February 2010
February is the month to start your seedlings indoors. It is also the month to get those grape cuttings as vineyards are pruning their grapes, if you are fortunate enough to know a vintner. If you can volunteer to help prune their grapes, it is more likely they will share their cuttings with you. NOTE that the general schedule in Tom’s Tips involve Starting Seeds Indoors (ssi), Starting Seeds Outdoors (sso), transplants (tp), through to harvest (h). March 2010′s tip will include comments on adjusting the growing season by installing a PVC frame with plastic, (Please see Mel Bartholomew, “All New Square Foot Gardening<”, Cool Springs Press, 2005, page 86.)
1.) Start or continue adding ONLY vegetation to your compost pile.
2.) On 2/11/2010 Start Seeds Indoors – Broccoli [1st crop]; On 4/1/2010 Transplant Outdoors under hoop.
Think about the number of plants you want in this first crop. Ask yourself how many plants you and your family will eat in a month. If you want more of a particular crop then start some more seeds in two or four weeks. You will then spread out your harvest.
Start only two or three seeds in each small pot. You will be cutting back to only one plant per starting container as you transplant. This is the reason that square foot gardening takes on 5% of the seeds when compared to traditional row gardening.
Save the balance of your seeds in a cool, dry environment for later crops this year or next. Remember that germination takes warmth and moisture.
3.) On 2/11/2010 Start Seeds Indoors – Cabbage [1st crop]; On 4/1/2010 Transplant Outdoors under hoop.
4.) On 2/11/2010 Start Seeds Indoors – Parsley
5.) On 2/25/2010 Start Seeds Indoors - Broccoli [2nd crop]; On 4/15/2010 Transplant Outdoors under hoop.
6.) On 2/25/2010 Start Seeds Indoors – Cabbage [2nd crop]; On 4/15/2010 Transplant Outdoors under hoop.
7.) On 2/25/2010 Start Seeds Indoors – Cauliflower [1st crop]; On 4/15/2010 Transplant Outdoors under hoop.
8.) On 2/25/2010 Start Seeds Indoors – Onions [1st crop]; On 4/8/2010 Transplant Outdoors under hoop.
9.) Remove old asparagus and rhubarb tops and side-dress plants with ammonium.
10.) Prune grapes
11.) Prune roses
So, once these seeds are started indoors (which I am going to do), when do I plan them outside? Just so I can start planning ahead, and what plants will I start in March, April, May. I would like to go ahead and buy these seeds.
Thanks!
Elizabeth, Thanks, your comment and question stimulated my amending my February 2010 Tip to include when these seeds will be transplanted outside under a hoop. You should be able to see the March Tips. I will forward the April and May Tips as soon as I get them written. Thanks again, Tom
Elizabeth, On more thought on buying seeds – just buy the vegetables that you, or your family, want to eat and/or grow. If you store them in a dry, cool place they should last for several years. These vegetables will be written about in the next several months. And don’t forget some flowers for beauty and enjoyment. Tom