How does this look for a spring garden?

[Endirenay]

I have quite a few beds and I would like to do square foot gardening. Each bed is 4 sq feet plus a bit extra. I’m going to put small crops like leeks/onions and peas in the extra space. Should I direct seed these now or wait another week or two? When do I replace these with summer crops? This garden is more shaded than I would like, but it will do. The beds in the middle are not filled yet, I will put broccoli or cauliflower when filled. Any suggestions or things I should change? I am a bit confused on timing…

This is only half of my garden, I don’t think my other beds will be full until summer crops are ready. Thank you!

 

[ktrain]

That's a nice layout, I wish I had the space to do that.

 

[rayray]

I have quite a few beds and I would like to do square foot gardening. Each bed is 4 sq feet plus a bit extra. I’m going to put small crops like leeks/onions and peas in the extra space. Should I direct seed these now or wait another week or two? When do I replace these with summer crops? This garden is more shaded than I would like, but it will do. The beds in the middle are not filled yet, I will put broccoli or cauliflower when filled. Any suggestions or things I should change? I am a bit confused on timing…

This is only half of my garden, I don’t think my other beds will be full until summer crops are ready. Thank you!

Certain crops are meant to start in early spring such as lettuce, kale, onions, radishes, carrots, broccoli cabbage etc etc etc

then there is really early like garlic which should be planted in the fall before winter and it gets better planting enough to stay in the ground for a few years as the cloves will grow bigger

This would be in my area primarily z6b with some reports saying it's now z7a

After the early crops then everything else after Mother's Day is the usual tradition

Then as the weather cools can rotate back to the lettuce types for aother round

 

[rayray]

oh....as far as early...some say as soon as the soil is workable

fwiw--i'm always running late, like always

 

[Endirenay]

Certain crops are meant to start in early spring such as lettuce, kale, onions, radishes, carrots, broccoli cabbage etc etc etc

then there is really early like garlic which should be planted in the fall before winter and it gets better planting enough to stay in the ground for a few years as the cloves will grow bigger

This would be in my area primarily z6b with some reports saying it's now z7a

After the early crops then everything else after Mother's Day is the usual tradition

Then as the weather cools can rotate back to the lettuce types for aother round

The ground just became workable, I'm going to plant these seeds. Do these look good?

Unfortunately I missed the garlic planting window, I've been told I can plant in spring but I would get smaller cloves. Do you still recommend growing garlic or wait until next year?

So after mothers day I swap out for summer crops?

 

[bushdoctor82]

I planted my mustard seed on March 9th and it has since germinated and growing. Your location and forecast is similar to mine, maybe a degree or two cooler.

As @rayray noted, Mother’s Day is the typical start date to plant Summer crops in the NJ/PA region. If your cool season crops don’t mature by then (~50 days from now) just push back your Summer planting a bit.

Nice layout and selection.

 

[Endirenay]

I planted my mustard seed on March 9th and it has since germinated and growing. Your location and forecast is similar to mine, maybe a degree or two cooler.

As @rayray noted, Mother’s Day is the typical start date to plant Summer crops in the NJ/PA region. If your cool season crops don’t mature by then (~50 days from now) just push back your Summer planting a bit.

Nice layout and selection.

Thank you! Do I direct sow all of these? I have seedlings in trays that aren’t doing so well. Should I leave them in the trays and direct seed anyway?

 

[Endirenay]

I planted my mustard seed on March 9th and it has since germinated and growing. Your location and forecast is similar to mine, maybe a degree or two cooler.

As @rayray noted, Mother’s Day is the typical start date to plant Summer crops in the NJ/PA region. If your cool season crops don’t mature by then (~50 days from now) just push back your Summer planting a bit.

Nice layout and selections

I am in zone 7b just south of philly

 

[SpiritFarmVa]

Unfortunately I missed the garlic planting window

I have heard of you cold store garlic( refrigerator) 30 days and then plant you get regular sized cloves.

