GARDENING STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL PLANTING

 

My Gardening Techniques

 

Beat the weather by planting earlier with these tips

 

1.               Used raised beads as they tend to dry better and warm up earlier than in-ground beds.

2.               Warm the soil with sheets of black plastic. Plant seedlings through the holes cut into it.

3.               Build plastic tunnels over your seedlings to protect from wet weather and cold winds. Sold as floating row covers these covers provide 5-6 degrees of warmth.

 

Planting by the moon

 

            1.         NEW MOON   At the new moon, lunar gravity is at its greatest. Plant root and leaf plants. This is the best                         time to plant above ground plants such as lettuce, broccoli, spinach, cucumbers, melons, peppers,

tomatoes, and other plants that produce their seeds outside the plants. Mow lawns.

2.               SECOND QUARTER  Plants with strong leaf growth, Plant two days before the new moon. Best for plants that produce above ground and seeds inside such as melons, peas, peppers, tomatoes, beans, squash.  Mow lawns.

3.               FULL MOON  Light is waning. Best for Root crops including beets, carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic, peanuts, perrenials, bulbs,  Best time to transplant and prune.

4.               FOURTH QUARTER. Resting period.  Don’t plant at this time. Prune, cultivate, and transplant.

 

 

Steps to seed sowing success

 

  1. Sow after your last-frost day and harvest before your first-frost day.
  2. Determine your soils temperature by sticking a thermometer into the soil
  3. Test for moisture. Squeeze a handful of soil and it should crumble easily.
  4. Know your crops temperature range to sew and grow
  5. Add organic matter to improve the tilth conducive to seed germination.

 

Cool Season Vegetables: Require cool soil and air temperatures to germinate and grow. They have shallow roots and are in danger from drought. Most can take a light frost.

  1. beets
  2. brocolli
  3. cabbage
  4. carrots
  5. cauliflower
  6. collards
  7. kale
  8. lettuce
  9. onions
  10. peas
  11. potatoes
  12. radishes
  13. spinach

 

Warm season Vegetables require warm soil and air temperatures to germinate and grow. They have deep growing roots and can withstand drought. They will not withstand any frost.

1.               beans

2.               cantaloupe

3.               corn

4.               cucumbers

5.               eggplant

6.               melons

7.               okra

8.               pumpkins

9.               squash

10.            sweet potatoes

11.            tomatoes

12.            vine crops

13.            watermelon

14.            zuccini

 

 

 

Know your Planting Zones

Zone

Fahrenheit

Celsius

Example Cities

1

Below -50

Below -45.6

Fairbanks, Alaska; Northwest Territories (Canada)

2a

-50 to -45

-42.8 to -45.5

Prudhoe Bay, Alaska; Flin Fon, Menitoba (Canada)

2b

-45 to -40

-40.0 to -42.7

Unalakleet, Alaska; Pinecreek Minnesota

3a

-40 to -35

-37.3 to -39.9

International Falls, Minnesota; St. Michael, Alaska

3b

-35 to -30

-34.5 to -37.2

Tomahawk, Wisconsin; Sidney, Montana

4a

-30 to -25

-31.7 to -34.4

St. Paul, Minnesota; Lewistown, Montana

4b

-25 to -20

-28.9 to -31.6

Northwood, Iowa; Nebraska

5a

-20 to -15

-26.2 to -28.8

Des Moines, Iowa; Illinois

5b

-15 to -10

-23.4 to -26.1

Columbia, Missouri; Mansfield, Pennsylvania

6a

-10 to -5

-20.6 to -23.3

St. Louis, Missouri; Lebanon, Pennsylvania

6b

-5 to 0

-17.8 to -20.5

McMinnville, Tennessee; Branson, Missouri

7a

0 to 5

-15.0 to -17.7

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; South Boston, Virginia

7b

5 to 10

-12.3 to -14.9

Little Rock, Arkansas; Griffin, Georgia

8a

10 to 15

-9.5 to -12.2

Tifton, Georgia; Dallas, Texas

8b

15 to 20

-6.7 to -9.4

Austin, Texas; Gainesville, Florida

9a

20 to 25

-3.9 to -6.6

Houston, Texas; St. Augustine, Florida

9b

25 to 30

-1.2 to -3.8

Brownsville, Texas; Fort Pierce, Florida

10a

30 to 35

1.6 to -1.1

Naples, Florida; Victorville, California

10b

35 to 40

4.4 to 1.7

Miami, Florida; Coral Gables, Florida

11

Above 40

Above 4.5

Honolulu, Hawaii; Mazatlan, Mexico

 

Plant

Seeding Date

Sowing Date

Spacing Plant Row

Depth

Maturity

Comments

Asparagus

N/A

Perennial... plant in early spring

P=14" R=24-36"

4-5"

Second year

Do not harvest the first year to allow the plant to become established. Apply a heavy mulch in winter to help prevent the roots from heaving out of the ground.

Bush beans

N/A

April-May

P=4" R=18-24"

1 1/2"

60 days

Harvest when young and tender. Plant a fall vegetable in this area after harvest.

Pole beans

N/A

May

P=36" R=48"

1 1/2-2"

60 days

Plant 4-6 seeds around a 6-8 inch pole or use a trellis.

