#when to harvest Swiss chard

[rachilbing]

Learn how to harvest Swiss chard with ease! Discover the best time to harvest, essential techniques, and tips for maximizing yield in this comprehensive guide. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned gardener, unlock the secrets to enjoying fresh, nutritious Swiss chard from your garden to your kitchen.

[fcukfodmap]

Instant Pot Low-FODMAP Gluten-free Wild Rice & Coconut Soup

I'm from Minnesota and reside in wild rice country, so I've cooked a lot of wild rice over the years. It all tends to be pretty hotdishy though: lots of mushroom casseroles, the ubiquitous wild rice soup, etc. So when I ran across this recipe which put together coconut and wild rice, I was like, this is happening. It ended up really good, made excellent leftovers, and my mom even asked for the recipe, which is super unusual. Without further preamble:

Instant Pot Low-FODMAP Gluten-free Wild Rice & Coconut Soup

8 oz Swiss chard, stems chopped fine, leaves cut into 1 1/2 in pieces

2 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp cayenne

4 c vegetable broth

2 14-oz cans of coconut milk

1 c wild rice

1 tomato, chopped

1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped

lime wedges

vegetable oil, salt, pepper

Heat 2 tbsp oil in Instant Pot until shimmering, then add the chard stems and cook until softened. Add ginger, diced chile, tomato paste, turmeric, garam masala, cayenne, and 1 tsp salt and cook for 30 sec or so to bloom. Stir in broth and one of the cans of coconut milk. Lock lid in place and pressure cook on the highest setting for 30 minutes.* Turn off Instant Pot and quick release the pressure.

Turn the saute function on, stir in second can of coconut milk and chard leaves, and cook until the chard wilts, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in the tomato and cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Serve with lime wedges.

*An aside on wild rice. Wild rice is harvested from lakes and parched so that it can be stored. The parching process can result in considerable variation in how pliant or dry the rice ends up. I had a batch that was extremely hard, so I added another 10 minutes to the pressure-cooking time. The rice should fluff out when it's tender enough to eat, kind of like the way popcorn fluffs out of the dry popcorn kernel. (Wild rice and corn are closely related plants.) Do not use either quick-cooking or precooked rice in this recipe.

The one ingredient which might give you FODMAP trouble is the broth. Most commercially made broths have onions and/or celery in them, which is verboten. I tend to feel pretty YOLO about broth because it's mostly salt and water. Which, coincidentally, could be what you substitute for the broth if you don't want to risk it.

I haven't really cooked with serrano peppers before, and I wasn't over-wowed by its inclusion here. Honestly, I couldn't taste it. If I had to do again, I'd use a jalapeno or two instead. Even said, this was pretty great, and I'll be making this again for sure.

Disclaimer: I am no dietician. I'm doing my best to minimize FODMAPs in my diet, but it's possible for me to be misinformed or mistaken about various ingredients.

[disabled-dragoon]

Gardening with A Disability

Everyone answering my gardening questions has been so helpful and kind. It's made me feel a lot better than when I started the week, but I've reached a point where I'm getting quite a bit of advice thrown at me all at once and it's getting difficult to keep track of it all, so I'm going to note it all down here!

Recommended Plants:

Mint, Tomatoes (Regular, Cherry), Cucumber, Radishes, Strawberries, Peppers. Aubergines, Potatoes, Squash, Lettuces, Chard (Swiss), Beets, Spring Onions, Garlic, French Beans (Specifically Dwarf French), Carrots, Kale, Spinach, Onion, Celery, Bush Beans, Blueberries, Bok Choy, Zucchini, Edible Flowers, Sunflowers, Green Beans, Currants, Lavender, Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, Sage

Methods:

Fabric Pots

Raised Beds* I was pointed towards Vego garden beds as a starting point. They are quite expensive but I think it's still worth a look to see what you might consider with raised beds.

Trellises

Gallon Buckets

Grow bags in inflatable kiddie pools with a few holes drilled inches from the bottom

Bottomless Pots

Grow Tents and Greenhouses

Nursery Plants

Vertical Grow Towers* Was helpfully linked to this site.

Soil and hay bales

Soaker hoses on the topsoil of small raised beds

Grow bags in bins or on low tables, in 1-2 inches of water

Using a grabber to weed

Long handled tools

Things to Note:

Someone recommended if growing potatoes not to do them in pots as you generally have to lift the pot and tip it over to harvest them.

You can specifically get "container-sized" varieties of plants.

If looking into growing squash and cucumber in pots, look for "bush" varieties, or get "short and wide" trellises for the vines so they're not on the floor.

Big pots for aubergines.

Vertical grow towers are useful because they spin and you can adjust the height, but the price is a bit expensive.

Peppers and aubergines do well in 4-5 gallon buckets.

Cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes do well in 5 gallon buckets. You can grow blueberries in 5 gallons as well if they are of a "bush" variety

Bush beans do well in window boxes.

You can grow beets in window boxes but they might not get as big.

Strawberries grow well in 1-2 gallon buckets, and can be rooted into other buckets for more plants.

Bok Choy grows great in 2-3 gallon buckets and a "slightly shady" spot.

Containers need more consistent watering and fertilizer than ground plants.

"Lettuce in a “cut and come again” variety should be pretty easy to maintain but do prefer cooler weather".

Apparently immature sunflower heads are edible.

Thyme, rosemary, oregano and sage don't need much watering. Neither does lavender if outside.

Get a bag of soil specifically for container growing.

Buy already established plants and put them in containers larger than maybe necessary.

[jensownzoo]

Just want to show off my cold frames this year as they're working very well so far, though I have pinpointed a major flaw in the construction that I'm going to have to correct eventually.

So this year instead of making one long cold frame on the south-facing porch that left me with very little room to maneuver (resulting in a lot of shimmying and gut-sucking), I instead put in two smaller ones on either side.

Here's the side that faces outwards:

Consisting of a large scavenged single pane window gently but firmly tapped into place (with a rubber mallet and a lot of "please don't breaks") against the railing. They are wedged and will not be removed when the season is over.

And here's the side that faces inward:

The bottom layer are Tidy Cats litter buckets filled 3/4 of the way with water and wrapped in black plastic contractor bags. They provide thermal mass along with the concrete porch floor. Then I have more scavenged windows and some screwed together landscaping beams to hold everything together. Cracks are filled with styrofoam panels, roll foam (the kind that comes with window ac units), and wadded up plastic grocery sacks. There are still enough openings for ventilation, but the warmed air is mostly retained.

Here's what I've got growing in one of the frames:

A small earthbox of mesclun mix, a Tidy Cats bucket of salad spinach, a large earthbox of Swiss chard.

And another Tidy Cats bucket of kale mostly obscured by the small earthbox of green onions.

In the second frame I have more spinach and chard plus some cos-type lettuce.

The big flaw in this design? When I lift the top panels off to access the contents I cannot reach the stuff in the Tidy Cats buckets or large earthboxes! The inner wall is too tall and my arms are too short. What I should have done is put the earthbox on two thermal mass buckets and the planted Tidy Cats buckets on top of a few layers of bricks. I may still do that if we get a run of warmer weather (stamps feet 'cause I don't wanna), but I may be able to swing harvesting using some long scissors and a pair of chopsticks. We'll see. If this design continues to work well then it's definitely something to change next fall.

[inthecityofgoodabode]

May 2025: A Little Of The Last Two Weeks

Two varieties of sweet potato in one container - Beauregard & an Asian variety whose name escapes me at the moment:

Our blueberry bushes are loaded with blueberries but we've only eaten 5 berries because a mockingbird keeps picking the day before they are ripe & feeding them to her chick. It is a minor annoyance to be tolerated for a bird whose presence is predominantly beneficial to us:

I've probably said this before but don't buy twine in the garden section of your local hardware store especially if it is labeled as "gardening" twine. Go to the section where they have the chains & rope. 2500 feet of twine for about 20 US dollars. If you don't need very long pieces, you could probably save even more using old or cheap dollar store pantyhose:

Swiss chard harvest. Swiss chard is a garden champ that is cold hardy & produces most of the year. For those who have never tasted it, it is similar to spinach with a little earthiness like beets when raw but that earthiness mellows when cooked. They are delicious sauteed alone or mixed with other greens in olive oil with a little salt, pepper & garlic. My queen normally adds a little smoked pork (ham or bacon). For those who can't partake of the pig, I recommend smoked turkey necks or tails. I don't know if they're available in the rest of the United States or if they're just a Southern thing. Royal quality meats is the brand that we see in stores locally but I'm sure there are others. Seriously, any recipe from the Southern United States that calls for smoked pig (ham, bacon, ham hocks, etc.) can be largely duplicated using properly smoked turkey. The difference is just slightly less umami that you'll only miss if you've eaten the dish with smoked pork:

When I got close, she flexed her biceps:

The first onion harvest. These are onions that we overwintered. We thought that would mean they'd have more time to form large bulbs but instead they finish their life cycle early & start trying to flower. It is a tradeoff... smaller bulbs but we have harvestable onions in the Spring. We have starts that we planted in Spring that should be ready in late June & July which should produce large bulbs:

Just a fly on an aster bud:

[etherealvoidechoes]

With some recent garden harvests, I’ve been thinking about how Memento probably got the crew to cannibalize any remaining stasis pods on the ship to make a large food storage stasis vault when her garden work has been too bountiful.

Recently gave my neighbor a lot of salad, Swiss chard, and spinach.

Oh ho ho, can use the excess food in trading.

[wildwood-faun]

🌻 - your favourite annual flower/s?

🌳 - what is the easiest plant you grow?

🌱 - most difficult plant?

👶 - plant that takes the most care?

🦄 - your dream plant/crop?

hiiii thank you for the questions!! agh tumblr ate this post as I was drafting it so here goes again

🌻 my favourite annual flowers: I'm going to be growing strawflowers this year that I'm very excited for. They look and feel just like paper even while they're fresh, and they can be dried beautifully.

I also have a soft spot for nasturtiums because they were my mother's favourite. I've grown them a few times but I've tended to neglect them a little too much. This year I'm growing a bushy (as opposed to climbing) variety and I hope to take better care of it.

