Monday, April 6, 2015

I'm getting antsy ...

For gardeners, the last spring frost date can not arrive too soon! Visions of fresh veggies have been dancing in our heads all winter. We are anxious to sow our seeds. It can't hurt to get a little head start, can it?

Of course, some seeds may be started indoors … broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, etc ... but I'm thinking about the direct-sown crops such as beans and southern peas.

Well, it might not hurt (although seeds may freeze and rot in the ground), but in many cases it won't help, either. Each type of seed has its favorite range of soil temperature at which it will germinate. Outside that range, there's little hope of success. Radishes, beets, spinach, etc will do just fine in cooler spring temps, but one might as well wait until nighttime temperatures are reliably in the 50's to stick the seeds of summer into the ground. For reference, here's a handy-dandy chart from Gardener's Supply:  https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/when-to-plant/warmenuflp.html


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