In my years of being a gardener, I have had many people ask when the best time is to plant various vegetable crops in the garden. I can’t tell you how often I have been asked if I have my potatoes planted on Good Friday.
My simple answer is “No, I plant them when the soil conditions are right,” because the calendar has nothing to do with what day to plant anything … nature does. Considering that Good Friday can fall anywhere from March 20 to April 23, early planted potatoes can get nailed by a frost, and even though they will usually regrow, they don’t really like that setback.
Some vegetable crops benefit from being planted early while soil temperatures are still cool … BUT NOT COLD! These crops become established much more quickly in cool soil.
Other crops absolutely will not tolerate cool soil temperatures. The seeds rot or the plants become stunted or developmentally delayed from that stress. Soil temperature is the key here, not the calendar.
So, what I am telling you is that there is not one day when I plant my garden. Potatoes are probably first on my list along with onions, peas, some of the brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, kale, and Brussels sprouts), spinach, and radishes. A minimum soil temperature of 50 degrees is ideal for these “hardy” crops.
Next on the list are the “half hardy” candidates: beets, carrots, lettuce, and cauliflower. They prefer a bit warmer soil temp of 55 degrees.
After that come the warm season crops: beans, corn, celery, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, tomatoes and peppers, requesting a soil temperature of 60 degrees or above.
OK, you’re telling me that you don’t have a soil thermometer. … Well then, you get to read nature’s calendar: When the forsythia is finishing blooming, you can plant peas, (obviously, you need to know what forsythia is). Plant hardy crops like potatoes when the first dandelions bloom (not referring to those against the south side of the house). Half-hardy crops get planted when the dandelions are in full bloom or the lilacs are in first leaf. Plant corn when the petals fall from the apple blossoms. Plant beans, squash and cucumbers when the lilacs are in full bloom. Plant tomatoes when the lily of the valley are in full bloom. And finally, plant peppers and eggplant when bearded iris bloom.
So there you have the time range when I plant my garden. First on my list is for the soil to be dry enough to do the tilling (I usually spread my compost in the fall).
Ahead of that first is during the winter, while hibernating, I map out what is going to get planted where as I plan for crop rotation and successive plantings. Crop rotation for a garden of the scale I have is a major consideration to maximize soil nutrients and minimize insect and disease issues.
Regarding starting your seeds indoors, wait until the first week of April for tender crops.
Chin up … spring is coming because it always does … just get ready. Maybe even a few stretching exercises a few times a week to prepare your body, too!