🌳 the easiest plant I grow: I have to mention my emerald palm even if it's a houseplant and so not really a garden plant for me. The Swedish name translates to closet flower and is a reference to the fact that you can pretty much forget about this plant in a closet and it'll still do fine. I got mine ages ago (two years?) and I've never repotted it and only water it occasionally and it still looks great.

As for outdoor plants, I got a great harvest of Swiss chard a year when the work I put in was pretty much putting the seeds in the soil and watering too infrequently so that feels pretty easy. Growing it again this year so we'll see if it was a fluke or not!

🌱 - most difficult plant? either my mysterious cunning woman bulb (still hasn't taken root I think, I've not touched it to check for a while though, I just know it's not dead) or goddamn asparagus fern (beautiful but needs far too much humidity for my temperament). Hmm those are both indoor plants. I'm not sure I've grown outdoor plants that are truly difficult.

👶 - plant that takes the most care? anything cabbage related needs to be covered so it won't be eaten by pests. That reminds me I've still not sown my kale seeds. Should get on that soon. Climbing things are a little fiddly too because they need support and if you haven't prepped it in time it's a hassle. Oh and I'm truly babying my angelica but I think I could have also sown it in the autumn and let nature stratify the seeds for me and the reason I'm not doing that is I'm growing it for work reasons and we need more control than that.

🦄 - your dream plant/crop? If I had the space I'd really like to have a little orchard - fruit and nut trees are just really cool to me. At some point I need to get an English dogwood as well because the scent of those flowers (a little like strawberries) is absolutely divine but that also grows rather large so I think it's for a future garden rather than my allotment.

[thestudentfarmer]

Hello and Good day,

Today I wanted to give some garden updates!

⭐️Things that have Sprouted ⭐️

🌱Dill. 🌱Cilantro l

🌱Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes)

🌱Melons (sugar baby) 🌱 Honeydew (Barnyard mix)

⭐️Planted & Direct seed⭐️

🌻Ginger root. 🌻Gladiolus bulbs

🌻 Swiss chard 🌻Carrots

🌻Green beans (bush variety, Blue lake) 1st planting. (4 planned in total)

I still need to plant a few more things but currently I'm held back by lack of wood, soil and the rising heat coming in. Thankfully the sun's staying out later now too, so that should be useful

Also

my Plans currently for those curious about the beans planting cycle. As I mentioned intentions is 4 total plantings.

When the greens beans 1st planting sprouts and is a little more grown, I'll be seeding the other side of the bed with more beans, same variety. 2nd planting, when they sprout, i intend to direct seed the space around the 1st planting with a few more bush type, with a third planting to try and draw out our homes' fresh harvest. (Plus, if the first doesn't do so well, we'll at least be able to hopefully still see some sort of harvest)

_____________ _______________

Also thought this was pretty cool and wanted to share, as ya'all know I've been growing broccoli and letting it go to seed.

I cut, collected and set aside the branches si thought closest to having usable seed and~

Found ladybugs!

This one's fresh hatched I believe, some of the hatched ones were red, but most seemed a bright orange (like when butterflies emerge and dry out)

I've never seen the stage between the ladybug gator and the ladybug too. Figure most haven't, particularly those in urban and inner city areas.

This one was just resting next to the empty shell.

Some lady gators chilling. They look a bit spooky but at this stage they eat more aphids than in the adult stage. And as I learned from a web search they eat more than just aphids??

Apparently they eat aphids, scale insects, insect eggs, mealy bugs, leaf hoppers and cornworms among others? Which awesome if so!

Even if the great broccoli seed experiment doesn't work this year or next I'll likely leave a few up again, even if solely for the ladygators and future ladybugs and other beneficials in the garden.

We also found what we believe might be a buckmoth caterpillar? We aren't absolutly certain given everytime I've seen 'em, it's on a hollyhock and not what is their usual food sources? It is Possible a bird brought it over for a snack and went blegh too lol.

We know at least bare minimun it's a stinging type of caterpillar so we'll be cautious as we proceed with care of the Hollyhocks.

That's it for now, Thanks for stopping by :)

🌱🍃Happy Homesteading and Gardening🍃🌱

4.29.2024

[turtlesandfrogs]

I think a good first step is to notice what edibles and natives are already incorporated into landscaping, and just ignored. Here, for example, commercial landscapers plant our native evergreen huckleberry, which has much to recommend it, both as a "landscape" plant and edible: evergreen, easy care, subtle flowers, berries that ripen long after others, native as mentioned so supporting native animal species, tasty, humans and others enjoy the fruits. Yaupon holly isn't native here, but it's still used and is non-invasive while providing caffeine and theobromine(!), evergreen, pleasantly bland looking for fitting right into whatever landscape already exists. People plant rosemary, sage, sweet bay, lavender, etc for aesthetics but they're all very tasty too, obviously. Elderberries are gorgeous, and used all the time. My city planted chestnuts, and a lot of people go and forage for them (more so during bad economic times, but still). Also things that are food crops, but don't look like food crops: sunchokes, a species of daylily, camas, rhubarb, artichokes, cardoon, native strawberries, etc. Asparagus is a really neat looking plant. Scarlet runner beans are beautiful, and attract hummingbirds, while also making beans. Snow peas are also very pretty vines.

For vacant/neglected land, it's great to learn what invasives, weeds, and tough & abundant natives are edible. Giant knotweed, Himalayan blackberries, yarrow, etc fill-in-your-plants-here. Also it's great to go around pulling out invasive species because people will just think you're a really committed environmentalist, and you can harvest other edibles while you're at it. Be doubly sure about the land history though, don't want to unknowingly be picking from a superfund site! And for goodness sake, be sure of your ID! I've seen people mistake Oregon grape (native) for English holly (invasive) before, and you don't want to be that person.

With tubers/roots especially, you need to know the history of your soil and/or get a soil test for heavy metals. There are ways of improving polluted soil, and certain plants/parts of plants have less or no contamination. Cornell has a pdf available for free titled "Soil Contaminants and Best Practices for Healthy Gardens" which has a lot of good information, please do read it if you're gardening or foraging in urban areas.

From experience, landlords often have no clue and don't care if things are grown in pots/incorporated into existing landscaping. A big pot with Swiss chard, lettuce, kale, etc can look pretty aesthetic. Apartment complex often have edible invasives and/or the above mentioned edible and/or native plants- and nobody picks them.

You can also learn to graft, and graft fruit bearing varieties onto existing ornamental varieties- crab apples, pears, cherries, plums, etc.

A lot of people just straight up ignore plants, and a lot of people have no clue what food looks like if it's not in a store or restaurant. Use this to your advantage. I have seen landscapers look at a plant that clearly doesn't belong (invasive spurge laurel, for example, which is neither a surge nor a laurel), or is growing up through another (hazelnut through a rhody), and just completely ignore it, watering, fertilizing, and pruning them just like the rest. The ones most likely to do this are the ones that "prune" everything to be a cube or sphere though, so keep that in mind. What can still produce food when whacked into a cube? A few things. Also, look for the edges and backs, and places where the landscapers let things slide a little because they figure the clients won't ever look there.

Another big thing that gets ignored is that a single fruit tree often provides much more fruit than a small family will reasonably eat, and often a tree was planted literally decades ago and the current residents don't care about it's fruit. I've gotten loads of figs, apples, pears, grapes, etc just by asking- or by offering to make them a fruit crumble from their fruit tree if they let me pick as much as I want. Back alleys get invaded by out of control raspberries, blackberries, walnuts, etc.

@guerrilla gardeners, solarpunks and plantarchists of all stripes we need to make a good guide to growing food stealthy style

i'm talking growing in rental properties without alerting the landlord, growing on vacant/unused land, stuff like that

[tameblog]

