Even though we have not seen the first snow yet, now is the time to be planning your spring garden, selecting which varieties you will plant and purchasing your seed (especially if you plan to start seeds indoor).
When going through those colorful seed catalogs it is easy to get carried away choosing seeds. Be sure to select varieties that are recommended for our area (zone 6). Also, make sure you choose vegetables that your family and friends enjoy eating. You don’t want to see fresh, homegrown produce go to waste because no one likes to eat it.
When planning your garden, not only is seed selection important, but site selection also needs to be at the top of your priority list. Be sure to select a spot that is in full sun for at least eight hours each day, not shaded, relatively level, well‑drained and close to a water source. Once you have selected a site, map out your garden on paper, carefully selecting which vegetables you plant where. Make sure you place tall plants (sweet corn, tomatoes, pole beans) on the north or west side of your garden. This will help ensure that your sweet corn doesn’t block out your okra’s sunlight or that your tomato cages aren’t so close to your cucumbers that they take over the cages.
A good piece of advice for all gardeners is plan only as large of a garden as you can easily maintain. Speaking from personal experience, I wish I had followed that advice a couple of years ago. Beginning gardeners often overplant, and then they fail because they cannot keep up with the tasks required (weed and pest control).
Once you have selected and purchased your seeds, you can start your seeds indoors. Personally I think seeds should be started toward the end of February and no later than mid-March if you intend to plant outside around late April. For indoor growing, sow seeds in a plant tray containing an artificial growing medium of peat moss and perlite available at garden centers. Adding compost to the potting media at up to 25% of total volume can reduce the need for fertilizers later and potentially encourage seed germination. Enclose the seeded trays in a plastic bag and keep them at room temperature until seedlings begin to emerge. Then, remove the plastic and transfer the trays to suitable growing areas.
The average windowsill is one location for growing plants, but it usually does not get enough light. So, you have to use artificial light to supplement. Use cool white fluorescent lamps alone, a mixture of cool white and warm white fluorescent lamps, or a mixture of cool white
and plant growth fluorescent lamps. Locate the lamps 5 to 10 inches from the foliage and operate them 12 to 18 hours/day. Be sure to keep seedlings cool enough (60° to 65°F) for strong, sturdy growth after they germinate. Once a day lightly brush your hand over the tops of the seedlings in different directions. This will help the seedling develop a stronger stem.
Plants should be “hardened off ” about two weeks before planting them in the garden. That is, you toughen the plants so that they can withstand the outside environment. To do so, begin exposing them to lower temperatures. One way is to take your transplants outside in
the daytime and bring them in at night. However, don’t let them get caught in a frost. Reduce your watering and fertilizing of transplants to help “hardening off ” about one week before transplanting. Do not let them dry out and wilt.
Soil preparation for your garden varies from home to home. Be sure to have a soil test done on your garden site and follow the recommendations accordingly. Few home garden sites have the ideal soil, but most soils can be modified to provide more favorable growing conditions. Soil samples can be done through the Extension Office for $7 or you can have them done at the place of your choice.
For more information on spring garden planning, starting transplants indoors or home vegetable gardening in Kentucky, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service at (270)273-3690. Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.
Upcoming Ag Events
Jan 15th Commodity Conference, Bowling Green
Jan 15th-16th KY Cattlemen’s Association Convention, Owensboro
Jan 18th Noon, Tobacco Producers Mtg & GAP Training
Jan 18th 5pm, Ag Festival Committee Meeting
Jan 22nd 9am, Working with the Media to be an AGvocate at Grayson Co. Extension
Jan 27th Owensboro Ag Expo (Grain Day)
Jan 28th Noon, Hemp Meeting
Jan 29th 8am, Winter Round Table Series- Grain Sorghum Production
Jan 29th 10am, Pesticide Training
Feb 1st-3rd 9am-Noon Ag Marketing, Risk Management & Economics Series
Feb 4th CPH Sale
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