Zone 6

[SagMom]

Anyone planting yet? I know it's early, but with temps suddenly in the 70's I couldn't stop myself from putting lettuce seeds in the ground.

Fortunately, (since I seem to lack control) my Richter's order hasn't come yet so the other veggies and herbs will have to wait.

In this year's lineup: tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, cucumber, pumpkin, basil, mint, lemon balm, chamomille, dill.

What have you got planned?

[Minxie]

Yes!!! I couldn't wait either with the two sunny days we had this weekend. Our blueberry bushes, raspberry canes, dwarf peach, and dwarf cherry are all planted. The compost bin is up and filled, and I started a bin of lettuce. The tomatoes and peppers are started; I started the peppers in Feb so they are already up but the tomatoes last week so not yet. I started the tomatoes in an old cardboard egg carton (that's how I remembered doing it from when I was a child! )

I'm planning to build a Secret Hideout using sunflowers, runner beans and morning glories but that has to wait until the last frost in May. Also starting our kiwi and strawberries this year. I haven't checked the date on our peas but I know they need to go in soon and I just ordered a bunch more seeds from Southern Exposure.

[SagMom]

Originally Posted by Minxie

I'm planning to build a Secret Hideout using sunflowers, runner beans and morning glories...

I LOOOVE this idea. Do you stake things or do the beans and morning glories just latch onto the sunflowers?

[MammaG]

OK, I'm a on-again-off-again gardener making a commitment to do more now my kids are old enough to help out and get a lot out of diggin' in the earth.

I'm desperate to get stuff in the ground! I'm starting a whole new garden from a city wasteland...soil full of debris and covered in weeds, so I have quite a bit of work to do besides just the planting. We've spent these glorious days removing a top layer, sifting out glass and trash and enriching the soil with compost and manure. Luckily our landlord is a good friend, has a caboda (for getting out stumps) and is willing to bear a lot of the cost, so we get the fun digging and planting part!

We're planning to build the kids something like a stick/ twig igloo and grow peas and beans up that (will try to post a link to a pic later).

OK...had to run earlier. Here is the link to a photo of what we're going to try to build. Scroll down the page a bit...there's two structures. If we manage it. I'll take pics through the season.

Happy Spring!

[JamieCatheryn]

We have had spinach, carrots, and peas in the ground a few weeks now. The little spinach and pea plants are growing and the carrots just sprouted last night. I just mowed and dug in my hairy vetch winter cover in my main bed, thinking about planting the squash and green beans...my last frost date is Apr 15 but the weather forecast goes through then and the coldest night it calls for is 46F.

[Minxie]

Originally Posted by SagMom

I LOOOVE this idea. Do you stake things or do the beans and morning glories just latch onto the sunflowers?

The theory is that the sunflowers grow REALLY fast so if you plant them all at the same time, the beans and morning glories will use the sunflowers as stakes. It's our first time doing this and I'll probably also do a bean teepee* just in case.

*bean teepee - ten or twelve 10ft poles arranged in a circle and sunk into the ground about a foot. Tie together at the top like a teepee and plant beans at the base.

[SagMom]

Originally Posted by Minxie

The theory is that the sunflowers grow REALLY fast so if you plant them all at the same time, the beans and morning glories will use the sunflowers as stakes.
.

that's what I thought--I may try this! Minxie and Mama G, Would love to see pics when you get yours going!

Planning to start my indoor seeds today-- funny how different things can be in the same zone, Jamie, "a few weeks" ago we had lots of snow on the ground.

[springbabes]

I am so itching for spring and we've had nothing but snow. There was snow on the ground this morning, Sunday morning, and a morning last week. UGH!

But, I have been planting. Outside I have peas (just starting to come up despite the snow), carrots, radishes, onion sets, lettuce (also coming up), spinach, and garlic. Inside my seedlings are doing well. Tomatoes, basil, oregano, marigolds, jalepenos, cayennes and anaheims are all growing. Still waiting on the bell peppers like always.

Our frost-free date is usually Mother's day but I plan on sneaking a few tomatoes out earlier under protection. Mid-May I will direct sow green beans, corn, squashes, and cucumber.

Later this week when the weather is supposed to warm up I am going to turn over the unplanted half of the garden and mix in some dried chicken poop and compost so it will be ready next month. I'm looking forward to the exercise.

Happy planting, everyone!

[~Boudicca~]

Hello!

I got impatient about 3 weeks ago with all the warm weather and I planted some carrots, radishes, and garlic and then covered them up with hay. We've only had one freeze since then and tons of rain. I peaked under there and the carrots are just peeping through and the radishes are a couple inches tall. So this week I felt really motivated and planted some broccoli, spinach, lettuce, more carrots, peas, kale, and bok choy. I got my seeds from Fedco and most of my seed packets said April so I went with it.

[kingschild]

I finally planted my "cool crop" seedlings: broccoli, kale, collard greens and romaine lettuce, and planted sugar snap pea seeds, but it was 89 degrees today! I have yet to plant lettuce seeds, swiss chard, scallions.

Thankfully it'll be around 60 degrees this weekend after some rain. I am looking forward to my spring crops.

[SagMom]

Originally Posted by kingschild

... but it was 89 degrees today! ...Thankfully it'll be around 60 degrees this weekend after some rain. I am looking forward to my spring crops.

Same here. I went ahead and started seeds in containers for some summer herbs because it felt like July. They've been outside on the porch all week. The challenge for me now is to remember to check for frost warnings and bring them in if needed. It seems we're headed back to the 40's at night after today.

The lettuce in my beds is already sprouting!