Thursday, April 18, 2013

Where is Spring?

Still waiting for Spring.
Finally heard peepers last night.
Red Marble and Copra onions, red romaine lettuce (from saved seed), Slobolt cilantro and basils were started on March 9. Peppers were started March 23.


Microgreens started March 25 are ready for harvest.
Ovation Greens and Premium Greens from Johnnys, High Mowing Seeds and Ferry Morse Mesclun Mixes.


Saturday, April 13, 2013

Starting seeds


Best info for Maine is here,

http://www.mofga.org/Publications/ArticlesforReprinting/OrderSeeds/tabid/1056/Default.aspx

Of course this year the soil temperature is 41 degrees today in the garden. And the perennial beds still have frozen places. But the seedlings are ready!


March 1Start indoors: celery, celeriac (3/1 to 3/15), onions and leeks (2/20 to 3/15), kale
March 14Start indoors: leaf and head lettuce
March 21Start indoors: peppers
April 1Start indoors: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant
April 14Start indoors: tomatoesStart outdoors: beets, carrots, leaf and head lettuce, peas, parsnips (4/15 to 5/15), radishes, shallots (4/15 to 5/30), spinach, turnips, bunching onions for summer harvest (4/15 to 5/1), onions from seeds or sets

Transplant out: leaf and head lettuce, onion seedlings

May 1Start indoors: melons, squashes, cucumbersStart outdoors: beets, carrots, leaf and head lettuce, peas, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard (5/1 to 5/31), turnips

Transplant out: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower (5/1 to 5/15 when 4 to 5 weeks old), leeks (5/1 to 5/15)

May 14Start indoors: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower for fall cropStart outdoors: beets, leaf and head lettuce, peas, radishes, spinach, turnip
June 1Start outdoors: bush green beans, pole beans, beets, Chinese cabbage (5/30 to 7/30), carrots, corn, leaf and head lettuce, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach, turnip

Transplant out: celery and celeriac (6/1 to 6/15), tomatoes

Transplant or direct seed out: melons, squashes, cucumbers
June 14Start outdoors: beets, corn, leaf and head lettuce, peas, radishes, rutabaga, spinach, turnip

Transplant out: 4/1 sowing of eggplant, 5/15 sowing of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower
June 21Start outdoors: bush green beans, carrots
July 1 Start outdoors: beets, corn (short season varieties), kale, leaf and head lettuce, peas, radishes, spinach, turnip
July 14Start outdoors: bush green beans, beets, carrots, leaf and head lettuce, peas, radishes, spinach, turnip; hardy bunching onions for fall and spring harvest (7/15 to 8/15)
August 1Start outdoors: beets, leaf and head lettuce, peas, radishes, spinach, turnip
August 14Start outdoors: leaf and head lettuce, radishes, spinach, turnip
September 1Start outdoors: leaf lettuce, radishes, shallots for spring green onions, spinach (sow now for fall crop and now until ground freezes for spring crop, well mulched over winter)
October 1Start outdoors: garlic

For more information about growing your own vegetable garden, contact the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA; 568-4142; www.mofga.org or your county Cooperative Extension Office.