Planning a Summer Garden Day #10: When to Begin Planting

When is a good time to begin planting?

 So you've got a good plan and vision. When do you start?

Do you know that I will actually be planting all season? The reason is that some crops are spring and fall and others are summer. So not everything gets planted at once! Don't doom yourself by planting a whole package of seeds at the beginning of the season. Instead plant in the amounts that you want to harvest and plant them every two weeks for continual crops through out the year.

Onion Sets

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Timing is important so there are a few...

Things to consider before you plant:

This week it snowed here in Kansas. And the weekend before it was 70! I  have already planted some of my spring crops. They all were fine even with temps that went way down below freezing. Here is my Friday collage of these hearty spring crops:

1.  Lettuce
2. Peas
3. Oregano
4. Parsley
5. Radish
6. Cabbage

Consider your planting zone.

When is your last frost? Unless you have sun boxes to protect them, most summer crops won't make it through a frost. It's not an exact science because we can't always predict the weather but if you've lived somewhere long enough you begin to know when you are in the clear.

Live and Learn.

I risked a few summer plants and did lose a few flowers that went into my Mary garden:

These plants did not make it: Marigold and Salvia (this one may bounce back). Honestly I thought the Marigold might be hearty enough but trust me when I say they were not! There is a chance that they may survive so I am not taking them out yet. Here's how my Mary garden was looking before the frost:

Consider what the plant requires.

What weather does this plant need? Is it a cool weather crop such as peas, cabbage, and lettuce (as the ones in the collage above?)...or is it a warm weather crop such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers?

Just take each plant into consideration before you plant them. You also need to keep in mind how to space. The best help for me has been Square Foot Gardening. Even though I don't apply it very precisely, it is where I have gained most of my knowledge and experience from.  It's my #1 recommendation.

The fun has begun.

Here is a collage of my friend and I doing our first round of planting: Left to right, top to bottom...

1. Our garden box squared off and ready for planting. 
2. My friend Christiana helped me plant the first boxes of spring crops.
3. Me, planting onion sets.
4. Kids love to garden too!

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This is the end of 10 Days of Summer Planning. Read all the posts here:

1. Getting Inspired
2. How to Start Box Gardening
3. Prepare Your Soil
4. Starting Seeds
5. Choose Plants You Will Use and Enjoy!
6. Planning Out Your Plant Placement
7. Tomatoes, Peppers, and Cucumbers
8. Favorite Flowers and Herbs
9. Tools and Maintenance
10. When to Begin Planting ( You are HERE.)

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