Here is how to grow the best Spring vegetable garden now.
There are many vegetables that you can plant and harvest during the cool temperatures of springtime. If you start with seeds plant them early outdoors or start them indoors and get outdoors after you have hardened them off.
As soon as your ground can be worked in the spring it is time to get started preparing your garden for planting. Be sure to amend your soil to provide your plants with all the nutrients needed to grow the best Spring garden.
If temperatures are going to dip down under freezing you can cover the row with a protective cloth to keep plants from freezing.
Here is a list of my favorite Spring Vegetables to plant and grow in your garden.
Peas
Snow/Snap/Shelling Peas
Planting- I recommend planting seeds to save you a substantial amount of money. The key is to plant your seeds early in the season around Feb. 1st if snow is not covering the ground. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep about 2 inches apart.
Watering- Nature should handle this but if the area you live in has a dry spring you should water weekly.
Harvest- Typically you can harvest peas in 6-8 weeks, snap and snow peas can be harvested earlier than shelling peas.
Spinach
Planting- Sow seeds 1/2 deep and 2 inches apart with rows about 12 inches apart. If you are starting with plants you can space about 4-6 inches apart since you would normally thin the plants you sowed by seeds.
Watering– Nature should handle this but if the area you live in has a dry spring you should water weekly.
Harvest- Typically you can harvest 3-6 weeks after planting, if you want larger leaves you can wait to harvest. Spinach will bolt when it gets hot so you should have a long period of time to harvest.
Lettuce
Planting- You can plant seeds or seedlings, I would recommend either planting the seedling in your garden or starting your seeds indoors to get them started, you will need to harden the seedlings off before planting in the ground. Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep about 2 inches apart and thin as needed. If planting seedlings plant 4 inches apart.
Watering- Nature should handle this but if the area you live in has a dry spring you should water weekly.
Harvest- You should be able to harvest in 4-6 weeks or wait longer for larger leaves. Lettuce will bolt when it gets hot.
Beets
Planting- Beets need a soil rich in phosphorus in order to grow well, the seeds should be planted 1/2 inch deep and 1-2 inches apart and thinned as needed to have plants 2-3 inches apart.
Watering- Beets need lots of water, so you will need to make sure your soil does not dry out.
Harvest- The leaves of the beets can be harvested for use in salads, stir-fries, and sandwiches to add a very distinctive flavor. Be sure to only take a few leaves from each beet. The beets themselves can be harvested 50-60 days after planting.
Kale
Planting- Seeds can be planted 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep and 1-2 inches apart, later you will thin to 2-3 inches apart.
Watering- Nature should handle this but if the area you live in has a dry spring you should water weekly.
Harvest- You should be able to harvest in 4-6 weeks and as long as you can avoid aphids attacking the plants, this is one of the biggest threats to the plants. Leaves can be used in salads, stir-fries, sandwiches, and when leaves get larger and tougher they are great to add to soups and stews.
Other Vegetables to enjoy during the Spring
Asparagus
Swiss Chard
Onions
