– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County OSU Extension
It’s not only cold temperatures that can destroy the best laid plans of the antsy gardener, but working wet soils can be equally destructive!
Hello March!
The end of winter is approaching. We are two weeks away from Spring Forward and three weeks from the first day of spring. The month of March is a very tempting time for green thumbs to start gardening. It can be a challenge to practice restraint when the sun begins to shine for more hours of the day, the air is warmer, the birds are singing, and our first early blooming flowers are starting to pop up. As tempting as it can be to go out to the garden and start digging, resist.
A condition known as “February Fever” was referenced by W.C McCollom in The Garden Magazine back in 1908 as the cause on many undue plant deaths in the month of March. McCollom’s advice was this:
“Don’t get the garden fever in February and uncover things on the first fine day. More damage is done to all plants during March than at any other time of the year. Plants that have been protected all winter are not able to stand severe changes and they will surely suffer from the late frosts if uncovered too early.”
The average frost-free date for most of the area stretching from Noble County across the state to Fairfield County is well after Mother’s Day, May 21-May 31, although some micro-climates may fall into the range of May 11-May 20. In 2020, many home gardeners and commercial growers too, were surprised by a significant cold snap in mid-May that led to reduced fruit yields from small fruits and replanting of vegetable gardens. Many gardeners will risk the chance of frost and plant veggies in April, but they should be prepared to watch the day and night temperatures on the weather forecasts and apply row cover protection when needed.
There are some vegetables that are resistant to frost and prefer cooler growing temperatures. March is the ideal time to give cool-loving plants head starts inside and to seed peas. Cole crops like broccoli and cabbage thrive in the cool temperatures of early spring, but do not direct sow well. These plants do best as transplants.
Start cabbage and broccoli seeds at least 4 weeks prior to transplanting outside. The ideal air temperature for these plants is 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures below 60 or above 75 for multiple days in a row may lead to odd growth as a stress response. Both require well-drained but moist, fertile, and slightly acidic soils to produce a good crop.
Peas are an option for direct sowing in March. As soon as the ground can be worked and is not saturated, peas can be directly sown at depths of two inches. Soaking seeds may quicken germination time; otherwise expect 1-2 week’s wait for seedlings to emerge from the soil. Pea variety will determine if staking or a trellis is a necessity. Peas are quick to grow and set pods. The gardener should expect to harvest their crop within 60 days of sowing the seeds. Peas are one of the few seeds you can sow before the last snow of the season and still expect good results.
For more advice on growing cole crops in the home garden, consult these fact sheets:
Growing Broccoli in the Home Garden- https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1605
Growing Cabbage in the Home Garden- https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1611
EDITOR’s NOTE: For more fact sheets and videos on gardening, visit the Gardening 101 link at the top of this blog page.