Portland gardeners,
Have you seen our forecast? My goodness! Mostly sunny with day temperatures in the 60s and overnight lows in the 40s. This is looking like some amazing spring planting weather. It is so exciting and I know you are going to want to plant!
A word of caution, however, it is still TOO EARLY for warm season vegetable crops. Please wait to plant these crops: basil, beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, melon, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tomatillos, winter squash and zucchini. All of the above listed warm season vegetable crops need night temperatures consistently above 55 degrees. On average that is happening around/after May 15th. You do not get a jump start planting these crops earlier. Planting too early results in stressed and stunted plants that do not bounce back.
If you'd like to learn more about planting and growing warm season vegetable crops please join me on Saturday May 4 for an exciting and practical class.
So, what can you plant now during this beautiful stretch of sunny weather? There is SO MUCH you can plant now and it includes:
Artichokes
Asian greens
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Celeriac
Collards
Florence fennel
Garlic
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Mustard greens
Onions
Parsnips
Peas
Potatoes
Radishes
Rutabaga
Salad greens-arugula, cress, endive, mache/corn salad, radicchio
Scallions
Spinach
Swiss chard
Turnips
You can plant all perennial and annual herbs, with the exception of basil that requires hotter weather. If you'd like to learn more about planting and growing culinary herbs and edible flowers please join me on Saturday April 27 or Saturday May 11.
You can plant all kinds of fruit-strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, kiwi, and fruit trees.
Don't forget to tuck in annual flowers to attract beneficial bugs along with your vegetables. Some of my favorites are: alyssum, calendula, cosmos, sunflowers, and zinnia. If you'd like to learn more about gardening to attract beneficial bugs, bees, and butterflies please join me on Sunday June 2.
If you are planting now it is an excellent time to add a top dressing of compost and begin your monthly applications of organic granular fertilizer.
Please reach out if you have any questions and don't forget coming up on Sunday June 9 is Troubleshooting the Organic Vegetable Garden-an awesome and helpful class. I hope to see you at an upcoming gardening workshop or an edible gardening consultation at your home. Happy planting my friends!
Happy Sunshine,
Jolie
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