Farm, Garden and The Land > Gardening and Agriculture

Early Gambles

(1/1)

dirt:
Hey folks.  Looking for some ideas on plants to get outside a little early and see if I can't sneak a little bit of a head start this year.  Anybody have any varieties they have had particular success with early in the season?  I'm in Zone 5b. 

PorcupineKate:
Where I am the gardening season is either 5a or 5b.  I am in the cold wet northern New England and these are the early gambles I always play.  I always order extra seeds of these in case I am too early.  I want to make sure I can do another planting if the first fails.  If I have room and energy I will also plant these varieties around August 1st for a second crop. 

Peas. I always plant them as early as possible.  I generally plant them between the end of March to the end of April.  I generally do once the ground is clear of snow and the soil is unfrozen for a least a couple of inches.  My peas will be going in the ground in next depending on when I can get the trellises up and the rain. 

Spinach and arugula I also plant early.  These seeds will also go in the ground this week.   

In early April will plant diakon radish. It is the first time I will be planting them this early but I have extra seed in case it is too soon. 

The potatoes will go in once the dandelions start blooming. 

I need to look up when I can plant the first carrots.   I know it is sometime in April but I don't recall the date.

I am also starting various cold tolerant greens indoors so they will be ready to transplant as the ground seedling start sprouting.  This way I get more production of over a longer period.  Kale, spinach, cabbage, and lettuce are just starting to sprout indoors.  I will plant small batches succession seedlings up until June so I will have seedlings for a fall garden.  I fill the greens in anywhere I have an open spot.

dirt:
Thank you, exactly the kind of info I was hoping for.  I'm in NH and just picked up about 8 inches of snow to throw a curveball at my plans.  I typically do a pretty good job with the main gardening season ( I think), looking to start capitalizing on the early and late seasons now.  I was thinking very similarly, order extra seeds and start trying things out at week intervals.  If the real early stuff doesn't make it, I will have the ability to salvage the main crops. 

Navigation

[0] Message Index