Article

When the snow starts to melt and the ground thaws, many are itching to get outdoors and start planting their garden for the summer season. But planting different seeds at the same time may not be the best option for a successful year in the garden.

REAP WHAT YOU SOW

Many of us start seeds indoors before the last frost in the spring, but it is important to research if those plants do well when being transplanted outdoors or if it is best to wait and plant the seeds straight into the ground. Once seeds are planted in the ground, it is best to keep an eye on the weather, particularly earlier in the planting season. If there is a chance of frost, cover the plants to prevent damage.

This chart shows when to plant seeds, how deep in the ground, days to maturity and the estimated amount of yield per 25 feet of row. This will help provide a garden that is plentiful this summer and fall.

One Gardener’s Perspective

Patricia Rawlinson of Gallia County has been gardening for four years. She researched when to plant different types of seeds and what conditions they need to thrive indoors before being transplanted outdoors. Rawlinson’s planting journey has involved a lot of experimenting and the attitude of “why not try this and see what happens.”

Growing her own food is important to Rawlinson because, she said: “I want to make sure we have a consistent food source. I don’t want to eat the same seven kinds of lettuce you find at the grocery store when there are many more available.”

Living on a little less than two acres on a rolling hillside, Rawlinson uses raised beds for her garden. She decided to border the beds with Vinca flowers. When purchasing the flowers, she quickly realized the price to buy plants was significantly more expensive than if she planted them as seeds herself. “I started thinking I could save money by starting the plants early indoors,” she said.

Rawlinson suggests gardeners think creatively. Before going on a month-long trip, she noticed her seedlings were getting too big for their containers. The solution was planting them in a dirt-filled wheelbarrow, moving them to a sunny spot and giving them a good drink of water. When she returned, the plants were ready to go in the ground.