When Is A Good Time To Start Our Vegetable Garden?
Christine Asked
When is a good time to start our vegetable garden?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Christine: Preparing the soil is an important first step in any successful vegetable garden. If you have not already chosen a space for the veggies to grow, now is the time to do so. Ideally this space would be south-facing so that it will receive plenty of sunshine. The soil should be fertile and well-drained. The pH should be between 6.2 and 6.8. If you have not had your soil tested, you can do this through your County Cooperative Extension Service. The results will indicate if you need to amend your soil with any fertilizer or lime. Each crop has its own planting season, so depending on what you and your family want to grow you could start planting the cool-season crops now. Broccoli, cauliflower, green onions, and lettuce/greens can all be planted now. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and many others need to wait until May to plant them in the garden. You can always get a head start and start your seeds indoors and then transplant them into the garden later. Now would be a good time to start the seeds of warm-season crops. If you are wondering about specific vegetables, I will be happy to give you advice. The following publication is available to home gardeners from the Extension Service. It has full planting information on home vegetable gardening in Kentucky: www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id128/id128.pdf
