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| April lettuce bed Sunday, March 30, 2025 April showers bring May flowers, fruits, herbs and vegetables! Now is the perfect time to get serious getting your spring garden planted and sown. In April, I usually have seeds and plants going indoors and outdoors. With all the selections they have at nurseries and big box stores, it is easy to skip this altogether and just buy plants to have an instant garden! Crops to plant in April Early April is a perfect time to plant cold season crops like Brussels sprouts, fava beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, collards, kale, lettuce, mustard, onions, parsley, parsnips, peas, potatoes, radishes, shallots, spinach, strawberries, Swiss chard and turnips. Local big box and nurseries have a variety available to put in your garden right now. Outdoor transplant calendar See this post for what to plant in April as well as links on how to grow each veggie. What to plant in the April edible garden We have fresh salads from the garden now. The greens that overwintered are lettuce, sprouting broccoli, cress, chickweed, sorrel, sweet mustard, chard, salad burnet and cultivated dandelions. The other herbs that overwintered are celery, carrots, parsley, chives, Egyptian walking onions, oregano, tarragon, sage, and thyme. They are great adds to salads as well as cooked dishes. There are many volunteers sprouting from giant mustard, lettuce, celery and chives. These are the cool temperature lovers. Next month, the warm season loving volunteer veggies and flowers will be sprouting. Asparagus sprouts are large enough to harvest. We can still get a surprise frost in April so you want to hold off on planting warm season crops outdoors like tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, beans and squash until May unless you cover them or can bring them indoors if frost does visit your garden. Warm season lovers won't grow much anyway until the soil is nice and warm. I usually start and move them outdoors in May for our Zone 7 garden. If you want to see how early you can go, try using protection to keep them warm. Extend the season with protection for plants I have already transplanted lettuce and spinach plants outdoors. I have them in pots in my walk in, portable greenhouse. I moved them outdoors last week. The extra warmth helped them grow quicker, but is not needed for the plants to survive this time of year. To keep yourself in lettuce all season, do succession planting of new seeds or plants every 2-3 weeks. Just plant the number you would normally eat in a 2-3 week period. This will keep salads on the table continuously. Do succession planting for any vegetable you want to extend the harvest for. Keep the harvest going, do succession planting To get a jump on summer harvests, I usually start a variety of edibles indoors on the kitchen counter in both my Aerogarden, peat pods or peat pots. For the large seedlings like cucumber, squash, and watermelon, I start these in 3" peat pots. I have had great success in the Aerogarden in germination rates. It is really close to 100% across all types of seeds. Seed starting tips for beginners You can get also get a jump on harvests by buying transplants. There are a wide variety available nowadays, including heirlooms.
Fertilize When you plant, make sure to fertilize and add mycorrhizae in each planting hole. Mycorrhizae are beneficial microbes that help your plant roots absorb nutrients from the soil. I also add biochar and worm castings in each hole. Using these amendments is when I had the most productive and disease free summer gardens. You can make your own all natural, organic fertilizer, too, inexpensively. Here is the link: Make your own fertilizer, it's all natural and inexpensive If you did not fertilize the entire garden bed before planting, be sure to add fertilizer to each planting hole per the directions on the package. Crops will need that burst of energy for the quick growth that spring brings. If you are re-using pots from last year, here is a link to get your potting soil ready to nourish your new plants: Re-energize your potting soil! It is important to get your potting soil so it can support this season's growth and veggie production. Be sure when you fertilize to mix it into the soil or apply before you put down a protective organic layer of mulch. This keeps the nitrogen from oxidizing and escaping into the air instead of staying in the ground to nourish your plant. To re-energize my potting soil, I add 1 part compost to 2 parts potting soil, Azomite for minerals, and Espoma fertilizer.
