By Snickers
As the last holiday decoration is being put away, the seed and flower catalogs begin to arrive in the mailbox. For the next couple months, people who garden spend hours pouring through them to see if anything new has been added to the mix this year. One can hardly wait for the blanket of snow to disappear and see what flower or bulb is going to peek out of the ground first when spring arrives. We had a mild winter and our temps have been in the 70 to 80 range already, which is so unusual for March weather. With little moisture over the winter, I am anxiously waiting to see what winter kill has come to my gardens.
Many tulips and early flowers are up and reaching for some sun. Temps are forecasted to be cooler this week, so just like everything else, these flowers will be confused with the fluctuating temps. Hopefully, many flowers will self correct their growing process.
If you have a compost pile, make sure you add lots of water to it. Mine will not be going on my garden this year because the waste did not break down enough to do any good. So out it will go. I will be tilling come late April and I will start to plant around May 10th. Hopefully we will be graced with some rain before then. Ground temps need to be at least 60 for a week before planting, as you can still get a freeze in April and even snow here. The weather patterns are hard to predict and follow. Some of you may remember that last year in April we had a tornado. Every area is different with temps and the west coast has the longest growing season.
My best advice for beginning gardeners is to start small. You can either dig a small plot, use raised beds or plant in containers. Check what grows best in your type of soil. Your best bet is to plant lettuce, onions and root vegetables because most soils are very hospitable to these type of plants. Being a seasoned gardener, I have planted almost every kind of plant in my garden over the years. This year I am going to try a few new plants! I will update you on their growth as the summer progresses.
Just remember to think of you garden as a color wheel, planting flowers that will bloom until fall. If you mulch around your plants, little time needs to be spent weeding and that allows you more time to enjoy just watching things grow. I prefer a wood chip mulch because no harm will be done if you mow to close when taking care of your lawn. Make sure you put water in your holes before setting your plants in. Containers take more water weekly. Do not over water and make sure you have pots with good drainage to prevent root rot just in case they do get too much water. Purchase plants that have been set outside in your garden centers as they have acclimated to your weather already.
As I watch our temps go back to the 60’s this week, I will sit here with my bucket of new seeds and faithfully wait for Mother Nature to say it will be time to work the soil again. I love the planting and growing but I also so enjoy filling my jars and freezers and seeing my family enjoy the bounty of my garden throughout the winter months.
So as we garden together here at Imperfect Women, I look forward to sharing my garden and flowers with you all again. I will be happy to answer any questions that you may have if I can. I will be posting pictures throughout the season for all you to enjoy. So everyone, get those gloves on, hoes out, and start your garden!
About the Author:
Snickers is a country gal at heart who loves holidays, quilting, antiques and has a passion for gardening. In her spare time she keeps herself busy as an estate cleaner and volunteers for many organizations. Her bucket list overflows—-.
More from Snickers:
Making The Garden Last All Winter Long
Snicker’s Easy Sweet Refrigerator Pickles
One Season Ends, Another Begins
How does my garden grow? Very well, thank you!
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Freezing the Bounty Of The Sweet Corn Harvest
I can’t wait to see what you plant this year, Snickers! Where I am situated, the only thing I can grow is flowers (in the front) as there is too much shade in the back and sides of my house. It will probably be into May before I can even start getting my hands dirty.
Oh Snickers, I am always so envious of the person with the Green Thumb. I stroll around the Garden Centers wishing for my own Green Thumb. My Mom has it, my Sisters have it, but not me.I guess my talents are elsewhere. Each year, I plant a few flowers and do try some veggies (tomatoes and peppers), but the only success I have is buying them at the Grocery store.
Snickers, like you, I can hardly wait for the planting to begin. Not because I am a gardener, but I am an eater. I love, love fresh produce. The only green veg. that I do not like is kale. The flavor is too strong for me. Being a Southern girl, collards, spinach, cabbage, mustard and turnip greens work for me instead. Great article.
Snickers, can’t wait to see your gardening pictures again. I imagine you have some new things you’ll be trying this year. Hope you have a good growing season.
