I am in the process of moving to some bigger property and wanted to start a garden this year. Is it to late for me to start planting? What I am thinking of planting are tomatoes, corn, beans: string and wax, bell peppers, hot peppers, and carrots. I am not sure what else, but that is a start. My goal is to get one big enough so I can also teach myself how to can what I grow for a family of 4.
By Deana
What you can plant now would depend on your zone. Many vegetables like tomatoes can be bought as small plants, so even if you've missed the time for sowing as seed you could still get something in the ground. Check your local garden center to get an idea of what's in season. Some vegetables like salad, radishes and baby carrots can be good if you need a quick-growing crop to start from seed. :-)
Get a Farmer's Almanac. It outlines when the best time is for planting be it a root plant, a transplant or a planting by seed. It is a small investment every year for the yearly gardner.
In my 71 years I have never followed the Farmer's Almanac for planting. I go by the weather. So far where I live the weather hasn't been warm enough for much of anything to grow. Two nights ago our low was 33 degrees. I am patiently waiting for summer to arrive, not because I want to plant a garden anymore, but because I hate cold/chilly weather.
If you use seedling transplants from the nursery in your area, and if the weather cooperates with you, you should be able to get something in the ground. The transplants are great way to 'catch-up' a late started garden.
Ask at the nursery what is the plant suggestion for the time of year you will be planting in, watch the weather, and understand that the weather is the single most factor that determines the success of your garden.
The Internet should be a good resource, too. Google (or whatever your preferred search engine) searches using the zip or postal code, name of your area, and the words vegetable gardening should be a big help to you.
