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| Newly planted lettuce, spinach, leeks and cilantro |
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Wow. What a crazy, warm late winter! In the 70’s in mid/late March in the Midwest. Everything is blooming and growing weeks ahead of normal. The forsythia, daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, and tulips are all in bloom at the same time.
Right now, the French sorrel is lush and ready to harvest, chives and garlic are up, onions are already bigger than green onion size, cress is a good size, cultivated dandelion greens, corn salad, kale, peas, arugula and spinach have leaves large enough to cut. Chickweed and plantain is high in nutrition and a nice add to salads; they are going strong now. Rosebud flowers are in bloom and tasty in salads as well as pretty. They have a taste similar to peas.
Other herbs that are greening out-thyme, sage, oregano, mint, tarragon, parsley, lavender.
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| Rosebud in bloom |
I usually have volunteer lettuce plants that emerge in the spring. Since we have laid such a thick layer of compost on the garden this year, it is likely that many volunteer plants like lettuce won't be able to come up through this thickness.
I purchased cilantro, spinach, rosemary, leeks, and many varieties of lettuce plants. I planted all except the rosemary today.
Pepper, tomato and basil plants are also available now. It is still a little early for tomatoes and basil. I do have a couple of pepper plants I overwintered in the garage that my hubby brought back outside this week end. Pepper plants tend to be hardier than tomato plants.
If you do buy tomato and basil, just be prepared to cover them or keep them in pots to bring indoors if we get another cold snap. It is probably best to keep them in pots as the soil is still a little chilly for their liking.
One more thing, don't forget to rotate the location of your crops in the garden from last year's. This reduces pests and disease. By rotating you also aren't taking the same nutrients from the soil that each class of plant prefers for strong growth.
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