While it may not be time to get gardening quite yet, it is time to start doing some planning. Once the snow begins to melt, jump-start that garden with fresh soil and get planting. But you know, you can have the best soil in all the land and still not get any kind of result if you don’t know what to plant when. If you’re ready to put your green thumb to the test, here’s a basic spring planting guide to help you get maximum results from that veggie patch of yours.
If you’re super eager to get started, here are a few veggies to plant in early spring. Hardy vegetables only require about 3-6 hours of sunlight and can tolerate soil as cool as 40°F. In fact, they won’t survive in warmer weather, so get them started before the temperature heats up too much. Depending on how cold it is in your area around this time, cool season vegetables can be planted either directly in the soil, in the soil with a cover or started inside in a pot next to a sunny window.
1. Arugula
2. Broccoli
3. Brussell Sprouts
4. Kale and Spinach (These two are hardiest of hardy vegetables. The greens can tolerate temperatures in the low 20s and high teens.)
5. Asparagus
6. Onions
Semi-Hardy Veggies
After you have your hardy veggie patch going strong, it’s time to plant the semi-hardy vegetables. These should be planted in mid-spring. Semi-hardy veggies can tolerate light frosts (usually 29 to 32 degrees F) and require about six hours of sun. Like their tougher friends, semi-hardy vegetables will also grow best before the weather gets too warm.
7. Beets
8. Cauliflower
9. Carrots
10. Irish Potatoes
11. Lettuce
12. Endives
13. Celery
**Tip: If you’re worried about your semi-hardy veggies getting a little too cold, Harvest to Table suggests keeping them nice and cosy with a cloche. What’s a cloche? Any covering that allows sunlight to reach a plant but keeps cool temperatures and wind away. You can create a simple cloche by removing the bottom from a plastic jug and setting it over a plant. This traps in heat and warms the soil and air under it.
Tender Veggies
When late spring arrives, plant these tender veggies, which don’t perform so well (or really at all) in colder temps. These plants need about eight hours of sun and temperatures of about 65 to 90 degrees F. Any frost will kill them, so they should be planted on or after your area’s last frost date.
14. Snap Peas
15. Summer Squash
16. Zucchini
17. Corn
18. Cucumber
19. Melons
20. Peppers
21. Eggplant
22. Tomatoes
If you’re ready to go all out this spring, check out Brit’s ultimate edible garden for more planting and garden construction tips as well as a few fun garden accessory projects.
What are you excited to plant this spring? Share with us in the comments below!
(h/t Bonnie Plants and Tree Hugger)