Frost date importance The average last frost date in our area was April 6th this year, but we can still get a stray frost in all of April. This is important to know for planting seeds and when to move plants into the garden. Frost date look up The seed packet tells you when to plant in relation to your last frost date. You will get the best results following the packet instructions. Planting early is not always a good strategy as different seeds need different soil temperatures before they will germinate. Plant too early and the seed can rot before they have a chance to sprout. When to plant your veggies Pots will warm up quicker, but will also chill down faster. You can put your pots in a sheltered, sunny spot to get a jump on spring growth. Putting your pots on the south side of the house will provide the maximum warmth. I love planting greens in a large self-watering pot that I can keep on the patio, making it handy for picking a fresh salad for dinner, and to move to a cooler spot in the hot days of summer. When growing veggies in containers, they will require more watering and more liquid fertilizer than if they were in the ground. In the summer, you may have to water some water lovers every day unless you use self-watering pots. For more on growing in pots: Decorative container gardening for edibles With the self-watering pots, your watering duties will be greatly reduced. Lettuce, greens, and herbs do fabulous this month. It is the time to indulge in daily salads. and smoothies. Cool temperatures and lots of moisture produce the sweetest greens of the season. This year, you may have more time or just want to be sure you can eat fresh veggies. Here is a garden that meets that need, even if you only have a small space, like a flower bed. Small space survival edible garden |
Sunday, March 30, 2025
April Edible Garden Planner 2025
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Tomato plants are here!
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Tomato plants have arrived in your local big box stores, local hardware stores and nurseries! Tomatoes are Americans favorite vegetable to grow. There really is no comparison between a home grown tomato and a store bought tomato. There are just a few tips to get your tomato transplants off to a great start.
The first is knowing what type of tomato to purchase
There are two types of tomatoes-indeterminate and determinate. Determinate grow to a set height and the fruit sets all at once. These can be a great candidate for canning if you would like to get your tomato canning done all at once. Indeterminate continue to grow and yield fruits (yes, the tomato is actually a fruit) until frost. These are the best for fresh tomato eating all season long. Determinates height typically stays below 4'; indeterminates can grow well over 8' in a season.
Choosing which tomatoes to growI grow only indeterminates. For what we don’t eat, I freeze whole in quart freezer bags for chili and salsa until fall. Come fall, I start canning the surplus. I like growing a variety of tomatoes, with different colors, salad tomatoes, slicers, and paste tomatoes. I like adding paste tomatoes to each freezer bag as they give a silky sauce. And colors are just fun! I always have red and purple tomatoes in the garden. Three that I have every year are Chocolate Pear for salads, heirloom Italian Pear Paste for sauces, and heirloom Cherokee Purple for slicers.
The Power of Purple
The Power of Purple
All tomatoes are chock full of antioxidants and lycopene. They contain vitamins A, C, E, K, and B-complex as well as potassium, manganese, and copper.
Hardening your tomatoes
If you are purchasing a tomato plant that has been under a cover like a greenhouse, you will need to get your tomato used to the sun. Just like us, plants get sunburned when first exposed to full sun. If they have been inside, they will need to get used to both the sun and the temperature swings of the great outdoors. This is called "hardening off". I put mine on the back patio which gets northern exposure under our awning. I move them gradually into more and more sun. When they have been worked up to 6 hours of sunlight, they are ready for their permanent pot or garden spot.
I always like to plant when it is overcast. The ideal is overcast and calling for a nice slow rain.
Tomato supports/cages
It's a good idea to put out your tomato support when you plant your tomatoes. If you wait too long after planting, you won't be able to get the cage over your plant without breaking some branches.
With indeterminate tomatoes, they definitely need something to help them grow upwards (although not required, it does make harvesting much easier, takes up less garden space and protects against disease). A very sturdy pole can be used and the plant tied onto it as it grows. The more popular option is a “tomato cage” that the tomato grows up in to. This is what we use. It is important to get the cage on while the plants are small or severe damage may ensue when you try to force the gangly plant into it’s cage. Be sure to get a strong cage for large indeterminate types of tomato plants. I also add a stake to the really big tomatoes to give extra support. If using smaller cages, you can just pinch off the top when the plant starts growing too large.
In my garden, even the determinate benefit from a cage to keep them upright. Determinates just don't need to be pinched to keep from outgrowing their cage.
If you grow dwarf or patio tomatoes, they may not need any support at all. I did end up using a stake for each plant as they put on large tomatoes which caused the plant to lean when I grow the patio types.
