Early Bird Catches the Worm

One of the reasons I love gardening so much is the way a garden rewards you, often in a very short time. . I love the quote, "A garden gives back in beauty and repose all of a gardeners' efforts." I absolutely believe that. Think of other things you do in life and how long you wait sometimes to see the results of your efforts. When you begin exercising after a down time, how long 'til you see or feel results? An hour? A day? What about when you are in school or at work? How about raising children? If I spend an hour in the garden in the early spring turning in the mulch or clearing out a bed I feel instant satisfaction and probably a little sore in my back. Something is made more beautiful by my having been there. What a gift!

Now that you know your USDA zone and your approx. frost date we can talk planting. It's still March and many things cannot handle the cooler temperatures, but there are plants that prefer the cold weather. Today let's start with edibles, meaning things you can eat. I think most people know that peas do better in cool weather, but there are so many others that get overlooked. In the past, I have had success with the following:
Spinach  -  Lettuce  -  Radishes  -  Swiss Chard  -  Arugula  -  Broccoli  -  Mesclun  -  Chives  -  Parsley  -  Onion  -  Cabbage

There are others I have not planted, but I know prefer the cool weather such as:
Brussels Sprouts  -  Turnips  -  Garlic  -  Leeks  -  Kale

I might have mentioned it before, but something I found to be really helpful when I was just getting started in the plant world was to keep a notebook. You don't have to make a big production of it, but when you are trying to decide what to do, or how to fill a space, or throw a bed, a notebook can be a lifesaver to help keep things clear. Also, when you are trying new things, it helps to record what worked and what didn't or what you liked or didn't like, etc. This is especially helpful from season to season so you don't have to make the same mistakes twice like planting 50 feet of beets only to discover you don't actually like beets. We'll talk more about notebooks later, for now just grab anything handy and start taking note of what you want out of your space this year.

Now the only thing left to do before you get out there and plant is to figure out how much space you have and what you need to get out of it. But... more on that tomorrow. For now, flip through your catalogs, get online, and talk to your fam about what everyone wants and what you eat the most of and WRITE IT ALL DOWN!! Oh and we'll talk varieties later in the week, so keep your pencil handy for that too.

Ciao!