Planning for the spring

[Pete from Boston]

I've always sort of dragged my feet into the start of the gardening year and gotten going only once I saw that everyone else was way ahead of me. But this year I was thinking that now that it's two months in, maybe a little forethought is in order for once.

Our frost-free date is not until May 15 here. When can the first cold- weather vegetables go in? When is a good time to start indoor seedlings?

What should we really be concerned about, if anything, in February? I'm getting antsy even though the tomatoes are 5-6 months away.

[Brian]

Pete

My tomato plants are about 3 inches tall. I couldn't stand it anymore. I planted seed on Feb 1 (WAY TOO EARLY). Our last frost day here in central Indiana is May 9th. I planted tomatos and I planted sweet bell peppers in these little peat pots and I have them on my kitchen table where they get gobs of sunlight. I do not dare put them in the ground until May 9th (we usually do about all of our planting on Mother's Day).

Everyone around here plants potatoes on St. Patricks Day

I think I have put in leaf lettuce seeds, radish seeds, and broccoli plants in the middle of April...like Easter Sunday or so. I know that green leafy and root suff is a lot tougher. I don't grow cabbage, but I think that is also an early veggie.

How big is your garden? Mine is only about 15 by 15.

[Pete from Boston]

messagenews: [e-mail]...

Our plot is probably about 7 x 15. Last year we stuffed 18 tomato plants, too much basil, some peppers, eggplants, kale, spinach, chard. The chard did well late, the kale not so well, and the spinach was a dud.

Starting that kale earlier would probably be a good start.