Soil temperature can be critical for seed germination, so it is important to know which vegetables you can sow directly outdoors and which ones need to be started indoors first. Here are some tips on starting direct sow vegetables from seed and which ones to plant right in the ground. Soil temperature is key when it comes to germination. Vegetables that need cool soil should be sown directly in the garden to get their best start. You’re going to see a pattern on this list of direct sow vegetables. LOTS of Brassicas and root vegetables. These plants don’t mind a little bit of cold, which allows you to get them right in the ground and germinate without any extra heat or attention. Another thing you’ll notice is that many of these plants have shorter maturity times. They don’t require getting a jump start by growing indoors and will reach maturity within a shorter growing season. For this reason, many of these direct sow vegetables are great for succession planting. I really encourage you to check out my post on succession planting to learn how you can stagger your harvest to grow more food for longer. If you’re ready to get planting, then let’s dive into all the vegetables to direct sow. Some of these plants may even act as perennial vegetables. I know Swiss chard comes back the next season in some cases. Expert Tips for Starting Direct Sow Vegetables from Seed Plant root vegetables in fertile, well-drained soil that has been sifted to remove any stones or hard debris that will obstruct the root growth (and make funny-shaped veggies). Sow seeds according to the plant depth and spacing as recommended on the seed packet for each variety. Carrot and radish seeds are quite small, and beet seeds come in clusters, so it will be necessary to thin out your plants when they grow. You can do this by cutting (not pulling) out the weakest seedlings, leaving the strongest lots of room to grow a yummy root. Keep seeds moist while they germinate. Once sprouted, ensure they get lots of sun (eight hours per day) and water (don’t let them dry out on hot days). As they grow, they will push up their shoulders from the ground, so mound soil around them periodically. Plant root veggies in spring and summer for a fall harvest, or plant over-wintering varieties in late summer for a winter harvest. Vegetables to Direct Sow This list of direct sow vegetables is not definitive. Many of these can also be started indoors if that’s your preference. There are many more too that you could direct sow, but these are the most popular vegetables you may be wishing to grow in your garden. Arugula You wouldn’t want to start arugula indoors as it would be a waste of time! Arugula will germinate quite quickly and easily outdoors. You can direct sow beginning 6 weeks before the last frost. As soon as the ground is workable, get those seeds in the ground. At about 4-8 weeks, they’ll be mature and ready to harvest. Then, you can plant some more! Arugula is a great fall crop because it likes the cool temperatures. It will likely bolt in the summer heat. Bush and Pole Beans You can start beans indoors, but it really isn’t worth the effort and space to do so. Direct sowing them is simple and easy to do. The seeds germinate quickly, especially in warm soil. Direct sow them just after the last frost. Most varieties take about 54-70 days to reach maturity. Make sure you give your beans something to climb up as it grows. Beets While you can start them indoors, you have to be careful not to disturb the roots of beets when you transplant them. Since they’re an easy vegetable to direct sow, I just skip the indoors part altogether. You can plant them 3 weeks before the last frost to get a spring harvest. They take about 35-60 days to reach maturity. If you want to speed up germination, you can soak the seeds in lukewarm water overnight before you sow them. Besides the root, beet leaves are also tasty and tender. Broccoli Broccoli is a cool season lover, which makes it an ideal candidate for direct sowing. However, broccoli isn’t the easiest crop to grow for beginners. Broccoli can be planted 4 weeks before the last frost. But with some cold protection, you can extend that to a couple of weeks earlier. They take 80-100 days to reach maturity, so getting that head start could make a big difference. Cabbage Keep in true Brassica fashion, cabbage thrives in cool temperatures. You can direct sow cabbage four weeks before the last frost date. For another succession of cabbage, make sure to get the cabbage in the ground 12 weeks before the first frost date. This will give you a nice fall harvest. Depending on the variety, cabbage takes 50-100 days to mature. Members of the cabbage family taste better after a frost. Carrots Carrots are one of the absolute easiest vegetables to direct sow, and it’s not recommended to start them indoors. You can begin to direct sow 6 weeks before the last frost. Plant new carrot seeds every 3 weeks to stagger the harvest. Thin them as needed. At the end of the season, carrots actually get sweeter after a frost. Plant them 8 weeks before the first frost for a fall and even winter harvest of carrots. Carrots come in many more colours than just orange. Experiment a little with the seeds you buy! Cauliflower Is that another Brassica on this list? You betcha. You can direct sow cauliflower after the last frost. Heat can cause cauliflower to bolt, so take this into account when planning your harvest. Depending on the variety, it takes 50-100 days for cauliflower to reach maturity. If you live in a cool climate, sow seeds 12 weeks before the first frost for an extra fall harvest. Corn It’s about time we added some direct sow vegetables to this list that like the heat. Sweet corn should only be directly sowed, so don’t waste your precious time by starting them indoors. Plant the corn about a week after the last frost. You may want to consult your seed packet, as this can vary slightly based on the variety of corn. Corn can take anywhere from 68 to 120 days to reach maturity depending on the variety. Cucumber Another warm climate fan, cucumbers can be started indoors or can be considered a direct sow vegetable. If you want to plant them outside directly, do so 2 weeks after the last frost. Make sure to plant vining cucumbers away from other plants and place them next to a trellis or fence where they can grow. Cucumbers take 55-60 days to reach maturity. Cucumbers require a support structure and can take up quite a bit of space in the garden. Garlic Though technically not a seed to direct sow, garlic is a vegetable that you’re going to start right in the ground. Garlic is much different than many of the other vegetables on this list because you’ll plant the cloves in the fall, about 2 weeks before the first frost. Garlic then sits through the winter and produces garlic scapes in the spring. It isn’t until late spring or early summer that the garlic is ready to be pulled. Halloween and warding off vampires are great reminders that it’s time to plant garlic. Kale I don’t know why there are so many kale haters out there because I think the leaves are delicious. It’s also incredibly easy to grow. Another member of the Brassica family, kale likes cool temperatures. You can start kale outdoors 2-4 weeks before the last frost, as soon as the ground is workable. Kale will get sweeter after a frost too, so don’t be scared to plant them at the end of summer too. Kale takes about 50 days to reach maturity. Lacinato kale is a great heirloom variety often referred to as Dinosaur Kale due to its large size. Kohlrabi Kohlrabi is also known as a turnip cabbage, which really explains its appearance. It’s one of the more odd-looking members of the Brassica family. It can be either purple or green and is about the size of an orange once mature. You can direct sow kohlrabi vegetable seeds 2 weeks before the last frost when the ground is workable. It takes 50 days to reach maturity, so plant some more up until 8 weeks before the first frost date. Lettuce Lettuce is one of my favourite foods to grow since it’s so darn easy to do. Truly, you should never buy it from the store in the growing season because it’s so simple to keep a steady supply of it. Plant lettuce seeds 6 weeks before the last frost, utilizing season extenders to your advantage. After the last frost, sow them as needed every other week to keep a steady supply of leaf lettuce. Most leaf lettuces only take 3 weeks to reach maturity. Onions Onions aren’t too temperamental, doing well in both warm and cool environments. They’re very much a leave me alone kind of vegetable. All you have to do is plant them and pull them when you’re ready to harvest them. In cool climates, plant onions in the spring. In warm climates, you can plant them as early as the fall and into the winter. Harvest them early to have scallions, and the longer you leave the others, the bigger the onion will be. Peas Peas do not like their roots to be disturbed, which can make transplanting peas that were started indoors difficult. So why not direct sow them instead? Easy peasy. Plant your peas 4 weeks before the last frost date. Peas don’t like heavy heat, so you want them in as early as possible. They take anywhere from 50-70 days to reach maturity. Snow peas are flatter than garden peas but still have a great crispness. Potatoes Potatoes are not grown from seed but rather seedling potatoes. These are small potatoes that have been specifically picked out to encourage sprout growth. Plant potatoes 3 weeks before the last frost date in warm climates and direct sow at last frost in cold climates. If the cold is longer than anticipated, frost can kill the upper layer of foliage. But don’t worry, the potatoes will likely show brand-new growth in just a few days. Radish Radishes are up there with lettuce for some of the speediest vegetables, reaching maturity in 21-60 days. This makes them a popular choice for succession planting. Begin direct sowing radish vegetable seeds 6 weeks before the last frost date. Keep planting them every other week right up until 4-6 weeks before fall’s first frost. Spinach Spinach is a super green that’s pretty simple to grow yourself. Direct sow spinach 6 weeks before the last frost date or as soon as the soil is workable. Spinach also has a super quick maturity rate, taking 24-50 days. Plant more at the end of summer so you have more spinach, a cool weather lover, to harvest in the fall. Swiss Chard I always sing the praises of Swiss chard as it remains a staple in my garden and my salads. Plus, it’s by far one of the prettiest vegetables around and could easily pass as an ornamental due to its vibrant hues. You can direct sow Swiss chard seeds after the last frost has passed. Swiss chard takes about 24-60 days to reach maturity, but you can use it as a cut-and-come-again crop that will continue to produce well into the fall. You can enjoy Swiss chard as a small leafy green or let it grow large into leaves with stalks. Frequently Asked Questions About Direct Sowing What does direct sowing mean? To direct sow vegetables means you will plant the seeds right outside in your garden, skipping the step of starting them indoors. Some plants, mostly those that like heat or have a long growing season, need to be started indoors in order to germinate and get a jump start on the growing season. If started too late, they might not reach maturity in time to be harvested before the cool weather comes back.Vegetables that can be direct sown don’t need the fuss of being started indoors and can go right outside. They will germinate and reach maturity with mother nature’s natural conditions. What is the difference between sow and transplant? Sow by definition is planting the seeds of a plant or crop. Transplant is when you take seedlings that have either been grown indoors or come from a garden centre and move them outside and plant them in your garden or a new pot. Are there any benefits to direct sowing? Many! Direct sowing saves you time and resources. You don’t have to buy any extra seed starting materials like pots, potting soil, grow lights, heat mats, etc since you pluck them right in the ground.Starting seed indoors also requires a lot more care and attention rather than direct sowing them outside. You have to ensure they’re getting sunlight, enough air circulation, must harden them off, then plant them a second time outside. More Tips for Growing Food A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[ramestoryworld]

