– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County OSU Extension
Don’t work garden soils until they are dry enough to crumble in your hand!
March is here! Thank goodness we’ve made it. In only two more weeks it will officially be spring! But eager green thumbs will need to practice restraint for two more months. Many gardeners may be afflicted by a condition known as “February Fever” by now that could make waiting difficult.
“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 Noble County is well after Mother’s Day this year. We should be safe from frost by May 21, although some micro-climates may fall into the range of May 11-May 20. Despite the advice to wait, 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. Cole crops like broccoli and cabbage thrive in the cool temperatures of early spring, but do not direct sow well. These plants do best started from seed indoors and planted 4 weeks later into the garden. 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. Potatoes can also be planted in mid-March in our area.
More information on early-spring plantings is available through OSU Extension. You can call or email Christine at 740-732-5681 or gelley.2@osu.edu for details on the requirements of common vegetable and fruit crops as well as planning for the design and space of your 2022 garden. Noble County OSU Extension also looks forward to continuing the Caldwell Community Seed Library Program into 2022 which will provide free public education on gardening for a healthy lifestyle and provide access to a wide variety of seed to the Noble County community. The library will be up and running in April. Watch for more details coming soon.
Now is the perfect time to draw up plans for your garden including the types of plants you want to grow, the amount of seed you need to meet the demands of your family, and the space required for success. A soil test is always a good place to start. Soil testing services are available through most OSU Extension offices and getting a soil test done before planting your garden will help you create a garden design where plants will thrive.
Additional gardening tips and events will be announced over the weeks to come as we gear up for the season.