Lower South April 2016

Amaranth (also Love-lies-bleeding)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Asparagus Pea (also Winged bean)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Basil	Plant in garden.	Harvest from June.
Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Beans - dwarf (also French beans, Bush beans)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Brussels sprouts	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.
Cape Gooseberry (also Golden Berry, )	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.
Capsicum (also Bell peppers, Sweet peppers)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Celeriac	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.
Celery	Plant in garden.	Harvest from September.
Chilli peppers (also Hot peppers)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from June.
Chives (also Garden chives)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from June.
Coriander (also Cilantro, Chinese parsley)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from June.
Cowpeas (also Black eye peas, Southern peas)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.
Cucumber	Plant in garden.	Harvest from June.
Endive	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Fennel (also Bronze fennel)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.
Florence Fennel (also Finocchio)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.
Horseradish	Plant in garden.	Harvest from September.
Leeks	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.
Luffa (also Loofah, plant sponge)	Start undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks.	Harvest from August.
Marrow	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Mint (also Garden mint)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
NZ Spinach (also Warrigal greens)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Okra (also Ladyfinger, gumbo)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.
Oregano (also Pot Marjoram)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from June.
Parsley (also curly leaf parsley or flat leaf (Italian) parsley)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from June.
Parsnip	Plant in garden.	Harvest from September.
Pumpkin	Start undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks.	Harvest from August.
Rockmelon (also Canteloupe)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Rosemary	Plant in garden.	Harvest from 12 months.
Sage (also Common Sage)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from 18 months.
Savory - summer savory (also 'Bean Herb')	Plant in garden.	Harvest from June.
Savory - winter savory (also Savory)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from June.
Squash (also Crookneck, Pattypan, Summer squash)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Strawberries (from seeds)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from 12 months.
Strawberry Plants	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.
Sunflower	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Sweet corn (also maize)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.
Sweet Potato/Kumara	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.
Thyme (also Common thyme)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from February.
Tomatillo	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Tomato	Plant in garden.	Harvest from June.
Watermelon	Plant in garden.	Harvest from July.
Yam/Oka (also Oca)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.
Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from June

hey all how is the month of April treating you? We are all good here. I finally got my spring seeds planted, my peas, carrots, and lettuces. I know its a little late but they had already started to sprout in there packages since the got left outside in the rain. the list above is things that can be planted now and when they will be ready to harvest.

I've got it full of Mel's Mix and the grids completed. I haven't planted yet because the weather's been really weird around here. It goes from really warm high 70's during the day to the low 40's at night. This next week we will be in the 50's and 60's during the day. 

Hopefully, you shall see the pictures.

Nice!

Wow, I'm very impressed!! Hopefully the weather will make up its mined here soon so you can start planting.

quick question: When it says "plant in garden" that means seeds, correct?

I am wondering because I was told by some folks (who happened to be selling transplants) that it was too late to plant seeds for several things you have listed.

TIA

That usually means transplants, Ralitaco. But I'd give the seeds a try anyway!

ralitaco wrote:quick question: When it says "plant in garden" that means seeds, correct?

I am wondering because I was told by some folks (who happened to be selling transplants) that it was too late to plant seeds for several things you have listed.

TIA

No, as AM says, that usually means transplant.  They can be sown directly in the ground but because the soil is cool in the spring, they will take a while to germinate.  For instance, if you are planting a tomato plant that has a Days to Maturity of 60 days.  That usually means starting indoors about six weeks before transplant.  So it really extends the time before harvest.

As an example, if the Days to Maturity is 60 days for a tomato - Add 15 days to germinate in 60*F soil temps, normally let it grow about 45 days before transplant -  - if seeds sown 4/15, then you won't be harvesting a tomato until about July 31.  But if you start the seeds indoors about 3/1, transplant 4/15, begin to harvest 6/15.  You speed up the harvest date by a whole lot.  I started my seeds indoors about 2/15, transplanted to the garden about 4/1 (with plastic put over at night), and should be harvesting about 6/15 for a 60 day to maturity tomato and even earlier for tomatoes that ripen earlier than that.  I just looked outside and I have a couple tomatoes blooming now.

A certain portion of the country does not have warm temperatures long enough to be able to plant from seed directly in the garden.  

The same goes for other long Days to Maturity plants like eggplants and peppers.  As with Tomatoes, they won't germinate well unless the soil temp is high enough and won't grow much in cooler weather.  So start indoors and give them a head start and you will be harvesting a lot earlier.  But they can be sown outside.  Some gardeners have volunteer tomatoes that self seed the following year and that works so sowing seed will work also,.

But on the other hand, all my seed packs for the varieties that are normally started indoors say something like - When to sow outside and When to start inside.

mschaef wrote:

Strawberries (from seeds)	Plant in garden.	Harvest from 12 months.
Strawberry Plants	Plant in garden.	Harvest from August.

Oh...but I am confused...what would the difference with these 2 be?

Personally I don't start strawberries from seeds. Way to hard but in this instance I believe it means that if you started them from seeds they might not produce the first year hence the harvest in a year. Where as if you have a trans plant they should produce the first year hence the harvest in August. Also pertaining to strawberries there are different varieties that ripen at different times of the year. Some produce just one big crop other produce continually. Hope this helps and isn't confusing.

We are in a serve frost warning until tomorrow morning. Jeez and my spring crops are just starting to take off. And I haven't found my covers yet in the boxes. Oh well I'll just hope and pray for the best. Who else is getting chilled this weekend?

Thanks MsChaef

We are getting chilly down here by Surf City, NC. I was painting my elevated beds and trellises and about 6pm, I could feel the temp dropping. Oh and the wind was whipping all day too.

I had bought some plants to put in but decided to wait until after the frost tonight. Looks like Monday some plants will finally go in.

Beautiful beds sherwoz!

We have finally made it out of frost warning time frame and I transplanted my tomatoes!  I will NOT admit failure on these little suckers, so if I have to, I'll telling "fishing stories" in 2 months. What does that mean?  It means I'll be buying tomatoes at the store and placing them carefully in my plants to "pick" while my husband is watching!

Of course, you could be pleasantly surprised.

So today I planted cherry tomatoes, beef and big boy tomatoes, yellow squash, cucumbers and watermelon (for the youngest). I still have lots of space, but the pocketbook didn't have as much money as I do space!! My husbands wants me to plant collards at some point. YUCK! I have to see when to plant them. 

So hopefully the little critters in my yard will not have a buffet on what I just planted. 

sherwhoz wrote:So today I planted cherry tomatoes, beef and big boy tomatoes, yellow squash, cucumbers and watermelon (for the youngest).

Awesome!! I planted pretty much what you did sans the watermelon...I wanted to plant the little ones that they sell as "personal" watermelons. But right now, I have more trellis-able plants than I know what to do with. I am thinking I will have some vines running on the ground.

I too have some squares left...decisions, decisions

I think I'm going to be finding different objects to use as trellises for most of my stuff. Or they'll just take the yard over. Good problem to have huh?? 

Wish I had squares that I needed to fill! Fun problem to have

My squash (patty pan) last year went a ramblin' and it was fine. They are a bush type, but the vining type can also be "led" where you want them....