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| Staked dwarf tomato |
Tips when planting
To get your plants off to a strong start provide the right fertilizer and nutrients when planting. In each planting hole, I add a handful of worm castings, balanced fertilizer, and dust the roots with a starter fertilizer which contains mycorrhizal, vitamins and minerals. This blend improves soil fertility and the plants ability to take in the nutrition it needs. It is not all about just the big 3-nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. They are important but vitamins, minerals, and particularly living soil makes a huge difference in how healthy and lush the plants become. I use fertilizer made specifically for tomatoes so that they get the calcium they need. As your plants take up minerals, you will get these minerals when you eat your garden produce. Every other year, I add Azomite to all my plants which contains over 70 minerals and trace elements just to make sure the plants have all the micronutrients they need.
The next step in garden production and your nutrition-soil minerals
The next step in garden production and your nutrition-soil minerals
When you plant your tomato, make sure to plant it deeply. I take off all the limbs except the top couple and bury the plant up to these stems. Roots will grow from where the stems are removed. This gives the plants a much stronger root system to support growth.
Now, just make sure they get enough water over the first couple of weeks and monitor for large green hornworms. We usually get our first ripe tomatoes around the Fourth of July.
Now, just make sure they get enough water over the first couple of weeks and monitor for large green hornworms. We usually get our first ripe tomatoes around the Fourth of July.
I also like to plant early in the season (in the next couple of weeks) and then again in the middle of the summer (July). When the new plants come on strong, the early planted ones are slowing down. It keeps the harvest going strong. We do like to have sliced tomatoes for burgers and cherry tomatoes for salads. I'll plant 10 at the beginning of the season for fresh eating, freezing and making sauce and then at least one of each, slicing and cherry, in the middle of the summer.
Sunday, March 23, 2025
All you need to know to grow radishes
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| Radishes come in many sizes and pretty colors |
Sunday, March 23, 2025
Radishes are some of the easiest and fastest to grow veggie in the garden! They can be grown in the garden bed or a pot. Radishes are quick to sprout and ready to eat in just 3-4 weeks. They add fun color and a bit of a "bite"to salads or on their own. Radishes also come in a range of flavors. Some are quite mild while others are quite peppery.
Radishes originated in China and moved west, being domesticated in Europe in pre-Roman times. It came in many different forms and colors. There was the long rooted form that could get as big around as 6” or so and a round form that is most popular today. Most were generally white, but there was also black.
The short topped, red radish we know today was developed in the 1600’s. They reached the American colonies in the late 1700’s. The long rooted variety was the most popular until the 1900’s.
Radishes provide anti-oxidants, phytochemicals, lutein, beta carotene, the vitamins B6, C and riboflavin as well as the minerals calcium, copper, iron, and magnesium. They are rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid and potassium.
Radishes can be peppery or mild and come in many colors and sizes. Our favorite is the mild white variety with a root similar to a small carrot, White Icicle.
Radishes can be peppery or mild and come in many colors and sizes. Our favorite is the mild white variety with a root similar to a small carrot, White Icicle.
Radishes enjoy the same type of soil as carrots-loose, well dug rich in organic matter. The ideal soil would be dug 4-6” deep (if growing the round variety) and mixed with sand and compost. If interplanting with carrots or growing the long rooted type, a deeper digging is needed 6-9”.
Many recommend mixing radish seeds, carrot seeds and sand together and sowing the seed this way since the carrot and radish seeds are so small. Grow crunchy, colorful carrots practically year round The radishes sprout very quickly and are ready to harvest well before the carrots. Radishes can be sown with beets and turnips as well. You get two crops in one this way. All about beautiful beets All about turnips
Many recommend mixing radish seeds, carrot seeds and sand together and sowing the seed this way since the carrot and radish seeds are so small. Grow crunchy, colorful carrots practically year round The radishes sprout very quickly and are ready to harvest well before the carrots. Radishes can be sown with beets and turnips as well. You get two crops in one this way. All about beautiful beets All about turnips
Radishes are also planted as a “trap crop” for flea beetles. The flea beetles will be attracted to the radishes and leave other crops alone. The flea beetles may make the radish greens look sad, but have no affect on the root itself.