Soil temperature can be critical for seed germination, so it is important to know which vegetables you can sow directly outdoors and which ones need to be started indoors first. Here are some tips on starting direct sow vegetables from seed and which ones to plant right in the ground. Soil temperature is key when it comes to germination. Vegetables that need cool soil should be sown directly in the garden to get their best start. You’re going to see a pattern on this list of direct sow vegetables. LOTS of Brassicas and root vegetables. These plants don’t mind a little bit of cold, which allows you to get them right in the ground and germinate without any extra heat or attention. Another thing you’ll notice is that many of these plants have shorter maturity times. They don’t require getting a jump start by growing indoors and will reach maturity within a shorter growing season. For this reason, many of these direct sow vegetables are great for succession planting. I really encourage you to check out my post on succession planting to learn how you can stagger your harvest to grow more food for longer. If you’re ready to get planting, then let’s dive into all the vegetables to direct sow. Some of these plants may even act as perennial vegetables. I know Swiss chard comes back the next season in some cases. Expert Tips for Starting Direct Sow Vegetables from Seed Plant root vegetables in fertile, well-drained soil that has been sifted to remove any stones or hard debris that will obstruct the root growth (and make funny-shaped veggies). Sow seeds according to the plant depth and spacing as recommended on the seed packet for each variety. Carrot and radish seeds are quite small, and beet seeds come in clusters, so it will be necessary to thin out your plants when they grow. You can do this by cutting (not pulling) out the weakest seedlings, leaving the strongest lots of room to grow a yummy root. Keep seeds moist while they germinate. Once sprouted, ensure they get lots of sun (eight hours per day) and water (don’t let them dry out on hot days). As they grow, they will push up their shoulders from the ground, so mound soil around them periodically. Plant root veggies in spring and summer for a fall harvest, or plant over-wintering varieties in late summer for a winter harvest. Vegetables to Direct Sow This list of direct sow vegetables is not definitive. Many of these can also be started indoors if that’s your preference. There are many more too that you could direct sow, but these are the most popular vegetables you may be wishing to grow in your garden. Arugula You wouldn’t want to start arugula indoors as it would be a waste of time! Arugula will germinate quite quickly and easily outdoors. You can direct sow beginning 6 weeks before the last frost. As soon as the ground is workable, get those seeds in the ground. At about 4-8 weeks, they’ll be mature and ready to harvest. Then, you can plant some more! Arugula is a great fall crop because it likes the cool temperatures. It will likely bolt in the summer heat. Bush and Pole Beans You can start beans indoors, but it really isn’t worth the effort and space to do so. Direct sowing them is simple and easy to do. The seeds germinate quickly, especially in warm soil. Direct sow them just after the last frost. Most varieties take about 54-70 days to reach maturity. Make sure you give your beans something to climb up as it grows. Beets While you can start them indoors, you have to be careful not to disturb the roots of beets when you transplant them. Since they’re an easy vegetable to direct sow, I just skip the indoors part altogether. You can plant them 3 weeks before the last frost to get a spring harvest. They take about 35-60 days to reach maturity. If you want to speed up germination, you can soak the seeds in lukewarm water overnight before you sow them. Besides the root, beet leaves are also tasty and tender. Broccoli Broccoli is a cool season lover, which makes it an ideal candidate for direct sowing. However, broccoli isn’t the easiest crop to grow for beginners. Broccoli can be planted 4 weeks before the last frost. But with some cold protection, you can extend that to a couple of weeks earlier. They take 80-100 days to reach maturity, so getting that head start could make a big difference. Cabbage Keep in true Brassica fashion, cabbage thrives in cool temperatures. You can direct sow cabbage four weeks before the last frost date. For another succession of cabbage, make sure to get the cabbage in the ground 12 weeks before the first frost date. This will give you a nice fall harvest. Depending on the variety, cabbage takes 50-100 days to mature. Members of the cabbage family taste better after a frost. Carrots Carrots are one of the absolute easiest vegetables to direct sow, and it’s not recommended to start them indoors. You can begin to direct sow 6 weeks before the last frost. Plant new carrot seeds every 3 weeks to stagger the harvest. Thin them as needed. At the end of the season, carrots actually get sweeter after a frost. Plant them 8 weeks before the first frost for a fall and even winter harvest of carrots. Carrots come in many more colours than just orange. Experiment a little with the seeds you buy! Cauliflower Is that another Brassica on this list? You betcha. You can direct sow cauliflower after the last frost. Heat can cause cauliflower to bolt, so take this into account when planning your harvest. Depending on the variety, it takes 50-100 days for cauliflower to reach maturity. If you live in a cool climate, sow seeds 12 weeks before the first frost for an extra fall harvest. Corn It’s about time we added some direct sow vegetables to this list that like the heat. Sweet corn should only be directly sowed, so don’t waste your precious time by starting them indoors. Plant the corn about a week after the last frost. You may want to consult your seed packet, as this can vary slightly based on the variety of corn. Corn can take anywhere from 68 to 120 days to reach maturity depending on the variety. Cucumber Another warm climate fan, cucumbers can be started indoors or can be considered a direct sow vegetable. If you want to plant them outside directly, do so 2 weeks after the last frost. Make sure to plant vining cucumbers away from other plants and place them next to a trellis or fence where they can grow. Cucumbers take 55-60 days to reach maturity. Cucumbers require a support structure and can take up quite a bit of space in the garden. Garlic Though technically not a seed to direct sow, garlic is a vegetable that you’re going to start right in the ground. Garlic is much different than many of the other vegetables on this list because you’ll plant the cloves in the fall, about 2 weeks before the first frost. Garlic then sits through the winter and produces garlic scapes in the spring. It isn’t until late spring or early summer that the garlic is ready to be pulled. Halloween and warding off vampires are great reminders that it’s time to plant garlic. Kale I don’t know why there are so many kale haters out there because I think the leaves are delicious. It’s also incredibly easy to grow. Another member of the Brassica family, kale likes cool temperatures. You can start kale outdoors 2-4 weeks before the last frost, as soon as the ground is workable. Kale will get sweeter after a frost too, so don’t be scared to plant them at the end of summer too. Kale takes about 50 days to reach maturity. Lacinato kale is a great heirloom variety often referred to as Dinosaur Kale due to its large size. Kohlrabi Kohlrabi is also known as a turnip cabbage, which really explains its appearance. It’s one of the more odd-looking members of the Brassica family. It can be either purple or green and is about the size of an orange once mature. You can direct sow kohlrabi vegetable seeds 2 weeks before the last frost when the ground is workable. It takes 50 days to reach maturity, so plant some more up until 8 weeks before the first frost date. Lettuce Lettuce is one of my favourite foods to grow since it’s so darn easy to do. Truly, you should never buy it from the store in the growing season because it’s so simple to keep a steady supply of it. Plant lettuce seeds 6 weeks before the last frost, utilizing season extenders to your advantage. After the last frost, sow them as needed every other week to keep a steady supply of leaf lettuce. Most leaf lettuces only take 3 weeks to reach maturity. Onions Onions aren’t too temperamental, doing well in both warm and cool environments. They’re very much a leave me alone kind of vegetable. All you have to do is plant them and pull them when you’re ready to harvest them. In cool climates, plant onions in the spring. In warm climates, you can plant them as early as the fall and into the winter. Harvest them early to have scallions, and the longer you leave the others, the bigger the onion will be. Peas Peas do not like their roots to be disturbed, which can make transplanting peas that were started indoors difficult. So why not direct sow them instead? Easy peasy. Plant your peas 4 weeks before the last frost date. Peas don’t like heavy heat, so you want them in as early as possible. They take anywhere from 50-70 days to reach maturity. Snow peas are flatter than garden peas but still have a great crispness. Potatoes Potatoes are not grown from seed but rather seedling potatoes. These are small potatoes that have been specifically picked out to encourage sprout growth. Plant potatoes 3 weeks before the last frost date in warm climates and direct sow at last frost in cold climates. If the cold is longer than anticipated, frost can kill the upper layer of foliage. But don’t worry, the potatoes will likely show brand-new growth in just a few days. Radish Radishes are up there with lettuce for some of the speediest vegetables, reaching maturity in 21-60 days. This makes them a popular choice for succession planting. Begin direct sowing radish vegetable seeds 6 weeks before the last frost date. Keep planting them every other week right up until 4-6 weeks before fall’s first frost. Spinach Spinach is a super green that’s pretty simple to grow yourself. Direct sow spinach 6 weeks before the last frost date or as soon as the soil is workable. Spinach also has a super quick maturity rate, taking 24-50 days. Plant more at the end of summer so you have more spinach, a cool weather lover, to harvest in the fall. Swiss Chard I always sing the praises of Swiss chard as it remains a staple in my garden and my salads. Plus, it’s by far one of the prettiest vegetables around and could easily pass as an ornamental due to its vibrant hues. You can direct sow Swiss chard seeds after the last frost has passed. Swiss chard takes about 24-60 days to reach maturity, but you can use it as a cut-and-come-again crop that will continue to produce well into the fall. You can enjoy Swiss chard as a small leafy green or let it grow large into leaves with stalks. Frequently Asked Questions About Direct Sowing What does direct sowing mean? To direct sow vegetables means you will plant the seeds right outside in your garden, skipping the step of starting them indoors. Some plants, mostly those that like heat or have a long growing season, need to be started indoors in order to germinate and get a jump start on the growing season. If started too late, they might not reach maturity in time to be harvested before the cool weather comes back.Vegetables that can be direct sown don’t need the fuss of being started indoors and can go right outside. They will germinate and reach maturity with mother nature’s natural conditions. What is the difference between sow and transplant? Sow by definition is planting the seeds of a plant or crop. Transplant is when you take seedlings that have either been grown indoors or come from a garden centre and move them outside and plant them in your garden or a new pot. Are there any benefits to direct sowing? Many! Direct sowing saves you time and resources. You don’t have to buy any extra seed starting materials like pots, potting soil, grow lights, heat mats, etc since you pluck them right in the ground.Starting seed indoors also requires a lot more care and attention rather than direct sowing them outside. You have to ensure they’re getting sunlight, enough air circulation, must harden them off, then plant them a second time outside. More Tips for Growing Food A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[alexha2210]

