Now's the Time To Plant Cool Season Crops

There are two different types of vegetables you can grow in your garden: cool season and warm season.  Cool season crops include Arugula, Lettuce, Spinach, Chard, Onions, Cabbage, Peas and Kale.  Cool season crops will germinate in cold soil and mature in cooler weather and shorter periods of daylight, meaning they are perfect for planting in early spring. All this means you can get an early start on your edible garden by planting cool season crops as soon as the soil in is unfrozen and workable. 

Begin by working two to three inches of organic material into your garden bed. This is called amending the soil. Our high-quality organic soil amendments are produced locally and come bagged for your convenience. For an existing garden, spread two to three inches of organic amendments on the surface of your garden bed and work it in. A single bag of Earth Essentials Sheep, Peat and Compost will cover ten square feet, two inches deep. 

This is also a good time to add some organic fertilizer. Organic fertilizers will carry the OMRI seal on the bag. OMRI stands for Organic Material Review Institute. Products with the OMRI seal have gone through rigorous testing to assure the ingredients are organic. Place a small amount of organic fertilizer in the bottom of each row or planting hole, so the roots of your new plants can grow into it. 

Cool season crops can be planted from seed or from starts. If you choose to plant from starts, take the time to acclimate your seedlings by gradually increasing their exposure to the outdoors. Moving your plants from the house or greenhouse directly into the garden without giving them time to adjust will set your plants back weeks due to transplant shock. This slow transition from indoors to the outside is called “hardening off”. Hardening off plants gradually exposes them to outdoor light, wind and temperatures. The process is easy, but it takes time. On the first day, pick a sheltered, shady spot under a tree or on the patio and leave them there for 3 or 4 hours. The second day, move them into the morning sun for 5 or 6 hours. On the third day, move your starts into full sun. On the fourth day, leave your plants out for the night. By the fifth day, you should be ready to plant. Onions can also be planted now. Choose from seed, sets and plants.