Spring Vegetables

Time to plant...

--By Kathy Plant

March is a great time to plant leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, mustard, kohlrabi, and lettuce. Beets, carrots and sweet peas also can be sown now.
I love fresh asparagus and it’s so easy to grow. It’s not difficult to plant a patch that returns year after year with minimal maintenance, and a big garden isn’t necessary; they fit nicely into the back of a sunny border or corner of the yard. After harvesting spears for a month or two, I let the tops grow. They are tall, beautiful, fern-like and last all summer.
It’s still just a little early for most flowers, although there are several that are frost hardy, like pansies, dianthus, Dusty Miller, snapdragons and petunias. I like to plant up a couple of containers that can be moved into the garage on those frosty nights.

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Time to Harvest...

I planted several different leafy greens last fall and have been harvesting those delicious, vitamin-packed leaves again for several weeks. Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage, among others, can over-winter here in central Oklahoma. They start growing again as the days get longer. Once the large heads of broccoli are harvested, the plant continues to produce smaller side shoots, which, along with the tender young leaves are delicious in stir-fries.
Longer day length and warmer temperatures can make the cool weather crops bolt, causing bitterness or textural changes. Planting transplants can give us a head start on harvesting these healthy, flavorful vegetables.
Come by Plant Wisdom to see our selection of vegetable seeds and transplants, flowers, and shrubs. We would love to help you plan your garden this year!