Beets

N/A

April and again in June

P=4" R=18"

1/2"

40-70 days

Thinned plants and beet tops may also be eaten. Dig and store in a cool place prior to the first freeze.

Broccoli

N/A

April-May

P=24" R=30-36"

1/2-1"

4-5 months

Harvest the main Broccoli heads before they open. The plant will produce an extended crop of smaller heads through the rest of the summer

Cabbage

Feb-March

April

P=24" R=24-36"

1/2"

4-5 months

Requires a soil pH of 5.5 or higher. Feed with a high nitrogen fertilizer every 4 weeks.

Carrots

N/A

April  July

P=2-4" R=18-24"

1/2"

90 days

Sow early, harvest when young. Sow successive plantings every three weeks.

Cauliflower

Jan.-Feb

May

P=15" R=24-36"

1/2"

4-5 months

Won't tolerate high temperatures, harvest before the head opens up. Sow seeds for a second crop in May.

Corn (sweet)

N/A

May
every 2 weeks

P=3" R=24"

1"

2-3 months

Should be planted closely together in blocks rather than rows to insure good pollination. Corn is at it's very sweetest the moment it is picked.

Cucumbers

N/A

May-June

P=36-48" R=36-48"
3-4 plants per mound

1"

2-3 months

Spread a mulch of black plastic to the area before the vines begin to spread. Prompt harvesting will prolong the fruiting period.

Eggplants

Feb.-March

May

P=24" R=36"

1/2"

4-5+ months

Needs excellent drainge, a long growing season and warm soil.

Lettuce

Feb.-March

April

P=8-12" R=18-24"

1/4"

70-90 days

Grows best in the cool temperatures of spring and fall. Needs very rich soil and lots of moisture. Plant successive crops every two weeks til the end of April.

Onions

February

April

P=3" R=12-18"

1/2"

seeds 3-4 months
sets 50-60 days

Plant as early as possible. Apply a fertilizer high in phosphorus and potash. Onion sets may also be grown in planters.

Peas

N/A

April every 2 weeks

P=3-6" (doubled rows) R=72"

1 1/2-2"

60 days

Do best in cool temperatures, so plant early and harvest when the peas are young.

Peppers

Feb.-March

May

P=24" R=24"

1/2"

4-5 months

Do not provide too much nitrogen or you'll have lots of plant, little fruit. A black plastic mulch will warm the soil and promote good growth.

Potatoes

N/A

April-May

P=8" R=36"

3-6"

90-150 days

Plant a chunk of a 'seed' potato, containing 2 or more eyes. Harvest when the vine begins to die or has died completely. Leave the potatoes laying on the ground for a day to harden them and prevent bruising.

Pumpkins

N/A

May

P=6-8" R=36"

3-4"

4-5 months

Pumpkins take up a lot of room, so sometimes it is better to plant them outside of the garden. Will tolerate a small amount of shade.

Radishes

Feb.-March

April

P=1-3" R=18-24"

1/2"

30 days

Plant radishes early. They will go to flower when the warm temperatures arrive.

Rhubarb

N/A

Perennial... spring

P=24" R=24-36"

3/4"

Second spring

Ready to harvest early in spring. Rhubarb likes soil high in organic material. Keep the bloom spikes cut off. Easily dividable.

Spinach

N/A

April

P=6" R=12-18"

1/2"

90 days

Soil pH should be between 6.0 and 6.7 Apply nitrate of soda between the rows to stimulate growth. Harvest spinach when young or the plants will go to seed.

Squash

N/A

May-June

P=36" R=36"
3-4 plants per mound

1/2-1"

4-5 months

Grows well in warm areas, prefers rich organic soil.

Tomatoes

March

May

P=30-36" R=30-36"

1/2"

4-5 months

Provide frost protection when first planted. Tomato plants may be trained on stakes, grown in cages, or allowed to crawl along the ground. Tomatoes will ripen after they have been picked.

Watermelons and muskmelons

N/A

May

P=72" R=72"
1-2 plants per mound

1"

4-5 months

Do best in sandy soil with plenty of added manure. Top dress with high nitrogen/potash fertilizer. Needs warm temperatures

 

 

 

 

 

Planting Dates

 

Month

Indoor Seeds

Outside Ground

Jan

Cauliflower

 

Feb

Cabbage, eggplants, lettuce, onions, peppers, radish

 

March

Tomatoes

 

April

 

Asparagus, bush beans, beets, brocolli, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, onions, peas biweekly, potatoes, radish, rhubarb perrenial, spinach

May

 

Bush beans, pole beans, brocolli, cauliflower, corn biweekly,cucumbers, egplants, peppers, pumpkins, squash, tomatoes, watermelon, muskmelons

June

 

Beets

July

 

Carrots

 

 

 

 

 

 

Start your garden with this template.

 

Italian Parsely

Other Spices

 

Basil Oregano

 

Garlic

 

Onions

 

Small Tomatoes

Bifsteack Tomatoes

Green Pole Beans

Yellow Pole Beans

 

 

SWEET PEPPERS

 

HOT PEPPERS

BROCOLLI

Replant Lettuce

 

Summer Squash

Cucumbers

Swiss Chard

 

Beets

 

Early Carrots

Replant Kale

Lettuce

Replant Fall Carrots

Lettuce

Replant Fall Carrots

Scalions

Replant Kate

Alpine Strawberries