March Planting

March Planting

      Here we are middle February and it is getting closer to planting a garden outside. Do you know when your last frost date is because that will tell you a great deal when the planting outside should be. The Almanac is the best place to find out when your last frost will be. You can start planting inside for a few vegetables though now.

Indoor Planting

     Here are a list of vegetables that you can start indoors unless you choose to buy plants already growing. This will put you at about the last part of the month of March or so if you are in zone 8 like I am. Our last frost falls on the 8^th of April.

     Cabbage can be started 5 to 7 weeks before the last frost date. Broccoli, Peppers, Celery, Brussel sprouts, Eggplant, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collards, and Tomatoes Can be started indoors 8 weeks before the last frost.  This gives them a good start. I like to plant plenty of each so I can transplant to a larger container to give them a bit more space to grow bigger and some to share with friends and family. I like to start my cucumbers, squash, and pumpkin seeds about the same time too because I don’t buy them as plants.

     I have started my tomatoes already this month but I want to have plants that are more advanced in growth to make a longer growing period. I will be canning much of them this year. Here are the things you will need to get started.

•      When you plant seeds indoors you need a south facing window, a grow light or a small greenhouse. I have a wire rack shelving that I put all my plants on. I also have a greenhouse. That saves me when it is time to water, because I can water without worrying where the water goes. I don’t need lights either there.
•       LED grow lights.  They run about $22 on Amazon Depending on how many shelves you have one for each shelf. I know this is a bit of a cost but this is a onetime purchase. 
•      Seed started packs and drainage trays, you can use plastic food trays or jugs also to save cost. I love to use the rotisserie chicken containers to use the lid to cover then the plants have a good amount of space to sprout and grow
•        Potting soil mixture with perlite 
•       Seeds 
•       Plastic markers or Popsicle sticks for marking plants 
•       Sharpie markers 
•       Plastic wrap to cover over seeds for warmth at start to encourage germination.
•       Thermal pad for each shelf. They help the seeds to sprout.

     Make sure that once you have planted your seeds you water but do not water too much the soil just needs to stay damp. The seeds will mold.  Mark each tray of seed pack with a marker. Place the seed packs on the trays Place them on the shelf on top of the thermal pad and under the lights. Once the seeds have started germinating remover the plastic wrap. If you do not have a window to grow them in and you use the lights you may want to keep the lights on 24 hours. Don’t forget to water!

Soon you will have a nice size garden ready to be transplanted when the frost warning in your area is up. Happy gardening.

     Quote of the day:

   

  Scripture of the day:

Happy are the pure in heart, since they will see God.​—Matt. 5:8.