Vegetable Garden Seeds 3-4-2010
by Farmer Dave
(Northern California)
Starting seeds on our wood stove
Plant your vegetable garden seeds now in your green house or cold frame.
I am in Northern California in Zone 9 with a last frost date usually around mid may although it can frost here in the first week of June.
Spring Crops:
I am starting my spring crops in my green house in flats. Lettuce, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.
It is also a good time to plant your keeper onions, my favorite variety of keeper onions are Copra. I already started my Walla Walla early sweet onions in January and they are looking good.
Summer crops
I am starting my peppers, tomatoes and melons and a few summer squash and cucumbers for early eating. At this time of year we get some warm days at least in the green house but cold nights.
I soak my seeds up first in-between some damp cloth then plant them in low trays and then in a few weeks bump them up to 4X4 pots. As soon as I plant them in the low seed trays I put them in the green house.
Some people would think I am starting too early as it is still 10 weeks until we will be able to plant out our frost sensitive plants. I may have to bump up my starts to gallon pots but experience has shown me that planting now is the best way to get early tomatoes, peppers and melons. I mean who likes eating melons in September and October, there is so much other fruit and it is already getting cold. I like my melons in August and planting now is how to get them ripe when it’s still hot.
When I am really inspired for early crops I put up a cold frame and plant them out at the end of April. That usually gets me some ripe tomatoes before July 1st.
I know some of you have some warmer weather and can get your tomatoes in early June. I am envious! Some people can even grow avocadoes and oranges…..We do have a great little Myer lemon tree in our green house. But I wish I could grow the avocadoes.
The price I pay for living in the wilds. Its worth it.
“Seed, Weed and Harvest”
Joys of Life
Farmer Dave
