Starting A Vegetable Garden

Homegrown vegetables are healthier, fresher and more delicious than those you can buy in the grocery store. Vegetable gardening also offers many benefits, such as exercise, fresh air and landscape beautification.

Choosing the right vegetables to grow depends on what you like and your growing zone. Be sure to plant the varieties recommended for your area.

Spring is just around the corner. That means our phones and email are lighting up with calls from gardeners with questions about what to plant, when to plant and what tasks they need to consider to ensure their vegetables are out of this world, or their landscape makes people want to stop in the middle of the street to admire it.  

We love to get these calls, so keep calling and checking in, but you can also get a great head start with our Alabama Gardener’s Calendar. You can access this calendar most easily on our website at https://bit.ly/3m11RbB. 

For instance, heading out of February and into March, you should consider a soil test for your lawn. You should consider fertilizing shrubs, except for azaleas and camellias, and you can also plant half-hardy annuals. 

If vegetable gardening is more your speed, you can plant hardy crops like garden peas, leafy greens and root vegetables. You can also transplant asparagus, lettuce and onions. Hardening off more tender vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant is still a little early; wait for the soil temperature to climb over 65 degrees.  

https://bit.ly/3otwUdl or online at https://bit.ly/3yniPCx.                                    

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) is an equal-opportunity educator and employer. Everyone is welcome! Please let us know if you have accessibility needs.                                                            

Eric Wright is extension coordinator for the Etowah County Extension Office. 

Source: gadsdentimes.com