Zone 7 Gardens

[MonarchMom]

With the warm January this year, I'm starting to plan my garden here on the Jersey coast.  This year I want to try beans in pots, along with my usual herbs, peas, carrots, tomatoes, tomatillos, and hot peppers.

Anyone trying something new this year?

When do you plant your snow peas?  I know the common wisdom says March 15, but I usually can't wait that long!

[MonarchMom]

So glad to read the post on Baker Creek Heirloom seeds in another thread.  I just requested the catalog.  Nothing helps with the winter doldrums like planning your spring garden!

Anyone been to the public garden next to the Montclair public library?  They have the most amazing flowers there.  I've admired the Globe Thistle there for years, want to try and grow it.

I put in some Sea Holy last year, a similar look but a different plant, and I think they would great together.

[MonarchMom]

As of March 3 I have planted my "cold" crops:

radish, brocoli rabbe, swiss shard, parsley and snow peas. 

I usually wait until March 15, but I think the time table needs to move up due to the warm winter.  Some of these crops will all be done once the heat arrives so why wait?

End of March I start my tropicals inside:  basil, tomatillos, peppers, tender herbs.

Beans I put into the garden in late April, when the soil is warmer. 

[RosieL]

7A here (borderline, was 6B before this year's map update!)

I'll sow beets, turnips, peas, lettuces, radishes, chart, and probably some herbs this weekend. I'm pretty excited about it. Planting seeds a couple weeks before my first arrives. I want to do some weeding in early labor. :)

Why wait on the beans?

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by RosieL 

Why wait on the beans?

In our zone 7 area, you can put things out whenever, but peas and beans planted earlier grow a little, sit there, and then catch up with the ones you planted 3 or 4 weeks later.  I can't tell the difference between the two when they really get going.  Doesn't seem to hurt them being planted early, unless you have pests that gobble the little plants down to the nubbins.  Planting later will decrease this window.  I never have a problem one way or another.  My scarlet runners bean seeds even overwinter and sprout on their own!  

[MonarchMom]

RE: beans vs peas - I've always planted snow peas (edible pod type) as early as the ground thawed.  They can take cold weather, and they stop producing as soon as the heat arrives.    

Beans  - runner or pole - need the soil to be at least 60° to germinate, from what I have read.  So I usually wait till late April/May to plant those.

My radishes are up with 2 sets of leaves!  Now I plant the more rows every few weeks so I can harvest over time. 

SweetSilver -  I haven't grown the scarlet runner - are they good as fresh beans?  I usually do Kentucky or Blue Lake. 

One of the pleasures of beans is leaving a few pods on the vine to dry and store for the next year's crop!

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by MonarchMom 

SweetSilver -  I haven't grown the scarlet runner - are they good as fresh beans?  I usually do Kentucky or Blue Lake. 

Usually folks eat the bean itself, but we harvest them young and eat them as green beans.  They are deeply sweet with a good greenbeany flavor.  If you like green beans, you will love scarlet runners.  They are my favorite for flavor.  We cut them on the diagonal.  I don't know if they would be as crisp when pickled, though.  I don't know if they are as prolific per square foot as Blue Lakes or Kentucky Wonders, but they can be stashed at the backs of the flower beds, in front of the shrubs, pretty much anywhere.

[RosieL]

Shameless crosspost from another thread in my DDC. But I'm so happy for the weekend's progress that I have to share!

I have to share pictures! 

Yay weedless beds full of compost!


Over-wintered kale, some which we ate for lunch yesterday. Noms.


Beets on the right. Turnips, carrots, and parsnips on the left:


Radishes and lettuces on right. Brussels, broccoli, chard on the left:


Collards, kohlrabi, cabbages on the right. Left reserved for sorrel and something else this year:


Fall-planted garlic, bunching onions, and shallots are pretty happy. They were chocked with weeds yesterday. Thankfully they were weak-rooted. Mom and I got them out pretty quickly.:


Trellis constructed by DH, strung with weed whacker nylon cord. Shelling peas planted below. First time for shelling peas, since I feel like I have enough space. Three more trellises are in the plans, for the snap/snow/sugar peas and the cucumbers.:


Virgin beds, aside from the just-sown peas. These will sit for another two months, awaiting the hot-veggie crops.

 

 

 

 

I hope to keep updating with progressive growth pics. Fern, I'd love to see pics of your garden as it starts then grows. I love taking pics of the bare beds then over time as they grow. I'm more dilligent about taking vegetable garden pictures than belly growth pictures. Funny.

 

[faithsstuff]

love your pics!  

[RosieL]

Thanks! It reached the 80s here today. Nuts. Watered in my seeds and generally felt a big, huge sigh of "Ahhhh, Spring is here." Maybe it'll retreat once more this season before coming for good, but this week promises to be a great preview. 

My BP was back to normal after being elevated last week. MWs and I both whole heartedly attribute the return to normal to gardening over the weekend. Yay!

[root*children]

Our warm temps have put gardening on my mind, for sure!  New things I'm trying this year are tobacco, beets and onions (i know onions are probably not revolutionary to most, but I failed with them the one time I tried and so haven't tried since... hoping for better results this time!)

[maia.springgoddess]

RosieL - love the photos!

Zone 7B here in Everett, WA although I feel like I am worlds away from some of you as we have highs in the mid-40s this week. I still sowed some snap peas, kale, spinach, arugula, Swiss chard, and radish today since those seem to germinate at cooler temps. Just one row of each though.

I've dabbled around in the past few years and had some success, but this year I am determined to be a "farmer" and complete the circle with some preserving and seed saving. We are working on building a few more beds as well.

Happy gardening!