Between the threat of rain and the Super Bowl it may be hard to get out into the garden this weekend. However, Thursday is supposed to be gorgeous and Friday will be nice. If you can get outside on those days here are some tasks that can be done now:
Vegetables
Right now is a great time to plant your salad fixings. While lettuce (check out my in depth discussion of growing lettuce here)and spinach are the stars, don’t forget that the supporting players like radishes, beets, carrots, kale and mustard greens also can also be planted now. These quick growing greens will be ready for harvest in about 45 days. At that time you will be ready to thin your onions and use them in the salad.
Now is a great time to replant lettuce. My favorites are buttercrisp and black seeded Simpson
Right now is also a good time to start adding compost to your beds. I sprinkle a couple of inches over the areas I am going to plant in March and cover with spoiled hay. It is not warm enough for the compost to start breaking down. However, in conjunction with the hay, it acts as a great mulch that will suppress many spring weeds. It will also feed the worms that will begin taking it down into the soil for you.
Ornamentals
As you know I am a big supporter of field grown flower farmers. Right now my friend Mike at Prickly Pair Farm is planting ammi, stattice and dianthus under cover. You can start the same flowers indoors now. Growing from seed is the best way I know to have a ton of flowers for spring planting without spending a ton of money.
Right now is a great time to begin adding compost to the beds that you will be planting in the March
Lawns
I have a couple hundred daffodils planted in my yard. As I walked around yesterday looking to see if they had broken ground I noticed lots of some very bad weeds beginning to make a stand. Dandelions and thistles are beginning to come on strong. These are easy to take care of with a good sharp hoe. However, my true weed nemesis is Queen Anne’s Lace. Queen Anne’s Lace is actually wild carrot. Right now it is forming its cluster of leaves on the ground. I leave it alone until it sends up its flower stalk then I pull it up, white carrot root and all.
****Be sure to check out my friend Bart’s blog (Our Garden View) for more great tips for the Central and South Central garden!
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Thanks for this series! I’ve been following the tips religiously 🙂 Started tomatoes on paper towels indoors and now have nearly 20 seedlings – though have to get them under a shop light asap. Wonder about peppers – start indoors from seed now?
Yes! The peppers will take a few days longer to germinate but go ahead and get them started. Glad you are reading. Dont know the paper towel trick. How are you doing that?
Wet paper towel, place seeds, fold and put into a plastic Baggie. Leave in a warm dark place and sprouts will appear in 4 to 7 days days typically for tomatoes. That is the paper towel method I use.
Very interesting. I usually start 2-3 three and then thin. This method would definitely ensure 1 seed 1 plant.
Thanks! Will start on the peppers. Oh, the paper towel trick lets you start seeds up and buys you time if you’re really not ready for the spring! Here’s one of several tutorials available online: http://www.gardenbetty.com/2013/02/starting-seeds-in-coffee-filters-or-paper-towels/
Thanks for sharing. I love Garden Betty. She has done an outstanding job on her blog.