I have big plans

I have big plans but do not know if I can do it.  If you can stay awake during my diatribe here, then I would welcome your help.

First, this will be my 3rd year doing a sfg.  The first year was a big success in my books, but last  year was a bit of a disappointment.  Mainly due to the weather, at least that is my excuse. 

Anyway.  What I want to plant is small.  I have a deer problem so I have to fence in my sfg and as I am really doing it to get my arse off the couch and computer, I am not doing  it to save money, just give myself something to do, and have some home grown freshness.  So tell me if I can do this.

I would like to plant peas as early as I can (I am thinking mid march or so) so that the growing days are done by early to mid June so that I can pull them right away and plant bush beans in its place.  Then when the beans are done (end of august first of september), either try replanting more peas or spinach/lettuce/chard etc. where they are a cool weather plant.  I am kicking myself for not doing that his year as I had ok growing weather, I think, for that up until christmas.  I do plan on planting greens in march as well.  Weather pending of course. 

Doable? not doable?  I am in Nova Scotia with a hardiness zone of 6a or b.

I did plant some garlic again this year as I was surprised at how easy it was to grow that.  I will be looking for the green on them once the snow goes again. 

It has been 30 years since I grew anything and my knowledge base is basically non-existent right now and am looking for help.

Paul

Do-able for sure! I think your plan sounds very solid. Very doable in fact. I think if you have room and like them, you would also consider some tomatoes and potatoes as well! And some squash could go out in May along with your hot weather lovers (tomatoes, peppers, squash). I planted my squash seeds direct, in May, and they did great. I used tomato and pepper transplants from the nursery. Also planted radish, carrots, and beet root seeds direct.

You got this! Many others here have more experience and great opinions as well! I am Zones 5-6 as well.

from Ohio!

Hi P14 and welcome from Ottawa. I recently borrowed a book from my local library which I think you would find interesting. It's called "The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener" and is written by Niki Jabbour. It's not an SFG book but she covers a lot of things for extending the growing season, including succession planting. And her garden is in your province of Nova Scotia. By the way, my wife and I lived in Nova Scotia for almost six years way back in the 1970s. We lived in Dartmouth.

Thanks td.  I just checked my library and the book is there.  I will have to go check it out.

p14shooter  
from Kelejan  

Come see us on the CANADIAN thread.

It seems you have enough experience to do this really intensive gardening. Don't forget to be generous with the compost each time you replant.

Shooter, Welcome to the Forum from California! What little I know about northern gardens is that a minimum number of hours per day are needed for plant growth, besides decent weather. That is great that the book TD recommended is in the library. Sounds like it will be a big help for your plans. As KJ mentioned, be generous with compost replenishing for the succession plantings. Keep us posted on your journey, and don't forget to post photos!

p14shooter wrote:...I would like to plant peas as early as I can (I am thinking mid march or so) so that the growing days are done by early to mid June so that I can pull them right away and plant bush beans in its place....

Paul

Peas are one of the first plants I can start planting in February.   However, spring warm-up  takes several months in my climate.  Early plantings will grow, but very slowly.  When I've staggered planting dates every 2-3 weeks, I still get all plantings producing at the same time ie.  Feb plantings start producing about a week before Apr plantings.  

Gardeners in climates with a short spring, where it goes from winter cold to summer heat in about a week, may get different results.  Some ideas to try in order to get the earliest possible harvest:

Choose varieties with the shortest maturation time.

Choose bush peas over pole peas to free the space as early as possible.  Bush peas tend to be a one-and-done harvest; pole peas come on gradually, and harvest is over several weeks.

Start your seeds indoors, and then transplant.

What I do for my earliest plantings is plant in a portable box or flower pot indoors.  I have some 1x4 and 2x2 boxes full of MM that I plant seeds in.  Then, when I have some healthy seedlings, I just move the whole box outside instead of transplanting.

Put a hoop house over your box to gain as much solar heat as possible.

I'm sure others will have some tricks to try.

Have fun!

Hey TD, while on lunch I went to the book store and they had that book you mentioned, it looks good.  I am cheap though so I will get it from the library first.  It did get me thinking though, and as I am not one to go all in at first, I think I may just start a very mini cold frame ( I wont tell you what I have in mind for fear of good natured ridicule) and put it next to my house now to see what happens.  When I read the book more thoroughly I will have a better  understanding. 

Kelejan, am I not posting in the Canadian thread?  The map says I am.  Maybe that is just your signature line.

p14 ... I like the idea of a mini cold frame. Looking forward to seeing photos and there will be no ridicule only encouragement.

p14shooter wrote:Hey TD, while on lunch I went to the book store and they had that book you mentioned, it looks good.  I am cheap though so I will get it from the library first.  It did get me thinking though, and as I am not one to go all in at first, I think I may just start a very mini cold frame ( I wont tell you what I have in mind for fear of good natured ridicule) and put it next to my house now to see what happens.  When I read the book more thoroughly I will have a better  understanding. 

Kelejan, am I not posting in the Canadian thread?  The map says I am.  Maybe that is just your signature line.

What you are doing, shooter, is you started a thread of your own.  Many newbies start like this and that is fine.  Trolley Driver started his own thread and joins in the Canadian thread.  Some posters have a lot to say especially when they start, it helps them keep track of  how they are doing and is a very useful tool to have, especially in the years to come. TD has continued with his second year in SFG and still has plenty to say on the Canadian thread. Others are content to post in any thread or subject they fancy, and that is fine as well.

The Canadian Region is actually a National thread as well; we are huge in area but a bit short on gardeners, partly due to a relatively small population and a small land mass for actually growing stuff.

If we can build this national region with more participants, then we can regionalise like the United States into growing zones, then you can perhaps find people in your actual growing zone. Then instead of me being Queen of Canada I will have to be content with being a Princess of British Columbia Southern Interior which is completely different from British Columbia Pacific Coast etc..

I am not the world's most knowledgeable gardener, nowhere near as clever as most of the other Regional/National Hosts, but I feel my job is to keep the words flowing, welcome those dropping in for the first time and give them encouragement where I can, to the best of my ability.  There are plenty of others here who know an awful lot more about growing so there is always someone to ask for help and information.

KJ, Well said.

P14, I love the ideas of a mini cold frame. And there is no end to fun and funky creative growing containers around here! lol If you can put MM in it, it is fair game! There have been sandboxes, baby pools, beer display table tops just to name a few! And my own old window boxes!

P14shooter, welcome from Atlanta, GA! Glad you've joined us!

Can't really give you any advice since I'm WAY south of you... But I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of your garden!

Kelejan, you'll always be a queen in my book!!

Atlanta Marie, thank you for those kind words.