Soil temperature can be critical for seed germination, so it is important to know which vegetables you can sow directly outdoors and which ones need to be started indoors first. Here are some tips on starting direct sow vegetables from seed and which ones to plant right in the ground. Soil temperature is key when it comes to germination. Vegetables that need cool soil should be sown directly in the garden to get their best start. You’re going to see a pattern on this list of direct sow vegetables. LOTS of Brassicas and root vegetables. These plants don’t mind a little bit of cold, which allows you to get them right in the ground and germinate without any extra heat or attention. Another thing you’ll notice is that many of these plants have shorter maturity times. They don’t require getting a jump start by growing indoors and will reach maturity within a shorter growing season. For this reason, many of these direct sow vegetables are great for succession planting. I really encourage you to check out my post on succession planting to learn how you can stagger your harvest to grow more food for longer. If you’re ready to get planting, then let’s dive into all the vegetables to direct sow. Some of these plants may even act as perennial vegetables. I know Swiss chard comes back the next season in some cases. Expert Tips for Starting Direct Sow Vegetables from Seed Plant root vegetables in fertile, well-drained soil that has been sifted to remove any stones or hard debris that will obstruct the root growth (and make funny-shaped veggies). Sow seeds according to the plant depth and spacing as recommended on the seed packet for each variety. Carrot and radish seeds are quite small, and beet seeds come in clusters, so it will be necessary to thin out your plants when they grow. You can do this by cutting (not pulling) out the weakest seedlings, leaving the strongest lots of room to grow a yummy root. Keep seeds moist while they germinate. Once sprouted, ensure they get lots of sun (eight hours per day) and water (don’t let them dry out on hot days). As they grow, they will push up their shoulders from the ground, so mound soil around them periodically. Plant root veggies in spring and summer for a fall harvest, or plant over-wintering varieties in late summer for a winter harvest. Vegetables to Direct Sow This list of direct sow vegetables is not definitive. Many of these can also be started indoors if that’s your preference. There are many more too that you could direct sow, but these are the most popular vegetables you may be wishing to grow in your garden. Arugula You wouldn’t want to start arugula indoors as it would be a waste of time! Arugula will germinate quite quickly and easily outdoors. You can direct sow beginning 6 weeks before the last frost. As soon as the ground is workable, get those seeds in the ground. At about 4-8 weeks, they’ll be mature and ready to harvest. Then, you can plant some more! Arugula is a great fall crop because it likes the cool temperatures. It will likely bolt in the summer heat. Bush and Pole Beans You can start beans indoors, but it really isn’t worth the effort and space to do so. Direct sowing them is simple and easy to do. The seeds germinate quickly, especially in warm soil. Direct sow them just after the last frost. Most varieties take about 54-70 days to reach maturity. Make sure you give your beans something to climb up as it grows. Beets While you can start them indoors, you have to be careful not to disturb the roots of beets when you transplant them. Since they’re an easy vegetable to direct sow, I just skip the indoors part altogether. You can plant them 3 weeks before the last frost to get a spring harvest. They take about 35-60 days to reach maturity. If you want to speed up germination, you can soak the seeds in lukewarm water overnight before you sow them. Besides the root, beet leaves are also tasty and tender. Broccoli Broccoli is a cool season lover, which makes it an ideal candidate for direct sowing. However, broccoli isn’t the easiest crop to grow for beginners. Broccoli can be planted 4 weeks before the last frost. But with some cold protection, you can extend that to a couple of weeks earlier. They take 80-100 days to reach maturity, so getting that head start could make a big difference. Cabbage Keep in true Brassica fashion, cabbage thrives in cool temperatures. You can direct sow cabbage four weeks before the last frost date. For another succession of cabbage, make sure to get the cabbage in the ground 12 weeks before the first frost date. This will give you a nice fall harvest. Depending on the variety, cabbage takes 50-100 days to mature. Members of the cabbage family taste better after a frost. Carrots Carrots are one of the absolute easiest vegetables to direct sow, and it’s not recommended to start them indoors. You can begin to direct sow 6 weeks before the last frost. Plant new carrot seeds every 3 weeks to stagger the harvest. Thin them as needed. At the end of the season, carrots actually get sweeter after a frost. Plant them 8 weeks before the first frost for a fall and even winter harvest of carrots. Carrots come in many more colours than just orange. Experiment a little with the seeds you buy! Cauliflower Is that another Brassica on this list? You betcha. You can direct sow cauliflower after the last frost. Heat can cause cauliflower to bolt, so take this into account when planning your harvest. Depending on the variety, it takes 50-100 days for cauliflower to reach maturity. If you live in a cool climate, sow seeds 12 weeks before the first frost for an extra fall harvest. Corn It’s about time we added some direct sow vegetables to this list that like the heat. Sweet corn should only be directly sowed, so don’t waste your precious time by starting them indoors. Plant the corn about a week after the last frost. You may want to consult your seed packet, as this can vary slightly based on the variety of corn. Corn can take anywhere from 68 to 120 days to reach maturity depending on the variety. Cucumber Another warm climate fan, cucumbers can be started indoors or can be considered a direct sow vegetable. If you want to plant them outside directly, do so 2 weeks after the last frost. Make sure to plant vining cucumbers away from other plants and place them next to a trellis or fence where they can grow. Cucumbers take 55-60 days to reach maturity. Cucumbers require a support structure and can take up quite a bit of space in the garden. Garlic Though technically not a seed to direct sow, garlic is a vegetable that you’re going to start right in the ground. Garlic is much different than many of the other vegetables on this list because you’ll plant the cloves in the fall, about 2 weeks before the first frost. Garlic then sits through the winter and produces garlic scapes in the spring. It isn’t until late spring or early summer that the garlic is ready to be pulled. Halloween and warding off vampires are great reminders that it’s time to plant garlic. Kale I don’t know why there are so many kale haters out there because I think the leaves are delicious. It’s also incredibly easy to grow. Another member of the Brassica family, kale likes cool temperatures. You can start kale outdoors 2-4 weeks before the last frost, as soon as the ground is workable. Kale will get sweeter after a frost too, so don’t be scared to plant them at the end of summer too. Kale takes about 50 days to reach maturity. Lacinato kale is a great heirloom variety often referred to as Dinosaur Kale due to its large size. Kohlrabi Kohlrabi is also known as a turnip cabbage, which really explains its appearance. It’s one of the more odd-looking members of the Brassica family. It can be either purple or green and is about the size of an orange once mature. You can direct sow kohlrabi vegetable seeds 2 weeks before the last frost when the ground is workable. It takes 50 days to reach maturity, so plant some more up until 8 weeks before the first frost date. Lettuce Lettuce is one of my favourite foods to grow since it’s so darn easy to do. Truly, you should never buy it from the store in the growing season because it’s so simple to keep a steady supply of it. Plant lettuce seeds 6 weeks before the last frost, utilizing season extenders to your advantage. After the last frost, sow them as needed every other week to keep a steady supply of leaf lettuce. Most leaf lettuces only take 3 weeks to reach maturity. Onions Onions aren’t too temperamental, doing well in both warm and cool environments. They’re very much a leave me alone kind of vegetable. All you have to do is plant them and pull them when you’re ready to harvest them. In cool climates, plant onions in the spring. In warm climates, you can plant them as early as the fall and into the winter. Harvest them early to have scallions, and the longer you leave the others, the bigger the onion will be. Peas Peas do not like their roots to be disturbed, which can make transplanting peas that were started indoors difficult. So why not direct sow them instead? Easy peasy. Plant your peas 4 weeks before the last frost date. Peas don’t like heavy heat, so you want them in as early as possible. They take anywhere from 50-70 days to reach maturity. Snow peas are flatter than garden peas but still have a great crispness. Potatoes Potatoes are not grown from seed but rather seedling potatoes. These are small potatoes that have been specifically picked out to encourage sprout growth. Plant potatoes 3 weeks before the last frost date in warm climates and direct sow at last frost in cold climates. If the cold is longer than anticipated, frost can kill the upper layer of foliage. But don’t worry, the potatoes will likely show brand-new growth in just a few days. Radish Radishes are up there with lettuce for some of the speediest vegetables, reaching maturity in 21-60 days. This makes them a popular choice for succession planting. Begin direct sowing radish vegetable seeds 6 weeks before the last frost date. Keep planting them every other week right up until 4-6 weeks before fall’s first frost. Spinach Spinach is a super green that’s pretty simple to grow yourself. Direct sow spinach 6 weeks before the last frost date or as soon as the soil is workable. Spinach also has a super quick maturity rate, taking 24-50 days. Plant more at the end of summer so you have more spinach, a cool weather lover, to harvest in the fall. Swiss Chard I always sing the praises of Swiss chard as it remains a staple in my garden and my salads. Plus, it’s by far one of the prettiest vegetables around and could easily pass as an ornamental due to its vibrant hues. You can direct sow Swiss chard seeds after the last frost has passed. Swiss chard takes about 24-60 days to reach maturity, but you can use it as a cut-and-come-again crop that will continue to produce well into the fall. You can enjoy Swiss chard as a small leafy green or let it grow large into leaves with stalks. Frequently Asked Questions About Direct Sowing What does direct sowing mean? To direct sow vegetables means you will plant the seeds right outside in your garden, skipping the step of starting them indoors. Some plants, mostly those that like heat or have a long growing season, need to be started indoors in order to germinate and get a jump start on the growing season. If started too late, they might not reach maturity in time to be harvested before the cool weather comes back.Vegetables that can be direct sown don’t need the fuss of being started indoors and can go right outside. They will germinate and reach maturity with mother nature’s natural conditions. What is the difference between sow and transplant? Sow by definition is planting the seeds of a plant or crop. Transplant is when you take seedlings that have either been grown indoors or come from a garden centre and move them outside and plant them in your garden or a new pot. Are there any benefits to direct sowing? Many! Direct sowing saves you time and resources. You don’t have to buy any extra seed starting materials like pots, potting soil, grow lights, heat mats, etc since you pluck them right in the ground.Starting seed indoors also requires a lot more care and attention rather than direct sowing them outside. You have to ensure they’re getting sunlight, enough air circulation, must harden them off, then plant them a second time outside. More Tips for Growing Food A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[angusstory]

