

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Garden Calendar Northern Hemisphere

Since most of us already have now planted all of our spring crops, I thought I'd discuss weeds this month. Weed control can be a real pain in the back. There are a few strategies that can help keep that back pain to a minimum. First is knowing that weeds typically come in three varieties. The first are cool weather weeds. These include grasses chickweed and others you usually see first thing in the spring. The second are warm weather weeds. You kill both of those weed crops by slicing through their roots with a swivel hoe. Nearly all weed growth is triggered by heat and often by light. When the optimal temperature is reached for any given weed seed and, it also has a small amount of light, the seed is triggered to sprout. That usually means that if you are diligent about eradicating the weeds when they first appear in those two flushes and, you disturb the soil as little as possible it will cut down on weeding duties significantly. It is a lot easier to kill those weeds when they are tiny then when they reach gargantuan proportions. A swivel hoe will slice through the root but not pull up a lot of new weed seeds if you are careful. Adding a thick layer of mulch will finish the job. That mulch will stifle new weed growth, reduce the amount of water needed to keep your plants happy and, make for an even better soil next spring. The third type of weed is a perennial.
Dandelions fall in that category and the best defense against those are digging up all of the plant including the roots if they are close to your plants. To truly get even with those unwanted dandelion invaders is to eat the newly emerged leaves in a salad and to slice and roast the roots to a dark brown in your oven. Follow roasting by grinding them in a coffee grinder. These can be used to either replace or stretch your morning coffee grounds. An easier method than digging to kill perennial weeds is to add something that will force the weed to the ground such as a piece of cardboard then covering the cardboard with a thick mulch. This is an excellent way to make a new bed ready for spring planting next year as well. And finally, another way to prepare a new bed and kill weeds is to solarize your soil. This method will also kill weed seeds that lie a few inches below the surface. It will also kill some truly pernicious weeds such as bindweed if done early and left on for a few months. This method is incredibly easy, cheap and effective. You substitute time for back labor. Determine where you want to kill the weeds. Soak that area thoroughly with water and lay a piece of CLEAR plastic over the targeted area. Seal the sides with rocks, boards or simply some soil to insure the ground cannot lose that moisture you applied before putting down the plastic. Now you wait for at least six weeks of hot weather. The intense heat generated by the clear plastic will kill even some of the toughest weeds. Make sure dogs, kids and wandering adults do not poke holes in your plastic.