Spring has sprung! As of March 20th, at 5:35 am it is officially Spring. Days are getting longer, and the sun is shining with greater intensity. So far March has been a bit warmer than average with average rainfall. With the sunny days comes the urge to get out and plant your garden…. Whoa, Nellie, hold your horses! The average date for the last frost in Northeast Ohio ranges from May 11 through June 1st depending on where you live. (https://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-ohio-last-frost-date-map.php) However, we can scratch that itch to plant “part” of our garden with the cool season or cold crops. In the last article we discussed the different plant categories: warm season, vines, root crops etc. In this article we will be looking at the cool season or cold crops: the cabbage family, onion family, lettuces and spinach, peas, beets, and parsley. All of these can be planted a month or more before that last frost. Hopefully, you have reviewed your garden site for the proper drainage and sun exposure, prepared the bed with composted manure or some type of fertilizer, and incorporated lime into the soil for good measure. Remember, you do not have to prepare your entire garden at this time, just the area where you will be planting the cold crops. It is important to plant cool season crops early enough in the spring so they can complete their full cycle up to harvest before the temperatures get too warm. While some cool season vegetables can withstand hot weather and will still grow, their quality becomes inferior. For example, radishes turn fibrous and unpleasantly sharp and pungent in hot summer weather. Many cool-season crops can be sown in the early spring and again in the fall but keep in mind that they must be planted early enough to reach maturity before the onset of cold weather that will kill most of them, except for winter-hardy vegetables. Cool season crops such as lettuces, beets, peas, carrots, and spinach are generally grown directly from seed planted in the garden, either as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring, or until the soil and air have reached certain minimum temperatures that are usually indicated on the seed package.
- The Cabbage Family: This includes all varieties cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, and kales. If you are starting these plants from seed, plant them by the end of March indoors and they will germinate in about a week. It usually takes about 5-6 weeks for plants to get big enough to be planted outside. However, I strongly suggest buying already established plants. It a lot less hassle and a guarantee your will have plants to plant when the time is right. Plant can be planted in the garden 5-6 weeks prior to the last frost. If there is a hard freeze, 28 degrees, you may need to cover the plants. Plants can also be planted in September and still have enough time to get a crop in late fall.
- The Onion Family: Onions, shallots and leeks are the main members of this group and they take a long time to mature. Onion and shallot sets can be put into the garden about a month before your last frost date. All of these are usually planted as a bulb or sets and grow throughout the season. Garlic is also planted as a bulb but must be planted in the fall. It overwinters and begins growing very early in the growing season.
- Salad Greens: I use this term loosely and it includes numerous varieties of cool weather leaf lettuces, spinach, mustard greens, swiss chard, and arugula. It does not include Romaine lettuce. This group does well by directly sowing the seed into the garden. This group’s seed can germinate when the soil temp. reaches 40 degrees. Within 4-5 weeks you can be eating out of your garden! All can tolerate light frosts and would need to be covered in the event of a hard freeze.
- Root crops: This group includes radishes, carrots, turnips, rutabaga, parsnips, potatoes, and red beets. All of these should be planted directly into the soil as soon as the ground can be worked, usually around April 1. Radishes, red beets, and carrots can be harvested in early summer, while the remainder of the root crops will take all season to grow and harvested in late fall. Early potatoes can be planted in mid to late April.
- Peas: There are three varieties of peas: garden peas (sweet peas inside inedible pods), snow peas (edible flat pods with small peas inside) and snap peas (edible pods with full-size peas). Peas should be planted directly into the soil about inch apart. All varieties can be planted early to mid-April. Reminder: some need a fence to climb so make sure you have the right variety for your situation.