Soil temperature can be critical for seed germination, so it is important to know which vegetables you can sow directly outdoors and which ones need to be started indoors first. Here are some tips on starting direct sow vegetables from seed and which ones to plant right in the ground. Soil temperature is key when it comes to germination. Vegetables that need cool soil should be sown directly in the garden to get their best start. You’re going to see a pattern on this list of direct sow vegetables. LOTS of Brassicas and root vegetables. These plants don’t mind a little bit of cold, which allows you to get them right in the ground and germinate without any extra heat or attention. Another thing you’ll notice is that many of these plants have shorter maturity times. They don’t require getting a jump start by growing indoors and will reach maturity within a shorter growing season. For this reason, many of these direct sow vegetables are great for succession planting. I really encourage you to check out my post on succession planting to learn how you can stagger your harvest to grow more food for longer. If you’re ready to get planting, then let’s dive into all the vegetables to direct sow. Some of these plants may even act as perennial vegetables. I know Swiss chard comes back the next season in some cases. Expert Tips for Starting Direct Sow Vegetables from Seed Plant root vegetables in fertile, well-drained soil that has been sifted to remove any stones or hard debris that will obstruct the root growth (and make funny-shaped veggies). Sow seeds according to the plant depth and spacing as recommended on the seed packet for each variety. Carrot and radish seeds are quite small, and beet seeds come in clusters, so it will be necessary to thin out your plants when they grow. You can do this by cutting (not pulling) out the weakest seedlings, leaving the strongest lots of room to grow a yummy root. Keep seeds moist while they germinate. Once sprouted, ensure they get lots of sun (eight hours per day) and water (don’t let them dry out on hot days). As they grow, they will push up their shoulders from the ground, so mound soil around them periodically. Plant root veggies in spring and summer for a fall harvest, or plant over-wintering varieties in late summer for a winter harvest. Vegetables to Direct Sow This list of direct sow vegetables is not definitive. Many of these can also be started indoors if that’s your preference. There are many more too that you could direct sow, but these are the most popular vegetables you may be wishing to grow in your garden. Arugula You wouldn’t want to start arugula indoors as it would be a waste of time! Arugula will germinate quite quickly and easily outdoors. You can direct sow beginning 6 weeks before the last frost. As soon as the ground is workable, get those seeds in the ground. At about 4-8 weeks, they’ll be mature and ready to harvest. Then, you can plant some more! Arugula is a great fall crop because it likes the cool temperatures. It will likely bolt in the summer heat. Bush and Pole Beans You can start beans indoors, but it really isn’t worth the effort and space to do so. Direct sowing them is simple and easy to do. The seeds germinate quickly, especially in warm soil. Direct sow them just after the last frost. Most varieties take about 54-70 days to reach maturity. Make sure you give your beans something to climb up as it grows. Beets While you can start them indoors, you have to be careful not to disturb the roots of beets when you transplant them. Since they’re an easy vegetable to direct sow, I just skip the indoors part altogether. You can plant them 3 weeks before the last frost to get a spring harvest. They take about 35-60 days to reach maturity. If you want to speed up germination, you can soak the seeds in lukewarm water overnight before you sow them. Besides the root, beet leaves are also tasty and tender. Broccoli Broccoli is a cool season lover, which makes it an ideal candidate for direct sowing. However, broccoli isn’t the easiest crop to grow for beginners. Broccoli can be planted 4 weeks before the last frost. But with some cold protection, you can extend that to a couple of weeks earlier. They take 80-100 days to reach maturity, so getting that head start could make a big difference. Cabbage Keep in true Brassica fashion, cabbage thrives in cool temperatures. You can direct sow cabbage four weeks before the last frost date. For another succession of cabbage, make sure to get the cabbage in the ground 12 weeks before the first frost date. This will give you a nice fall harvest. Depending on the variety, cabbage takes 50-100 days to mature. Members of the cabbage family taste better after a frost. Carrots Carrots are one of the absolute easiest vegetables to direct sow, and it’s not recommended to start them indoors. You can begin to direct sow 6 weeks before the last frost. Plant new carrot seeds every 3 weeks to stagger the harvest. Thin them as needed. At the end of the season, carrots actually get sweeter after a frost. Plant them 8 weeks before the first frost for a fall and even winter harvest of carrots. Carrots come in many more colours than just orange. Experiment a little with the seeds you buy! Cauliflower Is that another Brassica on this list? You betcha. You can direct sow cauliflower after the last frost. Heat can cause cauliflower to bolt, so take this into account when planning your harvest. Depending on the variety, it takes 50-100 days for cauliflower to reach maturity. If you live in a cool climate, sow seeds 12 weeks before the first frost for an extra fall harvest. Corn It’s about time we added some direct sow vegetables to this list that like the heat. Sweet corn should only be directly sowed, so don’t waste your precious time by starting them indoors. Plant the corn about a week after the last frost. You may want to consult your seed packet, as this can vary slightly based on the variety of corn. Corn can take anywhere from 68 to 120 days to reach maturity depending on the variety. Cucumber Another warm climate fan, cucumbers can be started indoors or can be considered a direct sow vegetable. If you want to plant them outside directly, do so 2 weeks after the last frost. Make sure to plant vining cucumbers away from other plants and place them next to a trellis or fence where they can grow. Cucumbers take 55-60 days to reach maturity. Cucumbers require a support structure and can take up quite a bit of space in the garden. Garlic Though technically not a seed to direct sow, garlic is a vegetable that you’re going to start right in the ground. Garlic is much different than many of the other vegetables on this list because you’ll plant the cloves in the fall, about 2 weeks before the first frost. Garlic then sits through the winter and produces garlic scapes in the spring. It isn’t until late spring or early summer that the garlic is ready to be pulled. Halloween and warding off vampires are great reminders that it’s time to plant garlic. Kale I don’t know why there are so many kale haters out there because I think the leaves are delicious. It’s also incredibly easy to grow. Another member of the Brassica family, kale likes cool temperatures. You can start kale outdoors 2-4 weeks before the last frost, as soon as the ground is workable. Kale will get sweeter after a frost too, so don’t be scared to plant them at the end of summer too. Kale takes about 50 days to reach maturity. Lacinato kale is a great heirloom variety often referred to as Dinosaur Kale due to its large size. Kohlrabi Kohlrabi is also known as a turnip cabbage, which really explains its appearance. It’s one of the more odd-looking members of the Brassica family. It can be either purple or green and is about the size of an orange once mature. You can direct sow kohlrabi vegetable seeds 2 weeks before the last frost when the ground is workable. It takes 50 days to reach maturity, so plant some more up until 8 weeks before the first frost date. Lettuce Lettuce is one of my favourite foods to grow since it’s so darn easy to do. Truly, you should never buy it from the store in the growing season because it’s so simple to keep a steady supply of it. Plant lettuce seeds 6 weeks before the last frost, utilizing season extenders to your advantage. After the last frost, sow them as needed every other week to keep a steady supply of leaf lettuce. Most leaf lettuces only take 3 weeks to reach maturity. Onions Onions aren’t too temperamental, doing well in both warm and cool environments. They’re very much a leave me alone kind of vegetable. All you have to do is plant them and pull them when you’re ready to harvest them. In cool climates, plant onions in the spring. In warm climates, you can plant them as early as the fall and into the winter. Harvest them early to have scallions, and the longer you leave the others, the bigger the onion will be. Peas Peas do not like their roots to be disturbed, which can make transplanting peas that were started indoors difficult. So why not direct sow them instead? Easy peasy. Plant your peas 4 weeks before the last frost date. Peas don’t like heavy heat, so you want them in as early as possible. They take anywhere from 50-70 days to reach maturity. Snow peas are flatter than garden peas but still have a great crispness. Potatoes Potatoes are not grown from seed but rather seedling potatoes. These are small potatoes that have been specifically picked out to encourage sprout growth. Plant potatoes 3 weeks before the last frost date in warm climates and direct sow at last frost in cold climates. If the cold is longer than anticipated, frost can kill the upper layer of foliage. But don’t worry, the potatoes will likely show brand-new growth in just a few days. Radish Radishes are up there with lettuce for some of the speediest vegetables, reaching maturity in 21-60 days. This makes them a popular choice for succession planting. Begin direct sowing radish vegetable seeds 6 weeks before the last frost date. Keep planting them every other week right up until 4-6 weeks before fall’s first frost. Spinach Spinach is a super green that’s pretty simple to grow yourself. Direct sow spinach 6 weeks before the last frost date or as soon as the soil is workable. Spinach also has a super quick maturity rate, taking 24-50 days. Plant more at the end of summer so you have more spinach, a cool weather lover, to harvest in the fall. Swiss Chard I always sing the praises of Swiss chard as it remains a staple in my garden and my salads. Plus, it’s by far one of the prettiest vegetables around and could easily pass as an ornamental due to its vibrant hues. You can direct sow Swiss chard seeds after the last frost has passed. Swiss chard takes about 24-60 days to reach maturity, but you can use it as a cut-and-come-again crop that will continue to produce well into the fall. You can enjoy Swiss chard as a small leafy green or let it grow large into leaves with stalks. Frequently Asked Questions About Direct Sowing What does direct sowing mean? To direct sow vegetables means you will plant the seeds right outside in your garden, skipping the step of starting them indoors. Some plants, mostly those that like heat or have a long growing season, need to be started indoors in order to germinate and get a jump start on the growing season. If started too late, they might not reach maturity in time to be harvested before the cool weather comes back.Vegetables that can be direct sown don’t need the fuss of being started indoors and can go right outside. They will germinate and reach maturity with mother nature’s natural conditions. What is the difference between sow and transplant? Sow by definition is planting the seeds of a plant or crop. Transplant is when you take seedlings that have either been grown indoors or come from a garden centre and move them outside and plant them in your garden or a new pot. Are there any benefits to direct sowing? Many! Direct sowing saves you time and resources. You don’t have to buy any extra seed starting materials like pots, potting soil, grow lights, heat mats, etc since you pluck them right in the ground.Starting seed indoors also requires a lot more care and attention rather than direct sowing them outside. You have to ensure they’re getting sunlight, enough air circulation, must harden them off, then plant them a second time outside. More Tips for Growing Food A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[tumibaba]

