Timing is everything. It is the key to successful gardening. Without the right time, your garden will not be complete. It doesn’t matter if you live on the most fertile land, have enough sun, water or other resources to start a garden.
In General
Planting times for vegetables, herbs and flowers differ by weather conditions as well as growing season. Most plants are ideally suited for the summer season. Depending on the region you live in, some plants will have to be started from seeds during early spring or late winter.
For gardeners who live in cold climates, here is a tip – plants will thrive if they are started indoors. Gardeners in warm climates can easily benefit from sowing the seeds directly into the soil. Packets that come with the seeds will also indicate the right time to sow them, the best growing season, the number of days it take to germinate and so on.
Prepping For The Season
Plants draw nutrients from the soil and, therefore, leave the garden void of essential elements if they are not replaced. If you suspect deficiency in the soil during any of the growing season, a simple solution is to plan ahead. Start the previous season with enough compost and mulch, both of which supply your garden vegetation with a wide range of nutrients.
A garden should be planned around the type of plants that are your favorites and ones that you enjoy the most around the house as well. While majority of the plants from nurseries are warm season types, there are several perennials and cool-season plants for both decoration and food purpose to grow and harvest. Some require lots of space for a reasonable-size yield. Others are content with small spaces.
For Local Variations
If you are starting a garden with plants purchased from a local grower or harvested from hillsides, the rule of thumb is to plant them during the same season at the time of purchase. If orange trees are on sale at your local grower, it is the right time to bring them to your garden. Plants grown at the right season are also likely to adapt to changes in local conditions over time.
Growing Specific Varieties
The best time to start planting roses are February and March. February is the month when rose plants start producing roots into the soil. By the time they are ready to bloom, they may have well-settled and able to deal with the summer heat better.
Daffodils and iris need a long, cold growing season to be productive. Some varieties of winter flowering plants will grow well in framed raised beds as well as containers. Unframed raised beds and bare lands will also work as long as the soil underneath is nutrient-rich.
Starting a garden with salad greens? Remember that greens are easy to grow and respond well to fertile soil. Salad greens prefer full sun in cool temperature, but they are also likely to flourish in warm weather with a little shade. The best time to grow? Well, it depends on the region – year round in warm areas and spring to fall in cold climates.
Tomatoes are most gardeners favorite of all times. They are the primary reason many first-time gardeners want to start a garden. Nothing compares to a basket of full-flavored homegrown tomatoes. And tomatoes love warm weather coupled with full sun. So the growing season for this plant family is, obviously, summer.
Herbs, when grown successfully, make good companions in the kitchen as well as in the garden. Want to get the best flavor from your herbs? Grow them during summer. Some types of herbs need full sun; others can tolerate a little shade.
Peppers are a great addition to your garden as well, and their growing season is summer. However, they grow best from transplants. Mix with some marigolds and short varieties of sunflowers, and they can grow to their fullest potential.
Season To Grow From Seeds
Sometimes you have to start your garden from seeds, because not all plant varieties transplant well. Most vegetables and herbs cannot be bought at the store as is, and hence need seeds as starter. Root crops such as carrots and beets become weak when transplanted straight from the pot.
On the other hand, greens and herbs germinate quickly when sown in the garden. Likewise, beans and legumes will never grow without sowing them directly in the soil. All these means, learning about what season these seeds need to be germinated so as to sync them with the right weather condition. Enthusiastic gardeners should give the germinating process as much of a head start as possible.
Season to Grow From Transplants
When choosing transplants, select healthy plants that are appropriate for that season. You want to get plants that are compact and short rather than tall and spread all over the place. Inspect them for bugs, insects and diseases as well.
If the transplants came with roots protruding from the pot, it’s clear sign that the plant is root-bound. This means they may not grow well once transferred to the soil. When buying flowering plants, prefer the ones with a mass of buds rather than a mass of blossoms.
Starting From An Existing One
If the previous garden wasn’t successful like you thought, prune back all perennials during late fall. This will encourage a lot of new growth that are healthy and sustainable in the spring. Fall season is also the right time to weed out any perennials that are threatening your garden. Click here to learn more about gardening tips for fall
Additionally, during fall and winter, you will be watering less. Check your irrigation system around this time. Consider conserving water by choosing rain barrels. Being well prepared during these “off” seasons will make things easier in the next.
Container plants, on the other hand, need extra attention during winter season. If containers are to be left empty, just top it off with a layer of leaf mulch. If there are clay pots around, let they be stored indoors to avoid freezing and cracking.