by Patty Leander
photos by Patty and Bruce Leander
It’s GROW TIME, veggie gardeners! Spring is here and our gardens are about to come alive with activity. Warm season vegetables, including green beans, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes and corn, can be planted when temperatures are consistently above 55°. The weather forecast looks good except for the possibility of freezing nighttime temperatures during the first week of March. It may be best to wait and plant transplants after those colder nights have passed to avoid possible setbacks. Once daytime temps get into the 70-80° range plants will really take off.
Weeding and watering are critical to get a good stand, especially during the first 30-40 days of growth when plants are putting down roots. Transplants should be watered in their pots before transplanting and watered again after planting in the ground. And remember, the flowering and fruiting plants that we grow in the warm season need at least 6 to 8 hours of full sun for optimum growth and production.
Here is the vegetable gardener’s checklist for March:
If you turned off irrigation for the winter it’s time to turn it back on, reconnect hoses and timers and check for leaks. Soaker hoses and drip irrigation are recommended for vegetable gardens because they direct water to the roots and avoid wetting the leaves.
Watch for aphid outbreaks on tender new growth. A few are not harmful but their numbers can quickly increase, causing puckered leaves as they suck the plant juices. Spray with insecticidal soap or dislodge with a strong spray of water, repeating as necessary.
Monitor water needs of new plantings; strong spring winds can quickly desiccate young seedlings.
Bush and pole beans, cucumbers, summer squash and winter squash are fast growers and can be seeded directly in the garden.
Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants should go in the garden as transplants so that flowering and fruit set can occur before temperatures get too hot.
Wrap tomato cage with row cover to protect transplants from wind and cold.
Mound soil around potatoes leaving the top 6-8” of leaves exposed.
Melons, okra, sweet potatoes, peppers and southern peas grow best in warmer soil so they can be planted later in the month.
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