Snickers, I hope planting is good to you this year. Our Springs have been so wet, which is why I am going to need the raised beds. I am longing for Spring. I was just at the food co op this week buying good fresh stuff, I can’t wait for our farmer’s market to open again.
Looking forward to hearing all about your beautiful garden.
If you have a shady yard, they are many plants that do well in shade, hosta’s, impatients, etc. Check your garden center for shade plants.
Nice post Snickers. I can feel your love of gardening. I can’t wait for to see your pictures this spring and summer. We are also having unusally warm weather..makes me want the farmers market open.
Fabulous post Snickers! I am looking forward to watching your garden grown and getting your great tips again this year!
I love that you share your garden and expertise with us snickers. Your post is a sure sign of spring!
Well I got peppers and cabbage popping up in my green house but for some reason my tomatoes arent growing. Never seen that before but I got new seeds and tried again. The new ones are starting to come up I just hope I am not too late. Fertilizer should help. The first ones were pelleted tomato seeds that might be why. I wont try them again.
Snickers I have no clue about flowers or potatoes LOL. I cant seem to grow either or strawberries for that matter. We are getting a tree this week though. That should be interesting. OK I am rambling guess I am tired so as usual just ignore me.
PS great post.
lynn,
Lucky for you,but I buy my bedding plants, no place to start seeds here. 🙂 Hopefully everyone can enjoy their gardens and flowers this year.
Hope the little one is doing great!
Little one is doing great. Mommy not so great but that ok. What new plants re you trying this year? I have to agree with you some things just dont grow in certain soil. I will try potatoes again this year but I am done trying strawberries, celery, broccoli and cauliflower. They just dont grow here.
Great advice, snickers! I have been weeding like crazy because my garden is kind of a mess and I’m trying to get it into shape for spring and summer. Also, pruning shrubs that are growing wild, though I always feel semi-incompetent at that.
I haven’t bothered with veggies in years because they always fry over vacation and I lose them. No vacation this year (college instead) so I might try my hand at some veggies: string beans and cherry tomatoes by request, lettuce and other greens. I also want zucchini because even when it gets eaten by pests, there are always zukes anyway! I need the guaranteed success.
I am going to put the veggies at the top of the terraced hill. The terraces are full of hardy perennials. My flower gardening philosophy is “If you can live with the neglect, you may bloom here.”
I can’t wait to see what snickers is growing this year! I wish I could garden. I really do. I do flowers but I wish I could do pumpkins and watermelon and carrots. You can’t grow much in cement. 🙁
I am so excited to see Snicker’s first column of spring. Along with the longer days (please no complaints about daylight savings to me), I am instantly in a better, more hopeful frame of mind!
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My garden is on a smaller scale, but I was just putting mulch down today. It doesn’t eliminate weeding, but it cuts down on it and I like the nice uniform, neat look it gives. I can’t wait to learn more from you, Snickers.
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Pam, any thought of purchasing some raised beds for your garden space? I know you guys have some pretty high temperatures to deal with though.
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Good luck to everyone in their gardening adventures this year.
Pam, did you know that a seed will grow in a crack of cement.:)
LOL, yes I do! Snickers, I received a gardening catalog in the mail today. First time ever. I am not sure why. Maybe it is someone trying to tell me something. 😉 On the cover is a something called a Vegtrug. Looks interesting. They also have another elevated bed on wheels. I will have to look into this.
Thanks Pam for the nice message!
The garden is tilled, fence up, and planting is about to begin this afternnon. The ground is very mellow, and we are ahead one month in temps for the year. Even if cooler temps come in, spring vegetables, such as onions, lettuce, peas, and potatoes can be put in now. Many of my tulips are blooming and more to come. I love spring, we had a nice shower of rain on Friday, and washed away winters dirt. I love the smell of tilled dirt and a clean slate. The farmers in the area are busy doing field work, and gardeners are busy getting everything ready to roll for the growing season.
Snickers, you are really making me homesick. I so love the Midwest and the country. What on earth am I doing in the city of cement?
Pam,
You could come live by me and that would solve all your problems. 🙂 90 here today, too hot for spring, but cooler temps forecasted this week. Nothing grows in the bags they say. This is a very unusal year, but why wait, going to jump right in and start planting.