Like carrots, radishes can be sown in the spring or fall. The seeds germinate quickly, just in 3-5 days. For spring, radishes can be sown as early as 3-4 weeks prior to last frost (when the early daffodils bloom) and first pickings will be ready in 3-4 weeks. Harvest in the morning. Both the roots and leaves are edible.
Radishes should be planted 1/2” deep, in rows 1-2’ apart. They should be thinned to 2-6” apart, depending on the size of radish planted.
For winter harvesting, sow in late summer or fall. Roots are sweetest after a frost. You can still eat the roots when the greenery has died back. Just dig down with your trowel to release the sweet root from the ground. Mulch in the fall and harvest when needed.
We found the White Icicle variety to be mild and enjoyed them in salads. The red varieties typically are hotter. The radishes will increase in heat as the temperatures rise. Pick early for milder taste or later in the day for more of a kick.
Choose the round varieties if you have hard soil and do not want to dig deeply or if you want to grow in pots. Radishes are equally happy in the garden bed or pots. They are a really fun crop for kids, too, and come in so many colors. A really pretty addition to any salad.
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Everything you need to know to grow carrots
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| Carrots come in all different colors and sizes |
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Carrots are rich in antioxidants, beta-carotenes, vitamin A, vitamin C, many B-complex vitamins like folic acid, B6, thiamin, pantothenic acid, as well as minerals like calcium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, copper. They are super easy to grow.
Carrots, like turnips, have been around for thousands of years. Its seeds were used for medicinal purposes. Carrots likely originated in the Iran/Afghanistan area and spread to the Mediterranean. It is shown in Egyptian tomb paintings from 2000 BC. The first records that it was used for the European kitchen was in the 900‘s in Spain. Carrots were originally used mainly for livestock feed in the American colonies and for its aromatic leaves and seeds.
The first wild carrots were purple. The wild carrot is known as Queen Anne’s lace and adapted very well in America. The popular culinary orange colored variety did not become stable until the 1700’s. It quickly became the most popular variety in both Europe and the colonies. Today, you can buy carrot seed for a variety of colors-yellow, white, red, purple, orange. They also have a wide range of sizes. They can grow quite long or can even be round.
If you let your carrots go to seed, they send up stalks and have flowers that look just like Queen Anne's lace white, lacy blooms. Carrots are prolific self seeders. If you let one or two carrots go to seed, you will have baby carrots over winter that will come to full size in the spring.
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| Carrots getting ready to bloom |
Carrots are related to parsley, fennel, dill and cumin. Like their cousins, the greenery also is edible.
Carrots like loose, well dug soil rich in organic matter although they will also grow in moderately rich soil. The ideal soil would be dug 6-10” deep and mixed with sand and compost. The longer the root, the deeper the depth of loose soil needed to grow large, straight roots.
There are also shorter root varieties that can be sown if you do not want to dig that deeply or if you want to grow them in pots. Some short varieties are Little Finger (4” long), Adelaide (the size of your pinky), Short n Sweet (4”), Thumbelina (1-1.5” diameter), Parmex (1.2-2” diameter), Tonda di Parigi (1.5-2” diameter).
Sow every 2 weeks March-July. First plantings should be about 2 weeks prior to your last frost. Carrots do not like to be transplanted so direct sowing is best. Soak seeds 6 hours before sowing. Sow 1/4” deep, 1/2” apart thinning to 2-4”. Keep evenly moist, do not allow to dry out, for the up to 14 day germination period. Carrots are ready to harvest in 50-80 days. Baby carrots can be harvested in 30-40 days.
For your last plantings of the season look for a type like Autumn King or Nantes that can be harvested throughout the winter. Merida can be planted in late September for an early spring harvest. Frost actually makes the carrots sweeter so leaving them in the ground in the fall will improve their flavor. All kinds of colors are now available-white, red, orange, yellow, and purple.
If you want to bring the harvested carrots indoors to store, placing in a cool place in sand that is kept moist is the best indoor long term storage for the winter.
Sunday, March 16, 2025
What's happening in the mid March edible garden
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| Chives |
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Spring in our garden has come later this year. We had a two week frigid spell with ice and snow in mid-February that slowed everything down. Took a couple of weeks for the ground to thaw. We are about 4 weeks behind the past 2 springs. Daffodils, forsythias, crocus and hellebores are in full bloom now. The Bradford Pear trees are just starting to flower.