 

[bushdoctor82]

Thank you! Do I direct sow all of these? I have seedlings in trays that aren’t doing so well. Should I leave them in the trays and direct seed anyway?

Of the vegetables you have listed, I have only grown lettuce, kale, carrots and beets before and have always direct seeded them - can’t comment on other vegetables.

If you have squirrels/rabbits/birds you may want to cover seed with something as right after I planted my mustard squirrels and birds were digging and pecking away. I placed some tulle fabric down until plants and roots get larger - and I need a lot of work on my broadcasting skills.

 

[rayray]

The ground just became workable, I'm going to plant these seeds. Do these look good?

Unfortunately I missed the garlic planting window, I've been told I can plant in spring but I would get smaller cloves. Do you still recommend growing garlic or wait until next year?

So after mothers day I swap out for summer crops?

You're not swapping crops at after Mother's Day but adding the summer crops to the mix. Certain crops need that cool temp to germinate, some will peeter out when the temp gets too hot and humid and some cintinue okay then pick up again. Like lettuce will die, while kale might slow down and then pick up again, kale is very durable.

Certain things I plant seeds, but easy to grow crops nothing complex.

When starting off a garden go slow otherwise you'll make it too hard then get discouraged, little by little.

It's also a good idea to spread out your crops properly, it's easy to plant way too much and way too close together. Everything will be easier if spread out.

Gardening is progressive, every year you do it you will learn something and be better the following season.

3 maybe 4 years ago I had to move my garden due to a new fence and water line replaced--so I've been concentrating on developing my soil--I started a nice compost bin late last season--the leaves don't go to the curb anymore.

My crops to date are fairly simple--mint--basil--tomatoes (okay I had over 25)--potatoes--peppers (hot and sweet)--cilantro--parsely--eggplant--cucumbers--and i do like a squash either butternut or acorn--i always plant both but never have both do well it's always one or the other for some reason.

If you do your garden right you'll have it producing food all season long into the winter months

grow enough, then you can freeze, dry or can a lot of it

due to work and everything else I do my time is limited and i can't do everything i want to do

 

[rayray]

and don't kid yourself, me and my buddy's are not really gardners, we plant some basic stuff so we can hang out, bs, eat and drink

okay--my buddy Gino is a real gardner, he's the real deal but he also grew up on a farm in Sicily.

the rest of us are play farmers--the joy of growing something to eat or making black gold (compost) is simply amazing imho

if i see a really large garden/orb spider he has that side of the garden LOL cause i'm AFRAID

 

[rayray]

Of the vegetables you have listed, I have only grown lettuce, kale, carrots and beets before and have always direct seeded them - can’t comment on other vegetables.

If you have squirrels/rabbits/birds you may want to cover seed with something as right after I planted my mustard squirrels and birds were digging and pecking away. I placed some tulle fabric down until plants and roots get larger - and I need a lot of work on my broadcasting skills.

View attachment 5033

the damn squirrels took every pear and peach i had--EVERY ONE. we need the peregrines or the red tailed hawks back

 

[Endirenay]

You're not swapping crops at after Mother's Day but adding the summer crops to the mix. Certain crops need that cool temp to germinate, some will peeter out when the temp gets too hot and humid and some cintinue okay then pick up again. Like lettuce will die, while kale might slow down and then pick up again, kale is very durable.

Certain things I plant seeds, but easy to grow crops nothing complex.

When starting off a garden go slow otherwise you'll make it too hard then get discouraged, little by little.

It's also a good idea to spread out your crops properly, it's easy to plant way too much and way too close together. Everything will be easier if spread out.

Gardening is progressive, every year you do it you will learn something and be better the following season.

3 maybe 4 years ago I had to move my garden due to a new fence and water line replaced--so I've been concentrating on developing my soil--I started a nice compost bin late last season--the leaves don't go to the curb anymore.

My crops to date are fairly simple--mint--basil--tomatoes (okay I had over 25)--potatoes--peppers (hot and sweet)--cilantro--parsely--eggplant--cucumbers--and i do like a squash either butternut or acorn--i always plant both but never have both do well it's always one or the other for some reason.

