Warmer temperatures may have you itching to get the garden planted as you dream about that fresh tomato on a BLT or fried okra with your favorite dish. Slowing down and taking the time to plan and prepare will increase the likelihood of success in your gardening adventure. Here are my ABCs to keep in mind over the next few weeks.
Avoid planting too early. I get it, you want to get that garden out yesterday and the thought of waiting a few more weeks makes you sad. However, we likely still have a few frosts ahead of us and covering up vegetable plants is not my idea of a fun time. The frost-free date for our area is April 21, but keep in mind that there is still at least a 10% chance of frost after that date. Even without a frost, cool temperatures and cold soils may prevent warm-season vegetables from growing and yielding well.
Buy quality seeds/transplants. So many of the disease issues we see throughout the growing season could be avoided by purchasing healthy plants to begin with. Choose plants that are free from all signs of insects or disease and do not have damaged or yellow leaves. Transplants should be a healthy green color to indicate they are not nutrient deficient. This may be one of those cases where “you get what you pay for.” Buying plants that are unhealthy won’t seem like a bargain when you have to spend extra money and time on chemicals to keep them alive. Don’t forget that plants that are accustomed to greenhouse conditions will need to be “hardened off” before they are planted in the home garden.
If you are purchasing seed, keep quality in mind as well. Purchase seed from a reputable supplier for the current growing season and store them properly to ensure maximum productivity. If you are saving seed from one year to the next, make sure it was from a non-hybrid crop. Also, remember that many diseases can be seed-borne, so only collect and reuse seed from healthy plants. Speaking of diseases, be sure to consider disease resistance when purchasing seeds or transplants.
Consider the site. Make sure your garden location has adequate sunlight, meaning a minimum of six to eight hours per day. Garden sites that face south or southeast often have sun for longer periods of the day and soils also commonly warm up and dry out faster than soil on more protected northern sites. Also, remember that not all soils are created equal, and sites can vary in their ability to grow healthy plants. Doing a soil test through the University of Tennessee lab and following the recommendations will help to optimize the productivity of the site.
Gardening season is certainly an exciting time of year, and the UT Extension office is here to help as you navigate the growing season. If you haven’t bookmarked uthort.com, be sure and do so. It is full of research-based information that will aid you in your gardening efforts.