They are going to start to plant corn by weeks end if no rain comes in. That will bring back many memories for you. Plant that seed of corn in the crack of cement!
Hows your hands doing snickers? Mine are horrible now. We managed to get a bit in this weekend. We also seemed to have attracted a stray cat that my indoor non-fixed cat is loving looking at. Grrrrr.
It’s not my hands lynn, but I did get some sun today. My face and arms are red. Spent the day planting some garden and some new bulbs. I think the squirrels ate two of my new hybred iris, grrrr———-. Will replant those in the fall. Now if our weather just cools off a bit, and no storms. 🙂
Snickers, I was asking about your hands because mine are so dry they are cracking from playing in the dirt. I am so glad I only got my onions and potatoes in this weekend. It was 90 degrees yesterday and tomorrow is a high of 38 and snow. Uggghhhh. Add in 50 mph winds. What is up with this weird weather.
lynn,
My hands dry out, but after shower, I lather them in hand cream. A few cuts of them tho and they sting. LOL. My summer’s end, my hands look pretty rough. We are heading for a cool down, but high’s of 60’s. We need some rain, has missed us for the most part. The snow won’t last long, and some nice added moisture to the garden. I will wait a few weeks before any bedding plants go into the garden. I will be planting carrots and maybe some grean beans next week, if it warms up again.
I wish I had twitter. I would tell Kate she is too late to start plants inside. If she thinks you can plant them now and just put them outside after they sprout she needs some advice. Those tomatoes and peppers need atleast 2 months.
lynn,
I don’t twitter either, she would be better off to just buy some bedding plants. You can buy a 12 pack of vegs pretty reasonable from a local garden center.
Cool, rainy am here today, last week 90, today, not so much.
Lynn,
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Have you ever tried Udderly Smooth Udder Cream? Yes, its what they use on milking cows. lol It used to only be available at farm centers, but now Walmart even carries it.
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When I was doing a lot of gardening, I’d apply it about an hour before I started working in the dirt. Then again after I cleaned up. It is important to apply it and let it soak in before gardening. It worked great for me and stopped those small, but painful cracks I’d get.
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Dear experts,
I am going to try gardening veggies one more time. Have you ever heard of square foot gardens? Any thoughts? That is the method I will try. We are off to buy wood to contain the growing mix right now. Wish me luck!
Good luck Ann.
Ann,
I have seen them, but only plant things that will stay contained in them, unless you want vines growing over the top everywhere. You can put a circle of wire around cucumbers and let them climb the wire. Other vine vegs might not work in these. Have fun and let us know how it works!
Thanks CJ I forgot about that stuff will try it.
Ann good luck.
Does anyone know how to get rid of a stray cat? It doesn’t seem to be scared just wants to hang out looking at my cat. Driving my cat nuts though.
PS Hope everyone had a Happy Easter.
lynn,
try some moth balls!
Going to be covering what I can tonight, they say freeze for out area. Crazy, it was 9o a couple of weeks ago.
One year ago tonight, my community was hit be a tornado. Temps were in the 90’s and we knew we were in for a storm. Tonight, the low is going to be below freezing after 2 weeks of very warm weather. Gardening will be a challange with this weather. Oh well, on to summer and warmer temps!
Snickers, How has your community recovered? Are things back to somewhat normal?
Pam,
Yes our community has recovered, normal living, yet still buildings that need to be fixed. Roof work was done last summer for many homes and business, contractors had to call in crews from other areas. We still have cracked windows, contractors will be here to replace them soon. We have a steel building shed that has to have all the steel stripped off and replaced also. Many new homes were brought in, pre-fab for people who lost everything. We are just so thankful that no lives were lost in all of this, and very blessed for all the help that was sent to our area.
Thanks Snickers. I will try that next time I get a chance to go to the store. I don’t think its a stray. I think it is a neighbors outdoor cat. Its fat and it likes to jump over our 6 foot fence every night to come visit my cat. Kindda cute but drives my cat bonkers which drives me bonkers.