When forsythias bloom, it is time to apply corn gluten for weed suppression in the garden and yard. Corn gluten keeps seeds from sprouting and provides nitrogen. It will also keep grass seed or garden seed from sprouting so use only where you don't want seeds to come up.
In the edible garden, onions, parsley, horseradish, carrots, garlic, chives, salad burnet, French sorrel, oregano, dandelions, strawberries, thyme and garlic chives are popping up in the garden bed. Overwintering celery, chard, lettuce, arugula, winter cress, blood veined sorrel, salad burnet, sprouting broccoli, shallots, onions and Chinese cabbage are growing again. Chickweed is flowering. The garden is giving greens for fresh picked salads.
Asparagus is usually up by now but it has yet to show itself.
Cool season crop transplants are at the local nurseries and big box stores. They have broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, onion sets, spinach, chard, lettuce, potato starts and more. It's time to buy what you want for your spring garden and transplant!
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| Overwintering cabbage and broccoli |
I bought lettuce and spinach to supplement what overwintered. I also plant snow peas, onion sets, onion seedlings and will plant carrot seeds to keep the salad greens going through June.
Herbs have not yet arrived at the big box stores; they should soon. The ones that can be planted now are thyme, sage, garlic, parsley, and celery. I'd hold off on the rosemary and especially the basil. If it gets even close to freezing, basil can be killed in the garden. You can buy and keep in a sunny window in the garage and they should be fine.
Warm season crops like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant all need warm days and warm soil to thrive. A freeze can kill them. Plants should be arriving in stores by early April. I usually wait until May to plant these summer lovers. I started mine from seed a month or so ago and have transplanted them into pots that I'll keep under lights, in a sunny window or on the patio on warm days to give them a boost for summer harvests.
Saturday, March 15, 2025
What to plant in the March edible garden
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| March garden bed, ready for planting |
Saturday, March 15, 2025
March and April are prime time for cold season crops like greens, cabbage, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, beets, radishes and cauliflower. In March, you can direct sow (plant seeds in an outdoor pot or your garden bed), start seeds indoors or transplant plants that you have bought locally or raised indoors.
Big box stores have had their seeds on display for over a month now. In our area, plants began arriving in stores last weekend or you can order transplants online. The variety available in big box stores continues to expand as many us are growing our own food. If you are wanting something unique, try on line seed companies. Some of my favorites with a good selection of organic vegetables, garden fruits, and herbs-Abundant Life Seeds, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, High Mowing Seeds, Johnny's Selected Seeds, Renee's Garden, Seeds of Change, Territorial Seed Company, Seeds from Italy, Botanical Interest. Many have plants as well as seeds.
If you are not sure what to plant, here are some ideas on figuring that out. How to know what to grow
Using indoor seed starting is a great way to accelerate your harvest by up to two months. Seed packets tell you how far in advance of your last frost date to start your seeds indoors or when to plant outdoors for "direct sowing" in the garden. Just look on the back. Here is a web page to look up your last frost date: Farmers Almanac frost dates
Cold season crops include your greens, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, radishes, turnips, beets, cauliflower, strawberries and peas. For more on spring gardens, see A spring edible garden Starting these varieties in a portable greenhouse will give you a jump on harvest time. I like starting seeds in my portable greenhouse and once they get to a good, sturdy size, thinning and transplanting out to the garden bed. I have sowed many varieties last month and this month outdoors. Dragon's Tail radish, sweet mustards, kale and chards sowed indoors have sprouted so far. It is warm enough here to start cool season crops outdoors. I started onion sets and snow peas outdoors this last week. Will start carrots this week.
