Ousier – Somebody’s gotta take em. I hate em. I try not to eat healthy food if I can possibly help it. The sooner my body gives out the better off I’ll be… I can’t get enough grease into my diet.Anelle – Then why do you grow them?Ouiser – Because I’m an old Southern woman and we’re supposed to wear funny looking hats and ugly clothes and grow vegetables in the dirt. Don’t ask me those questions. I don’t know why, I don’t make the rules.
No. Really. Same thing. Except I’m not southern and I do actually like to eat veggies (although I’m fond of grease, too. I know.)
Mostly, I just like flowers and plants. But I come from a long line of farmers and my mother and three older sisters also have nice gardens and plants.
So dang it, I will too.
Here’s the list from my mom on what to plant and when. Hope it helps you on your garden adventure!
Dear Garden Challenged Daughter!
Things that can be planted when the evenings are still chilly (mid to upper 40’s) broccoli plants, cabbage plants, lettuce seeds, radish seeds, pea seeds, white potatoes. Don’t plant anything else until all danger of frost is past ( about the 15th of May in south central Nebraska — I’m sure will be different in other parts of the state)….bean seeds, beets, carrots (these need warmer ground for the seed to germinate). Wait until after the middle of May to plant the tender plants like tomatoes, peppers, egg plant. Plant cucumbers, pumpkins, squash seeds, watermelon, sweet potato plants the third week in May or later. Once again they need the warm ground to germinate. All of these tender plants (tomatoes, peppers, egg plants) should probably have some kind of wind/cold protection when first set out. All of these are estimated dates from years of trial and error. We all get really eager and probably “push the normal” all the time with success some times and failure at others.
Start seeds indoors with something as simple as sterile potting soil and a “shop light”-type fluorescent light. The favorites of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, watermelon plants should be started no more than 3-4 weeks before you want to set them out. Wait until they get “true leaves” (as opposed to the fist leaves after germination) and then let them hug the fluorescent light until you are ready to set out. If they don’t have this kind of light they will get long and spindly and won’t survive the transplant to the garden. Give your plants a sip of diluted general purpose fertilizer after the true leaves have come on. A few days before you are ready to plant (and it’s warm enough) set your plants along the semi shaded area of your house foundation to “harden”…that is to get tough enough to stand the Nebraska winds and sun. They will need to be protected in this foundation bed as well. The transition to the outside is “shocking” to them. Be sure to check multiple times a day when they are in this hardening stage to be sure they have enough water, are not getting beat up by the wind and that your cat hasn’t decided this will be a warm, protected spot to sunbathe as well.
Indoor plants should be coming out of the winter rest and could probably stand a shot of general purpose fertilizer at anytime now. If you are going to need to repot them for outdoor summer display I like to use potting soil that already has slow release fertilize and those “moisturizer crystals” in it. Now is the time to clip off the dead leaves and reshape your houseplants. All my plants spend the summer on the porch. (This year they will be getting a new home on the porches at our new home). As with the garden plants the houseplants also need a hardening period after going outside. I just let them hug the outside house wall for a week or so before I move them into a more open spot.
For you I would suggest that you WATER your plants and keep the cat out of them!!! Love, Mom
Thanks, mom! She’s right with the watering thing. I forget.
Here’s a handy dandy little chart for you to use when you’re hunting for those plants! (note: this is south central Nebraska dates – and can vary in different locations throughout the state.
Feature Image from Herb Gardening – Inscribed Photography