I hope your weather holds out. We were supposed to freeze last week but didn’t. Just got alittle snow but melted right away. Our temps are going to be in 70s all week. 60s this weekend but supposedly not supposed to get down below freezing.
What plants have you planted already? I got my peas, carrots, beets and greens planted this last weekend.Add to that the onions and potatoes last week. I am half way there.
Oh and my tomatoes, peppers and cabbage are doing good in the greenhouse. I’ll have to take some pics to show you how ugly the greenhouses are but yet how productive they are.
lynn,
I only have tators,onions and lettuce in the garden, way too cold for any bedding plants. We are suppose to get down to 26 for an overnight low tonight. It will warm up sometime. LOL.
Well, thanks for the good wishes! I have two small frames up: an 8′ X 3’X 7″ which breaks one of the rules in the book, and a little 3′ X 3’X 7″ that my husband fit in against the porch. We mixed the soil and filled these boxes. Now we (by ‘we’, I mean ‘he’) are going to put a grid on to divide the long one into 24 planting squares and the little one into 9 planting squares. Then, I’ll turn the page of my book to figure out what to plant, lol. That’s my veggie patch.
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What is this about vining crops? The book says just build this frame against the back for the cukes and beans to crawl up?
Ann,
If you have something for them to grow up on, you will be fine, but squash and cukes can get heavy and vines will weight down. I put a round wire about 5-6 ft tall and let my cukes grow up the vine. You have been busy and I know you will enjoy your gardens! You must be planting pole beans?? I don’t plant them as they are not a good canning bean. I plant a bush bean so no need for a fence.
I don’t know what kind of beans they are!
I didn’t plant yet. My husband didn’t get the grid done yet.
The round cage…is that a tomato cage? I like that idea. They have wire ones at Lowe’s. Is that what I should use? Last time I tried tomatoes I had just a stick in the ground. They flopped over. The tomatoes had black on them. What am I getting into?
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You know, the best vegetables I ever grew were these huge pumpkins that grew out of the compost heap one year after my son threw some decorative pumpkins in there the fall before. We got big jack-o-lanterns through complete neglect!
Yes, you can use a tomatoe cage for your plants. If you are getting black leaves, that means they are getting to wet from always touching the ground. For my cukes,I use garden wire, you can buy it by the roll and just cut it to make a round circle of wire. A tomatoe cage is not tall enough for cukes to grow up and they get heavy. I haven’t put my plants in yet, but when I do, I will post a picture, but sounds like you are farther along with warmer weather than I am. Have fun, try things and enjoy!
Ann,
A pole bean grows like a vine and needs a trellis like backdrop. A bush bean is a plant that does not need anything. Just plant the seed. Read the package before you buy.
You can purchase from a seed catalog or local store, even Wal-mart carries seeds. This year I am planting a bush Derby, Blue Lake, and my favorite Jade, but Jade can only be purchased through a seed catalog. (Gurney’s).
Just a note to let all the gardners know, that I see a few potatoes peaking out of the garden today. We received 2 inches of much needed rain, but the wind has been howling for a couple of days now. With afternoon sun, things will start perking up around here. We are way ahead of planting time here by a month. I planted my first things in the garden when it was 90, now the temps are back to the 60’s during the day.
snickers says: Just a note to let all the gardners know, that I see a few potatoes peaking out of the garden today.
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Woo-hoo! Can’t wait to hear more about our gardens and see some pictures.
My potatoes aren’t growing yet but everything else I planted is. I am a month early too. My peppers, tomatoes and cabbage are doing good in the greenhouses. Not real happy with the size of a few of them but I wont plant them outside for another 3 weeks. So hopefully I can jumpstart them into gear.
My green beans are bush beans as well. I tried the pole beans once they seem tough to me.
You are getting some good advice from snickers, Ann so I think you will be fine.
Also that dang cat is still hanging out. I couldn’t find moth balls last time I went out so I googled. Apparently moth balls can kill a cat. Glad I couldn’t find any that cat is really cute. So I tried cayenne pepper on the back step and it still came up and sat in it. Tonight I tried citrus peels. If that don’t work I will try garlic. If that don’t work well I am stuck with a cat I guess.
lynn,
I have a few garter snakes in my one flower garden that is close to a park area. Moth balls is my answer. Didn’t know they would hurt cats. My bad! I don’t think a cat would eat a moth ball tho–.
