Just Be There Blog

Garden Prep

Nice warm days since the first of March. Rain and sunny days have averaged from 45 deg. F to a whopping 58 deg. F. The nights are still below freezing, averaging from 24 deg F to 33 deg F.

Yesterday, I laid out the clear vinyl tarps I ordered and received last February and basically have developed areas around my garden spaces where I have solar heat traps (makeshift unstructured cold frames) to help thaw the ground quicker so I might get a week or two more successful than last year's, head start on my garden this year. I also have frost covers as an added insulator for the cold nights which theoretically keep the temp of the covered area anywhere from 3-5 degrees warmer than the outside temp.

At 24 degrees now up to 27-29 degrees//33-degree nights = 36-38 degrees under the tarps which is enough to speed up the thaw.

My strawberries over wintered wonderfully. Looking forward to eating strawberries by the end of May.

Currently the frozen ground has receded to the 10-inch depth. When I have 24 inches of unfrozen dirt, and the top 6" averages 40 degrees, I will start planting my cold hardy early spring garden. The plan is to start with Marigolds, garlic, leeks, onions, spinach, parsnips, and rutabaga. I am hoping that the last week of March and first part of April will be the start of my planting season. Low night air temps need to be consistently above 35 degrees.

The next temperature phase will be from the 50-degree soil germination range around the end of April first part of May, to include a second planting of the above 7 seeds and direct seed planting beets, carrots, radishes, lettuce, broccoli*, cabbage*, kale*, celery, parsley, and peas.

Through April I will start my warmer weather plants indoors to put out in June and July. These being the basil, kale*, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, butternut squash, acorn squash, melons, sweet peppers, kohlrabi, potatoes, artichoke, broccoli*, cabbage*, and eggplant.

The Broccoli and Cabbage I start indoors will grow faster and bigger and will actually be harvested before the direct outdoor seeded plants. But the plants planted directly in the ground will be more robust because they will acclimate better and have better root development having not been pampered with optimum temps at the beginning and then placed outdoors to go through transplant shock. This is what happened last year. My indoor starts produced earlier but my outdoor direct seeded produced longer and better quality.

End of May, first part of June I will do a third planting of the March-April seeds, a second planting of the April-May seeds and the first planting of corn, beans, squash, cucumbers (three sister's concept). All the indoor starts will be transplanted throughout June when minimum night temps start averaging 55-65 degrees F.

This concludes my Spring/Summer Garden schedule. By mid-May I will be harvesting asparagus (established perennial), radishes, lettuce, and peas. By June I will have my first harvest of carrots and spinach, beet greens maybe baby beets, baby kale, peas and assorted allium greens (garlic, onions, leeks) and starting to pick strawberries. Then I will start harvesting allium bulbs from July through September and October. July will see new potatoes, beans and my first tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, broccoli, cabbage, corn and cucumbers. Parsley, rutabagas, and celery will be in full swing also. Mid-June through July I will plant my herbs.

As the spring/summer crops are harvested, I will start planting my fall crops which basically includes all the quick growing and the cold hardy plants. If we have another mild winter like in 2024, I will be harvesting kale through to December if I take cold snap precautions with frost covers and clear vinyl tarps.

The schedule looks like this:

Last week of March through Mid-April Plant outside: 1st Crop: Marigolds, garlic, leeks, onions, spinach, parsnips, and rutabaga.

Last week of April through Mid-May Plant outside: 2nd Crop: Marigolds, garlic, leeks, onions, spinach, parsnips, and rutabaga.

1st outdoor crop: beets, carrots, radishes, lettuce, broccoli*, cabbage*, kale*, celery, parsley, and peas.

Start seeds indoors for transplant outside in June: basil, dill, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, butternut squash, acorn squash, melons, sweet peppers, kohlrabi, artichoke, eggplant, broccoli*, cabbage*, kale*, and herbs.

Plant seed potatoes in grow bags: For early potato/new potato grow bag harvest.

Last week of May through Mid-June Plant outside: 3rd crop: Marigolds, garlic, leeks, onions, spinach, parsnips, and rutabaga.

2nd Crop: beets, carrots, radishes, lettuce, broccoli*, cabbage*, kale*, celery, parsley, and peas.

1st Crop: corn, beans, squash (three sisters), cucumber, seed potatoes, basil, dill, thyme, oregano, marjoram, tarragon nasturtium, echinacea.

Transplant 4-6 week old indoor plants throughout June as temperatures allow: basil, dill, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, butternut squash, acorn squash, melons ( cantaloupe and watermelon), sweet peppers, kohlrabi, artichoke, eggplant, broccoli*, cabbage*, kale*, and herbs.

First anticipated harvests to include: asparagus (established perennial), radishes, lettuce, and peas, carrots and spinach, beet greens maybe baby beets, baby kale, peas and assorted allium greens (garlic, onions, leeks) and starting to pick strawberries.

From Mid-June through end of August will be harvesting all the above until the plants are spent.

From July through September I start planting the fall crops that will be harvested through October and December.


Well, that is the plan. I will implement it and keep a journal of the process, progress, and outcome. By 2026 I will have two years of experience to adjust for a more secure food growth future. I will also have a schedule of crop rotations to be implemented for the 2026 seasons.