Prepping Warm-Season Crops. Before planting warm-season crops, especially cucurbits, you can warm the soil with different techniques, such as forming a mound or hill and/or using black plastic. To form a hill, mound soil to make a low, broad hill about 8 to 10 inches high.See our article on how to start seeds indoors. Vegetables that grow slowly from seed and are ideal to start indoors include: tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, and peppers. Starting Indoors. For vegetables that grow slowly from seed, try starting seeds indoors several weeks before the planting dates.Most hybrid plants will not be “true” to their parent type, so you could end up with a completely different (and possibly disappointing) fruit or flower. Also, if you save you own seeds, do not save seeds from hybrid plants. Use fresh seed from a reputable company for the best results. Seeds do have a shelf life, and while you can often get away with using older seeds, just be prepared for lower germination rates. Learn more about how to apply fertilizers to your garden. A soil test will help determine soil deficiences. In the spring-shortly before planting-work fertilizer into the soil. Remove Weeds. Before you plant any seeds, the area MUST be weed-free! Otherwise, the weeds are competition for water and nutrients.See our page on how to prepare the soil for planting. Alternatively, do as many gardeners do and add organic matter in the fall so that it needs little work in the spring. Add organic matter in the spring and work it into the soil, digging down about 1 foot to loosen the soil. Prepare the Soil. Your seeds need rich, fertile soil to grow.Try our Garden Planner to plan your garden for success. Provide permanent beds for perennial crops such as rhubarb, asparagus, and some herbs. Remember, you can plant cool-season crops in the same place as warm-season crops later in the season, based on the vegetable’s days to maturity (on the seed packet). Also, plant so that you can reach the center of the row or bed easily enough to weed, water, and harvest. For example, consider which vegetables need shade and which vegetables are tall so they do not shade shorter plants. Consult our Planting Calendar for the best dates to plant, based on frost dates. Before you even start planting, know when each vegetable should be planted. Here are some things to keep in mind before sowing seeds: It goes without saying (but we’ll say it again), you can’t just scatter seeds on the ground and expect all plants to grow! Similar to a human, plants need the right environment, nourishment, and water. Seeds may rot if the soil temperatures are under 60☏. Warm-loving (plant 2 to 4 weeks after frost killed by frost immediately and not tolerant of cold weather)Ĭucurbit seeds (which include cucumbers, muskmelons, watermelons, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, and gourds) require very warm soil to germinate, at least 60☏. Tender (plant 0 to 2 weeks after frost injured or killed by frost but tolerant of cold weather) A late spring frost will kill them, as will the first autumn frost. Below is a list of those veggies which prefer to be seeded directly into the soil (not transplanted): If planted too early, seed may rot in the ground. “Warm-season” veggies grow best in warm weather and seeds germinate only if the soil is warm enough. Hardy (can be planted 2 to 3 weeks before average last frost date) Very hardy (can be planted 4 to 6 weeks before average last frost date) Below is a list of those veggies which prefer to be seeded directly into the soil (not transplanted): “Cool-season” vegetables have seeds which will germinate in cool soil. They are often planted in the spring (to mature before the weather gets hot) and in the summer (to mature in the cool of autumn). Here’s a helpful list: Cool-Season Vegetables Of the vegetables that are planted as seed directly into the garden: Some are considered “cool-season” vegetables, which need a cool period to germinate, and others are “warm-season” vegetables, which need the soil to be warm enough to germinate and will not survive a frost.
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