Soil temperature can be critical for seed germination, so it is important to know which vegetables you can sow directly outdoors and which ones need to be started indoors first. Here are some tips on starting direct sow vegetables from seed and which ones to plant right in the ground. Soil temperature is key when it comes to germination. Vegetables that need cool soil should be sown directly in the garden to get their best start. You’re going to see a pattern on this list of direct sow vegetables. LOTS of Brassicas and root vegetables. These plants don’t mind a little bit of cold, which allows you to get them right in the ground and germinate without any extra heat or attention. Another thing you’ll notice is that many of these plants have shorter maturity times. They don’t require getting a jump start by growing indoors and will reach maturity within a shorter growing season. For this reason, many of these direct sow vegetables are great for succession planting. I really encourage you to check out my post on succession planting to learn how you can stagger your harvest to grow more food for longer. If you’re ready to get planting, then let’s dive into all the vegetables to direct sow. Some of these plants may even act as perennial vegetables. I know Swiss chard comes back the next season in some cases. Expert Tips for Starting Direct Sow Vegetables from Seed Plant root vegetables in fertile, well-drained soil that has been sifted to remove any stones or hard debris that will obstruct the root growth (and make funny-shaped veggies). Sow seeds according to the plant depth and spacing as recommended on the seed packet for each variety. Carrot and radish seeds are quite small, and beet seeds come in clusters, so it will be necessary to thin out your plants when they grow. You can do this by cutting (not pulling) out the weakest seedlings, leaving the strongest lots of room to grow a yummy root. Keep seeds moist while they germinate. Once sprouted, ensure they get lots of sun (eight hours per day) and water (don’t let them dry out on hot days). As they grow, they will push up their shoulders from the ground, so mound soil around them periodically. Plant root veggies in spring and summer for a fall harvest, or plant over-wintering varieties in late summer for a winter harvest. Vegetables to Direct Sow This list of direct sow vegetables is not definitive. Many of these can also be started indoors if that’s your preference. There are many more too that you could direct sow, but these are the most popular vegetables you may be wishing to grow in your garden. Arugula You wouldn’t want to start arugula indoors as it would be a waste of time! Arugula will germinate quite quickly and easily outdoors. You can direct sow beginning 6 weeks before the last frost. As soon as the ground is workable, get those seeds in the ground. At about 4-8 weeks, they’ll be mature and ready to harvest. Then, you can plant some more! Arugula is a great fall crop because it likes the cool temperatures. It will likely bolt in the summer heat. Bush and Pole Beans You can start beans indoors, but it really isn’t worth the effort and space to do so. Direct sowing them is simple and easy to do. The seeds germinate quickly, especially in warm soil. Direct sow them just after the last frost. Most varieties take about 54-70 days to reach maturity. Make sure you give your beans something to climb up as it grows. Beets While you can start them indoors, you have to be careful not to disturb the roots of beets when you transplant them. Since they’re an easy vegetable to direct sow, I just skip the indoors part altogether. You can plant them 3 weeks before the last frost to get a spring harvest. They take about 35-60 days to reach maturity. If you want to speed up germination, you can soak the seeds in lukewarm water overnight before you sow them. Besides the root, beet leaves are also tasty and tender. Broccoli Broccoli is a cool season lover, which makes it an ideal candidate for direct sowing. However, broccoli isn’t the easiest crop to grow for beginners. Broccoli can be planted 4 weeks before the last frost. But with some cold protection, you can extend that to a couple of weeks earlier. They take 80-100 days to reach maturity, so getting that head start could make a big difference. Cabbage Keep in true Brassica fashion, cabbage thrives in cool temperatures. You can direct sow cabbage four weeks before the last frost date. For another succession of cabbage, make sure to get the cabbage in the ground 12 weeks before the first frost date. This will give you a nice fall harvest. Depending on the variety, cabbage takes 50-100 days to mature. Members of the cabbage family taste better after a frost. Carrots Carrots are one of the absolute easiest vegetables to direct sow, and it’s not recommended to start them indoors. You can begin to direct sow 6 weeks before the last frost. Plant new carrot seeds every 3 weeks to stagger the harvest. Thin them as needed. At the end of the season, carrots actually get sweeter after a frost. Plant them 8 weeks before the first frost for a fall and even winter harvest of carrots. Carrots come in many more colours than just orange. Experiment a little with the seeds you buy! Cauliflower Is that another Brassica on this list? You betcha. You can direct sow cauliflower after the last frost. Heat can cause cauliflower to bolt, so take this into account when planning your harvest. Depending on the variety, it takes 50-100 days for cauliflower to reach maturity. If you live in a cool climate, sow seeds 12 weeks before the first frost for an extra fall harvest. Corn It’s about time we added some direct sow vegetables to this list that like the heat. Sweet corn should only be directly sowed, so don’t waste your precious time by starting them indoors. Plant the corn about a week after the last frost. You may want to consult your seed packet, as this can vary slightly based on the variety of corn. Corn can take anywhere from 68 to 120 days to reach maturity depending on the variety. Cucumber Another warm climate fan, cucumbers can be started indoors or can be considered a direct sow vegetable. If you want to plant them outside directly, do so 2 weeks after the last frost. Make sure to plant vining cucumbers away from other plants and place them next to a trellis or fence where they can grow. Cucumbers take 55-60 days to reach maturity. Cucumbers require a support structure and can take up quite a bit of space in the garden. Garlic Though technically not a seed to direct sow, garlic is a vegetable that you’re going to start right in the ground. Garlic is much different than many of the other vegetables on this list because you’ll plant the cloves in the fall, about 2 weeks before the first frost. Garlic then sits through the winter and produces garlic scapes in the spring. It isn’t until late spring or early summer that the garlic is ready to be pulled. Halloween and warding off vampires are great reminders that it’s time to plant garlic. Kale I don’t know why there are so many kale haters out there because I think the leaves are delicious. It’s also incredibly easy to grow. Another member of the Brassica family, kale likes cool temperatures. You can start kale outdoors 2-4 weeks before the last frost, as soon as the ground is workable. Kale will get sweeter after a frost too, so don’t be scared to plant them at the end of summer too. Kale takes about 50 days to reach maturity. Lacinato kale is a great heirloom variety often referred to as Dinosaur Kale due to its large size. Kohlrabi Kohlrabi is also known as a turnip cabbage, which really explains its appearance. It’s one of the more odd-looking members of the Brassica family. It can be either purple or green and is about the size of an orange once mature. You can direct sow kohlrabi vegetable seeds 2 weeks before the last frost when the ground is workable. It takes 50 days to reach maturity, so plant some more up until 8 weeks before the first frost date. Lettuce Lettuce is one of my favourite foods to grow since it’s so darn easy to do. Truly, you should never buy it from the store in the growing season because it’s so simple to keep a steady supply of it. Plant lettuce seeds 6 weeks before the last frost, utilizing season extenders to your advantage. After the last frost, sow them as needed every other week to keep a steady supply of leaf lettuce. Most leaf lettuces only take 3 weeks to reach maturity. Onions Onions aren’t too temperamental, doing well in both warm and cool environments. They’re very much a leave me alone kind of vegetable. All you have to do is plant them and pull them when you’re ready to harvest them. In cool climates, plant onions in the spring. In warm climates, you can plant them as early as the fall and into the winter. Harvest them early to have scallions, and the longer you leave the others, the bigger the onion will be. Peas Peas do not like their roots to be disturbed, which can make transplanting peas that were started indoors difficult. So why not direct sow them instead? Easy peasy. Plant your peas 4 weeks before the last frost date. Peas don’t like heavy heat, so you want them in as early as possible. They take anywhere from 50-70 days to reach maturity. Snow peas are flatter than garden peas but still have a great crispness. Potatoes Potatoes are not grown from seed but rather seedling potatoes. These are small potatoes that have been specifically picked out to encourage sprout growth. Plant potatoes 3 weeks before the last frost date in warm climates and direct sow at last frost in cold climates. If the cold is longer than anticipated, frost can kill the upper layer of foliage. But don’t worry, the potatoes will likely show brand-new growth in just a few days. Radish Radishes are up there with lettuce for some of the speediest vegetables, reaching maturity in 21-60 days. This makes them a popular choice for succession planting. Begin direct sowing radish vegetable seeds 6 weeks before the last frost date. Keep planting them every other week right up until 4-6 weeks before fall’s first frost. Spinach Spinach is a super green that’s pretty simple to grow yourself. Direct sow spinach 6 weeks before the last frost date or as soon as the soil is workable. Spinach also has a super quick maturity rate, taking 24-50 days. Plant more at the end of summer so you have more spinach, a cool weather lover, to harvest in the fall. Swiss Chard I always sing the praises of Swiss chard as it remains a staple in my garden and my salads. Plus, it’s by far one of the prettiest vegetables around and could easily pass as an ornamental due to its vibrant hues. You can direct sow Swiss chard seeds after the last frost has passed. Swiss chard takes about 24-60 days to reach maturity, but you can use it as a cut-and-come-again crop that will continue to produce well into the fall. You can enjoy Swiss chard as a small leafy green or let it grow large into leaves with stalks. Frequently Asked Questions About Direct Sowing What does direct sowing mean? To direct sow vegetables means you will plant the seeds right outside in your garden, skipping the step of starting them indoors. Some plants, mostly those that like heat or have a long growing season, need to be started indoors in order to germinate and get a jump start on the growing season. If started too late, they might not reach maturity in time to be harvested before the cool weather comes back.Vegetables that can be direct sown don’t need the fuss of being started indoors and can go right outside. They will germinate and reach maturity with mother nature’s natural conditions. What is the difference between sow and transplant? Sow by definition is planting the seeds of a plant or crop. Transplant is when you take seedlings that have either been grown indoors or come from a garden centre and move them outside and plant them in your garden or a new pot. Are there any benefits to direct sowing? Many! Direct sowing saves you time and resources. You don’t have to buy any extra seed starting materials like pots, potting soil, grow lights, heat mats, etc since you pluck them right in the ground.Starting seed indoors also requires a lot more care and attention rather than direct sowing them outside. You have to ensure they’re getting sunlight, enough air circulation, must harden them off, then plant them a second time outside. More Tips for Growing Food A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[jensownzoo]

Thought I'd throw up some pics of the cold frame I slapped together on my south-facing front porch.

It's mostly made from windows I scavenged this year. There's a bank of them snugged up against the front railing, there are ones on each side held in place with cinder blocks, and the one in back is resting on what I'm using for thermal mass.

It's a row of those Tidy Cats litter tubs filled 3/4 up with water and stuffed into black plastic contractor bags. The plastic bags not only help with the absorption of solar heat, but also fill in the spaces between the tubs. They're only filled 3/4 full because they're inevitably going to freeze at some point--some will crack at the bottom seam but most will make it. I do have plans to go out this weekend on a Styrofoam panel scavenging mission--you know, after people blow all their money on new tvs and stuff on black friday and throw the packaging away. Then I'll insulate the back of the thermal shelf to direct the heat all inward.

The top is just a shower door plus a small window. I can shift/lift them for harvesting and watering.

I've got two regular sized Earthboxes and two smaller in there. The smaller ones are on the ledge and the larger are on the concrete. I've got several lettuces, several spinaches, Swiss chard, and some teeny kale seedlings going. The kale is teeny because the @#@^=$_!! midnight wildlife tore apart the initial transplants when I first planted them in the boxes back in September and I had to restart from seed.

It took me a solid month to work up the energy to put this all together, but only an hour or two to construct. Thankfully, autumn seems to be on a one month delay this year except for one or two short dips below freezing. Looking forward to at least a weekly salad for as long as we don't have another "arctic blast" like we did last year.