We are having some rain showers and cooler temps, so it will be a couple of weeks before my bedding plants go in also.
Snickers, I thought it was a good idea too. The citrus peels didnt work either. So I guess we are going for a motion detected sprayer thingy. I so want to keep that cat but I dont know if it is fixed.
Oh our temps are good. Next ten days 70 to 80. lows in 40s. Chance of t storms tomorrow but I will welcome the rain.
I just read this in an email. Maybe it has already been mentioned-
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To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle
your plants with cayenne pepper.
The cayenne pepper doesn’t hurt the plant, squirrels
won’t come near it.
Lynn, two of the cats I’ve had were strays that showed up in my backyard. Both turned out to be wonderful additions to our household. Winston died, but Oliver is still our loving companion. If you take in a stray, make sure you quarantine him/her from your other kitty, until you’ve had it checked for feline leukemia, etc.
I read the packages. I bought Blue Lake Bush Beans and Blue Lake pole beans. I just picked 2 different packages. I’ll try both. I hope to do a taste test this summer!
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Still waiting for my grid. 🙁
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I am starting a compost heap. We have a pile my husband throws things on, but it is unmanageable for me. So I am getting chicken wire to make a 3′ X 3′ compost cage tomorrow. He’s not around when I need him to do things. I need to do it myself.
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It turns out one of these little garden boxes was placed on top of an ant hill. So I Googled “organic ways to get rid of ants” and I tried 2 suggestions: sprinkle coffee grounds or cornmeal. I don’t know which one worked, but it was hot and sunny today and I saw zero ant activity out there!
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I am giving myself one garden point.
🙂
I don’t think I have ever seen bush beans. I am looking forward to them.
Ann, you will love bush beans. Where I am from, you can almost watch them grow. We get several pickings from ours. I will be getting in a small garden in at my mother’s. I just told her today, I think we’ll skip the beans. I get huge whelps on my legs and arms when I am picking beans. They’re the only thing that does that to me. I can’t do the long sleeves and pants when it’s roasting outside. We can buy plenty of fresh beans at the market.
At my house, I think I’m going to have to settle for just tomatoes and a couple of others. I really wanted to get raised beds. I can’t figure out how and where I want them to go. There’s poison ivy where I would like one to go, so that has to be dealt with first. Not the best place to put a bed if I’m going to be spraying poison there.
Ann and Lily,
Bush beans are tender, pole beans are bigger and tough, the string in them really needs to be removed when picked before cooking. Your idea for the compost pile is great, make sure you turn it once a week so it breaks down. You have really taken to gardening, and sounds like you are enjoying it very much.
Lily,
You can kill the patch of poisen ivy with roundup, let it die out and till. You can plant within 3-4 weeks there, with no problem.
Yes, and I will have fresh dirt too. I would feel more comfortable after a couple of good rains. I am afraid that by the time I get it in, it will be too late to plant. Although, we often have long summers. I should go ahead and do it and just plant cutting flowers. That would be nice.
Lily,
Great idea, flowers this year!
Lynn, mothballs are deadly for a cat. They do no need to ingest them, just the odor can cause sever liver damage to them.
Cj yes i read that.
So we went and got a motion detector air can. The cat came to visit tonight but stayed away from the door when I saw it. So maybe after 40 dollars it will go away.
My house smells like dirt and seaweed. How fun LOL.
Some not so great pics of what is growing in my house.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77634162@N03/
lynn,
Very nice. I have been so busy just keeping up with all the spring flowers that should not be blooming this time of year. Hope to have a new post soon. I did put my cabbage and grean beans in, carrots, and tomotoes. It might turn cool, so waiting a few days before I stick my peppers in. Potatoes are up, and I threw a little dirt on top of them. Lettuce looks good, and of course onions will grow anywhere. Next will be cukes and green decorative corn.
WOW Lynn!!!
Your plants are beautiful. Do you have any idea how much they would cost at a garden center? You should be so proud (as I am soooo jealous!)