March and April is also the time for warm season veggie and herbs to get their indoor start. Summer veggies include beans, tomatoes, corn, melons, basil, eggplant, peppers, okra and squash. Summer veggies go into the garden after chance of frost has passed and the soil has warmed. In our area, it is the first of May for the soil to warm. You don't really get an advantage in planting the summer veggies early outdoors because they don't grow until the ground warms up. I just imagine them sitting in the dirt with their roots and stems shivering. See this blog on summer veggies for more info. A summer edible garden
Seeds to start in garden bed or transplant outdoors for our Zone 7a garden
Arugula
Asparagus
Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Catnip
Celeriac
Celery
Chard
Chervil
Chives
Cilantro
Collards
Corn salad
Endive
Escarole
Fennel
Fenu
Horseradish
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leek
Lettuce
Mache
Mint
Mizuna
Mustard
Onions
Pak choi
Parsley
Parsnips
Peas
Potatoes
Raddichio
Radishes
Rhubarb
Salsify
Scallions
Shallots
Sorrel
Spinach
Strawberries
Summer savory
Turnips
Start seeds indoors
Artichokes and cardoons
Basil
Bay
Bay
Bee balm
Cauliflower
Chamomile
Comfrey
Dill
Eggplant
Edamame
Edamame
Fennel
Kohlrabi
Lavender
Lemon verbena
Lovage
Marjoram
Okra
Oregano
Peppers
Rosemary
Sage
Tarragon
Tomatoes
Thyme
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| Seedlings started in an Aerogarden hydroponic system |
Another trick is to do succession seed starting. For continuous harvests of veggies like broccoli, spinach and lettuce, start new seedlings every 3 weeks and plant out every three weeks in the garden. Keep the harvest going, do succession planting For the early seedlings, use varieties that are described as cold hardy. When you get to April, start seedlings that are heat tolerant. Heat tolerant varieties will resist bolting and bitterness as summer temperatures rise. Keep salads going all summer long
You can also start perennial flowers and veggies indoors as well. For any plant, look at the seed packet for when to plant outdoors according to your frost date. Then back up the time from there on when to start indoors. Typical seed starting is 6-8 weeks prior to the plant out date. For more on perennial fruits and veggie gardens, Perennial veggies in the Midwest garden
For tips on seed starting:
Trying to decide what to plant for this year's garden? Here are some garden ideas:
Don't be worried about the work of putting in an edible garden bed. You can simply grow veggies in your existing mulched beds right along with your flowers in the ground or pots! Weed free, self fertilizing, till free garden beds
Sunday, March 9, 2025
Time to plant onions outdoors
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| Bulbing onion flowering in late spring |
Sunday, March 9, 2025
It is time to plant onion sets and onion transplants in the garden to get full size bulbs for harvesting this summer.
You can order sets on-line, get them in big box stores, local nurseries, local farm supply stores and local hardware stores at this time of year. Your local stores should have the type of onions that will bulb properly for your latitude. Onions set bulbs based on the hours of daylight.
If ordering on-line, know what daylight zone you are in to get the ones that will develop into full bulbs for your zone. They start forming bulbs when daylight hours hit a minimum. For long day onions, it is 14 hours. For intermediate, it is 12-13 hours. Short day onions are 9-10 hours. You also need to get them planted this month to insure optimal size for harvesting.
I would have thought that long day onions would be for the South, but this is wrong. The North gets the really long summer days (think of Alaska in June with no darkness). Long day onions should be planted in states north of the Oklahoma/Kansas border (approximately 36 degrees latitude). Intermediate day onions are planted in the middle of the US and short day onions in the South (like Vidalias).
I live in Kentucky so right in the heart of intermediate day onions. I can plant long day onions, but should have gotten them in the ground as soon as the soil could be worked last month so that get a good root system for making large bulbs when peak daylight occurs in late June.
This year, I bought sets from a big box store and started seeds of interesting intermediate types. For sets, the bulbs need to be firm to still be viable. I planted my sweet onion sets yesterday and will plant my seedlings in a couple of days. I have the seedlings hardening off on the back patio to get used to the cooler temperatures and increasing time in unfiltered sunlight.
If ordering sets or plants on-line, they will send them to you when it is time to plant in your area.
For planting, onions like loose, rich soil. I dug a trench 2" deep, put blood meal in the bottom, added an inch of soil, then planted my sets 3-4" apart in rows 1 foot apart.
I planted potato onions and Egyptian walking onions last fall to give them the winter to develop good root systems for harvesting this spring and summer.
For more on onions, see
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