Sow Seeds Now

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— Becky Wilder, Seeds for the South, Graniteville, S.C. 

GULF COAST

So much to do and so little time! February is a second planting opportunity for cool-season crops such as broccoli, cabbage, mustard, lettuce, snow peas, radishes, carrots and beets. Beginning in March, we set out tomato plants. Last year’s best producers in our garden were ‘Carmello,’ ‘Dona’ and ‘Champion,’ and they were also the best tasting. Set out pepper plants later in the month—one jalapeño and one ‘Big Bertha’ bell are enough for a small garden, and plant beans, corn, cucumbers and melons. Be sure to spray fruit trees with a dormant oil spray, a type of spray intended for use before the buds open. In early February, overwintering insects are at their weakest, and the oil should take out a large number of them. Inspect irrigation systems now before the dry season hits. Drip tapes rarely work well for more than one season, and drippers may need cleaning or replacement.

— Bill Adams, Burton, Texas 

CENTRAL/MIDWEST

During this season, it’s exciting to wake up each morning just to see which plants are sprouting! As our days get longer, the plants started indoors now actually will catch up with those begun in January. It’s time to start seeds for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions and celery — veggies that do best when they get an indoor head start. Flowers to start are geraniums, petunias, snapdragons and first-year-blooming perennials. Save quick-growing plants for later. A few weeks after your seedlings sprout, apply a weak organic fertilizer to maximize plant health. Keep grow lights about 4 to 6 inches above the plants to avoid spindly stems and pale leaves. Remember that fluorescents gradually become dimmer with age; replace the bulbs as needed. If you have germination problems, make sure both seeds and soil mix are fresh, and that trays are kept warm. Even if you have a few failed seedlings, you’ll have plenty of plants to share.

— Connie Dam-Byl, William Dam Seeds Ltd., Dundas, Ontario 

NORTH CENTRAL AND ROCKIES

Almost every great new idea I run into these days concerning my garden and yard is not really new. As I try to rely less on outside energy and goods shipped from great distances, the tools (such as the bulldog garden fork, wheelbarrow and rake), devices, techniques and seeds working best for me are the same ones homesteading Americans used before life became industrialized. In addition to searching through heirloom catalogs for the latest and greatest, search your own neighborhood for local resources—especially seeds. The old folks in your area just might have a hidden treasure of seeds. Expand your own network to find those looking for the same things as you. As I start my tomatoes, peppers and cabbage-family plants indoors in the next couple of weeks, I will be using true heirloom treasures of the kind seldom found in seed catalogs.

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SEED SOWING AND SAVING '

Carole B. Turner

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