[romaleen]

Soil temperature can be critical for seed germination, so it is important to know which vegetables you can sow directly outdoors and which ones need to be started indoors first. Here are some tips on starting direct sow vegetables from seed and which ones to plant right in the ground. Soil temperature is key when it comes to germination. Vegetables that need cool soil should be sown directly in the garden to get their best start. You’re going to see a pattern on this list of direct sow vegetables. LOTS of Brassicas and root vegetables. These plants don’t mind a little bit of cold, which allows you to get them right in the ground and germinate without any extra heat or attention. Another thing you’ll notice is that many of these plants have shorter maturity times. They don’t require getting a jump start by growing indoors and will reach maturity within a shorter growing season. For this reason, many of these direct sow vegetables are great for succession planting. I really encourage you to check out my post on succession planting to learn how you can stagger your harvest to grow more food for longer. If you’re ready to get planting, then let’s dive into all the vegetables to direct sow. Some of these plants may even act as perennial vegetables. I know Swiss chard comes back the next season in some cases. Expert Tips for Starting Direct Sow Vegetables from Seed Plant root vegetables in fertile, well-drained soil that has been sifted to remove any stones or hard debris that will obstruct the root growth (and make funny-shaped veggies). Sow seeds according to the plant depth and spacing as recommended on the seed packet for each variety. Carrot and radish seeds are quite small, and beet seeds come in clusters, so it will be necessary to thin out your plants when they grow. You can do this by cutting (not pulling) out the weakest seedlings, leaving the strongest lots of room to grow a yummy root. Keep seeds moist while they germinate. Once sprouted, ensure they get lots of sun (eight hours per day) and water (don’t let them dry out on hot days). As they grow, they will push up their shoulders from the ground, so mound soil around them periodically. Plant root veggies in spring and summer for a fall harvest, or plant over-wintering varieties in late summer for a winter harvest. Vegetables to Direct Sow This list of direct sow vegetables is not definitive. Many of these can also be started indoors if that’s your preference. There are many more too that you could direct sow, but these are the most popular vegetables you may be wishing to grow in your garden. Arugula You wouldn’t want to start arugula indoors as it would be a waste of time! Arugula will germinate quite quickly and easily outdoors. You can direct sow beginning 6 weeks before the last frost. As soon as the ground is workable, get those seeds in the ground. At about 4-8 weeks, they’ll be mature and ready to harvest. Then, you can plant some more! Arugula is a great fall crop because it likes the cool temperatures. It will likely bolt in the summer heat. Bush and Pole Beans You can start beans indoors, but it really isn’t worth the effort and space to do so. Direct sowing them is simple and easy to do. The seeds germinate quickly, especially in warm soil. Direct sow them just after the last frost. Most varieties take about 54-70 days to reach maturity. Make sure you give your beans something to climb up as it grows. Beets While you can start them indoors, you have to be careful not to disturb the roots of beets when you transplant them. Since they’re an easy vegetable to direct sow, I just skip the indoors part altogether. You can plant them 3 weeks before the last frost to get a spring harvest. They take about 35-60 days to reach maturity. If you want to speed up germination, you can soak the seeds in lukewarm water overnight before you sow them. Besides the root, beet leaves are also tasty and tender. Broccoli Broccoli is a cool season lover, which makes it an ideal candidate for direct sowing. However, broccoli isn’t the easiest crop to grow for beginners. Broccoli can be planted 4 weeks before the last frost. But with some cold protection, you can extend that to a couple of weeks earlier. They take 80-100 days to reach maturity, so getting that head start could make a big difference. Cabbage Keep in true Brassica fashion, cabbage thrives in cool temperatures. You can direct sow cabbage four weeks before the last frost date. For another succession of cabbage, make sure to get the cabbage in the ground 12 weeks before the first frost date. This will give you a nice fall harvest. Depending on the variety, cabbage takes 50-100 days to mature. Members of the cabbage family taste better after a frost. Carrots Carrots are one of the absolute easiest vegetables to direct sow, and it’s not recommended to start them indoors. You can begin to direct sow 6 weeks before the last frost. Plant new carrot seeds every 3 weeks to stagger the harvest. Thin them as needed. At the end of the season, carrots actually get sweeter after a frost. Plant them 8 weeks before the first frost for a fall and even winter harvest of carrots. Carrots come in many more colours than just orange. Experiment a little with the seeds you buy! Cauliflower Is that another Brassica on this list? You betcha. You can direct sow cauliflower after the last frost. Heat can cause cauliflower to bolt, so take this into account when planning your harvest. Depending on the variety, it takes 50-100 days for cauliflower to reach maturity. If you live in a cool climate, sow seeds 12 weeks before the first frost for an extra fall harvest. Corn It’s about time we added some direct sow vegetables to this list that like the heat. Sweet corn should only be directly sowed, so don’t waste your precious time by starting them indoors. Plant the corn about a week after the last frost. You may want to consult your seed packet, as this can vary slightly based on the variety of corn. Corn can take anywhere from 68 to 120 days to reach maturity depending on the variety. Cucumber Another warm climate fan, cucumbers can be started indoors or can be considered a direct sow vegetable. If you want to plant them outside directly, do so 2 weeks after the last frost. Make sure to plant vining cucumbers away from other plants and place them next to a trellis or fence where they can grow. Cucumbers take 55-60 days to reach maturity. Cucumbers require a support structure and can take up quite a bit of space in the garden. Garlic Though technically not a seed to direct sow, garlic is a vegetable that you’re going to start right in the ground. Garlic is much different than many of the other vegetables on this list because you’ll plant the cloves in the fall, about 2 weeks before the first frost. Garlic then sits through the winter and produces garlic scapes in the spring. It isn’t until late spring or early summer that the garlic is ready to be pulled. Halloween and warding off vampires are great reminders that it’s time to plant garlic. Kale I don’t know why there are so many kale haters out there because I think the leaves are delicious. It’s also incredibly easy to grow. Another member of the Brassica family, kale likes cool temperatures. You can start kale outdoors 2-4 weeks before the last frost, as soon as the ground is workable. Kale will get sweeter after a frost too, so don’t be scared to plant them at the end of summer too. Kale takes about 50 days to reach maturity. Lacinato kale is a great heirloom variety often referred to as Dinosaur Kale due to its large size. Kohlrabi Kohlrabi is also known as a turnip cabbage, which really explains its appearance. It’s one of the more odd-looking members of the Brassica family. It can be either purple or green and is about the size of an orange once mature. You can direct sow kohlrabi vegetable seeds 2 weeks before the last frost when the ground is workable. It takes 50 days to reach maturity, so plant some more up until 8 weeks before the first frost date. Lettuce Lettuce is one of my favourite foods to grow since it’s so darn easy to do. Truly, you should never buy it from the store in the growing season because it’s so simple to keep a steady supply of it. Plant lettuce seeds 6 weeks before the last frost, utilizing season extenders to your advantage. After the last frost, sow them as needed every other week to keep a steady supply of leaf lettuce. Most leaf lettuces only take 3 weeks to reach maturity. Onions Onions aren’t too temperamental, doing well in both warm and cool environments. They’re very much a leave me alone kind of vegetable. All you have to do is plant them and pull them when you’re ready to harvest them. In cool climates, plant onions in the spring. In warm climates, you can plant them as early as the fall and into the winter. Harvest them early to have scallions, and the longer you leave the others, the bigger the onion will be. Peas Peas do not like their roots to be disturbed, which can make transplanting peas that were started indoors difficult. So why not direct sow them instead? Easy peasy. Plant your peas 4 weeks before the last frost date. Peas don’t like heavy heat, so you want them in as early as possible. They take anywhere from 50-70 days to reach maturity. Snow peas are flatter than garden peas but still have a great crispness. Potatoes Potatoes are not grown from seed but rather seedling potatoes. These are small potatoes that have been specifically picked out to encourage sprout growth. Plant potatoes 3 weeks before the last frost date in warm climates and direct sow at last frost in cold climates. If the cold is longer than anticipated, frost can kill the upper layer of foliage. But don’t worry, the potatoes will likely show brand-new growth in just a few days. Radish Radishes are up there with lettuce for some of the speediest vegetables, reaching maturity in 21-60 days. This makes them a popular choice for succession planting. Begin direct sowing radish vegetable seeds 6 weeks before the last frost date. Keep planting them every other week right up until 4-6 weeks before fall’s first frost. Spinach Spinach is a super green that’s pretty simple to grow yourself. Direct sow spinach 6 weeks before the last frost date or as soon as the soil is workable. Spinach also has a super quick maturity rate, taking 24-50 days. Plant more at the end of summer so you have more spinach, a cool weather lover, to harvest in the fall. Swiss Chard I always sing the praises of Swiss chard as it remains a staple in my garden and my salads. Plus, it’s by far one of the prettiest vegetables around and could easily pass as an ornamental due to its vibrant hues. You can direct sow Swiss chard seeds after the last frost has passed. Swiss chard takes about 24-60 days to reach maturity, but you can use it as a cut-and-come-again crop that will continue to produce well into the fall. You can enjoy Swiss chard as a small leafy green or let it grow large into leaves with stalks. Frequently Asked Questions About Direct Sowing What does direct sowing mean? To direct sow vegetables means you will plant the seeds right outside in your garden, skipping the step of starting them indoors. Some plants, mostly those that like heat or have a long growing season, need to be started indoors in order to germinate and get a jump start on the growing season. If started too late, they might not reach maturity in time to be harvested before the cool weather comes back.Vegetables that can be direct sown don’t need the fuss of being started indoors and can go right outside. They will germinate and reach maturity with mother nature’s natural conditions. What is the difference between sow and transplant? Sow by definition is planting the seeds of a plant or crop. Transplant is when you take seedlings that have either been grown indoors or come from a garden centre and move them outside and plant them in your garden or a new pot. Are there any benefits to direct sowing? Many! Direct sowing saves you time and resources. You don’t have to buy any extra seed starting materials like pots, potting soil, grow lights, heat mats, etc since you pluck them right in the ground.Starting seed indoors also requires a lot more care and attention rather than direct sowing them outside. You have to ensure they’re getting sunlight, enough air circulation, must harden them off, then plant them a second time outside. More Tips for Growing Food A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link