And So It Begins!

Greetings Gardeners!

Here we are, a couple of weeks before the Vernal Equinox and the first day of Spring – a seasonal, cyclical event that always comforts me. As we progress through March and into April, the rays of the sun contain a soothing warmth again and the sweet sounds of snow melting and songbirds singing are a balm to our winter-weary souls. This time of year, I always feel as though I’m emerging from winter’s chrysalis:  my skin and my soul soaking up the sun and the warmth and emerging recharged and rejuvenated, ready for the season to come.

Seeding Timing Tips

Seedling care at this time of year can be tricky, and it all comes down to timing. Seeding too early results in seedlings that can be leggy and weak; this happens because the seedlings are reaching for light. The seedlings are ready to plant, but the garden is still too cool, so they sit inside too long. The May long weekend is the traditional planting weekend, and while I still direct seed and plant potatoes that weekend, I’ve moved my outdoor transplanting timing to the first week of June, in order to avoid the frost we often get at the end of May.

So, let’s talk timing. Seed packages and catalogue descriptions will give the number of weeks needed before transplanting outdoors – this can be a handy guide. I generally count backwards from the last week in May to figure out the timing to start plants, and adjust the timing as needed, in order to have plants ready for the nursery. There are a few general rules of thumb one can use though:

Plants that need 10 weeks to transplanting outdoors can be started mid-February to mid-March. Examples are artichokes, brussels sprouts, petunia, lobelia, pansy and snapdragon.

Plants that need 8 weeks to transplanting outdoors can be started beginning of March to the beginning of April. Some examples are broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, cauliflower, kohlrabi, leeks, celery, kohlrabi, peppers, Swiss chard, scallions, thyme, oregano, parsley, cilantro, sweet peas and larkspur.

Plants that need 4-6 weeks to transplanting outdoors can be started at the beginning to middle of April. Some examples are peas and beans (if you are not direct seeding these), cucumbers, squash, zucchini, lettuce (again, if you are not direct seeding this), dill, basil, calendula, alyssum, cosmos, marigolds and nasturtium.

Timing will be slightly different for everyone, depending on the micro-climate of your garden. You may be transplanting outdoors at the end of May and your neighbour is planting a week before or a week later! Here is where a seeding log comes in handy – it is easy to reference for the next year and the guesswork stops when it comes to the timing. Examples of information to keep track of in the log are: type and variety of plant, seed source, date seeded, date germinated and comments. I like to use a blue accounting ledger – the columns are easily defined and there is plenty of room for comments. Here is where I’d jot down if a plant was seeded to early, if germination was poor or any other information I think might be relevant for the following season. Keeping the same log year after year allows one to easily reference past seasons. If you are transplanting everything into a heated greenhouse – no problem! Seed whenever you want!

Nursery News

Opening day is Friday May 5! The seeding room is full of germinating seeds and I’m really looking forward to this season and chatting all things gardening and growing with all of you! I’ve also changed Friday’s hours, so the new hours will be Fridays 12pm-6pm. Saturday’s and Sunday’s hours will remain the same, 10am-4pm, and I’ll be open every weekend in May and June.

Plant and seed ordering are available again this year – you’ll find the Plant List and Order Form and the Seed List and Order Form attached and they are also available on my website (sprucecottagefarm.ca). Please note, they are no longer fillable/saveable pdfs, so will need to be printed, completed with your order, then emailed back to me via scanning or taking a picture.

In Growing Harmony,

Jolene

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