If you do your garden right you'll have it producing food all season long into the winter months

grow enough, then you can freeze, dry or can a lot of it

due to work and everything else I do my time is limited and i can't do everything i want to do

So I direct seed all these and replace as I harvest? Do I leave some beds empty to succession crop? I just realized I measured wrong, each bed is 8 square feet instead of 4. I guess I will do herbs every 3-4 feet or so.

 

[SpiritFarmVa]

When starting off a garden go slow otherwise you'll make it too hard then get discouraged, little by little.

100% ditto
We learned the lesson of too much too fast and you get overwhelmed. Especially keeping up with weeds.

 

[SpiritFarmVa]

Do I leave some beds empty to succession crop?

Having empty beds ready to seed is very valuable.

 

[BNaula1]

I have quite a few beds and I would like to do square foot gardening. Each bed is 4 sq feet plus a bit extra. I’m going to put small crops like leeks/onions and peas in the extra space. Should I direct seed these now or wait another week or two? When do I replace these with summer crops? This garden is more shaded than I would like, but it will do. The beds in the middle are not filled yet, I will put broccoli or cauliflower when filled. Any suggestions or things I should change? I am a bit confused on timing…

This is only half of my garden, I don’t think my other beds will be full until summer crops are ready. Thank you!

Garlic is usually started in early fall, needs to go in ground and overwinter so early spring you get green growth.

The others are pretty easy to grow and I see lots of leafy greens so make sure you upkeep your soil with the proper fert’s, leafy greens love nitrogen but if you have carrots etc nearby you’ll have 4ft top growth and 1 inch carrots if that lol so it’s a bit hectic to get started sometimes. I have about 7-8 raised beds, greens already started since ground was workable a few weeks back
(I use a row cover all winter until Mother’s Day and cover bed with cardboard/leaves during the harsh weeks of winter Dec-Feb).

If you haven’t already try looking into companion planting, it’ll save you a lot of hassle with nutrient deficiency, pest control etc

 

[SpiritFarmVa]

So I direct seed all these and replace as I harvest? Do I leave some beds empty to succession crop? I just realized I measured wrong, each bed is 8 square feet instead of 4. I guess I will do herbs every 3-4 feet or so.

If you have beds you can leave empty for later successions, you can reduce the weed pressure by “stale” bedding. Allow the weeds to germinate, then disturb the top layer of soil just enough to up root the tiny weeds and let them die. Do it again. By the time you are ready for a succession planting, the bed will have very few weeds in the top layer to germinate. Just don’t cultivate the soil as to bring up new weed seeds.

 

[BNaula1]

I also start all my seeds indoors, I rarely direct sow unless it’s stuff like beets carrots etc. squirrels dig up all my seeds if I direct haha but also I like to start early and get nice harvests. I plant tomato’s, eggplants next to my kales and trellis them up so they provide some shade to my kale and lettuce plants, during the summer it keeps them from bolting so maybe that could be an idea to help you aswell I don’t necessarily replace any cool/warm weather crops unless it’s lettuce and broccoli which bolt very easy.

This is what my beds looks like by May in Z7

 

[Figgerlickinggood]

Garlic is usually started in early fall, needs to go in ground and overwinter so early spring you get green growth.

The others are pretty easy to grow and I see lots of leafy greens so make sure you upkeep your soil with the proper fert’s, leafy greens love nitrogen but if you have carrots etc nearby you’ll have 4ft top growth and 1 inch carrots if that lol so it’s a bit hectic to get started sometimes. I have about 7-8 raised beds, greens already started since ground was workable a few weeks back
(I use a row cover all winter until Mother’s Day and cover bed with cardboard/leaves during the harsh weeks of winter Dec-Feb).

If you haven’t already try looking into companion planting, it’ll save you a lot of hassle with nutrient deficiency, pest control etc

I saw this video on companion planting. It’s a great idea. This was for growing cucumbers but has to work for other veggies too.