January 4, 2009: A Spring Planting Schedule

Since most of my seeds have already been purchased, and I know what plants I will be buying, it's time to figure out a planting schedule that will take full advantage of my growing season. Again, as in my past 32 years of gardening, I depend on my old standby Crockett's Victory Garden. Not only does it have planting schedules for all the zones, I happen to be in the same zone as the Victory Garden so the entire book can be followed, month by month, as written.

Following is my possible planting schedule. It's quite probable not everything on the list will be planted as planned here, either due to lack of need or lack of space, but it does give me an idea of what can be planted if the need arises.

March 15 Cabbage, Golden Acre (start seedlings)
March 15 Cauliflower, Early Snowball (start seedlings)
March 15 Radishes, Gourmet Blend (1st. planting)
March 15 Broccoli, De Cicco (start seedlings)
March 15 Onions, Walla Walla Sweet (plants)
March 15 Onions, Yellow (sets)
March 15 Potatoes (1st. planting)
April 02 Mesclun, Mixed Salad Greens (1st. planting)
April 02 Beet, Detroit Supreme (1st. planting)
April 02 Lettuce, Prizehead (1st. planting)
April 02 Parsnip, Andover (1st. planting)
April 02 Peas, Super Sugar Snap (1st. planting)
April 02 Peas, Tall Telephone (1st. planting)
April 02 Spinach, Tyee Hybrid (1st. planting)
April 02 Radishes, Gourmet Blend (2nd. planting)
April 02 Lettuce, Buttercrunch (1st. planting)
April 15 Parsley, Moss Curled
April 15 Carrot, Chantenay (1st. planting)
April 15 Carrot, Imperator (1st. planting)
April 15 Carrot, Rainbow Blend (1st. planting)
April 15 Peppers, Green Bell (start seedlings)
April 15 Peppers, Jalapeno (start seedlings)
April 15 Broccoli, De Cicco (plant transplants)
April 15 Cabbage, Golden Acre (plant transplants)
April 15 Cauliflower, Early Snowball (plant transplants)
April 15 Spinach, Tyee Hybrid (2nd. planting)
May 03 Godetia, Double Azalea Flowered Mix
May 03 Basil, Italian Large Leaf
May 03 Beans, Contender bush (1st. planting)
May 03 Beans, Kentucky Blue pole (1st. planting)
May 03 Beans, Royal Burgundy bush (1st. planting)
May 03 Cucumber, Spacemaster (1st. planting)
May 03 Nasturtium, Dwarf Jewel Mix
May 03 Nasturtium, Glorious Gleam Mix (trailing)
May 03 Marigolds
May 03 Lettuce, Prizehead (2nd. planting)
May 03 Mesclun, Mixed Salad Greens (2nd. planting)
May 03 Radishes, Gourmet Blend (3rd. planting)
May 03 Sunflowers, Vanilla Ice
May 03 Squash, Burpee's Fordhook Zucchini (1st. planting)
May 03 Squash, Early Golden Summer Crookneck (1st. planting)
May 15 Beans, Royal Burgundy bush (2nd. planting)
May 15 Beet, Detroit Supreme (2nd.. planting)
May 15 Carrots, leftover mix (2nd. planting)
May 15 Peppers, Green Bell (plant transplants)
May 15 Peppers, Jalapeno (plant transplants)
May 15 Sweet Potatoes (1st. planting)
May 15 Tomatoes
June 02 Squash, Watham Butternut (winter)
June 02 Squash, Acorn (winter)
June 02 Beans, Contender bush (3rd. planting)
June 02 Beans, Kentucky Blue pole (2nd. planting)
June 02 Broccoli (direct seed)
June 02 Cabbage (direct seed)
June 02 Carrots, leftover mix (3rd. planting)
June 02 Cauliflower (direct seed)
June 02 Parsnip, Andover (2nd. planting)
June 02 Squash, Burpee's Fordhook Zucchini (2nd. planting)
June 02 Squash, Early Golden Summer Crookneck (2nd. planting)
June 10 Sweet Potatoes (2nd. planting)
June 15 "Beans, Royal Burgundy bush (2nd..planting)
June 15 Beet, Detroit Supreme (3rd. planting)
June 15 Carrots, leftover mix (4th. planting)
June 15 Potatoes (2nd. planting)
July 01 Beans, Kentucky Blue pole (3rd. planting)
July 01 Beans, Contender bush (3rd. planting)
July 01 Cucumber, Spacemaster (2nd. planting)
July 01 Squash, Burpee's Fordhook Zucchini (3rd. planting
July 01 Squash, Early Golden Summer Crookneck (3rd. planting)
July 16 Beet, Detroit Supreme (4th. planting)
July 16 Carrots, leftover mix (5th. planting)
July 16 Lettuce, Prizehead (3rd. planting)
July 16 Mesclun, Mixed Salad Greens (3rd. planting)
August 02 Peas, Super Sugar Snap (2nd. planting)
August 02 Peas, Tall Telephone (2nd. planting)
August 02 Radishes, Gourmet Blend (4th. planting)
August 02 Spinach, Tyee Hybrid (3rd. planting)
August 16 Lettuce, Buttercrunch (2nd. planting)
August 16 Lettuce, Prizehead (4th. planting)
August 16 Mesclun, Mixed Salad Greens (4th. planting)
September 03 Lettuce, Prizehead (5th. planting)
September 03 Radishes, Gourmet Blend (5th. planting)
September 03 Spinach, Tyee Hybrid (4th. planting)

The odd planting dates (normally I'd plant on the 1st. or 15th. of each month) are from using a fun (and free) little program I found on the Ed Hume Seeds website. It's called Moonbook, and it is a calendar of best dates to plant according to the moon. Now....I'm not saying there is anything to that, but my grandmother always planted according to the phases of the moon and she had lovely gardens. On the other hand, I never have paid any attention to the moon, and I have lovely gardens too. But I figured I'd give it a try, why not?

All tomatoes and my main crop of peppers will have to be purchased from a nursery, as I don't return to my home in Washington early enough to start them myself. This will also be the year to purchase strawberry and raspberry plants. I'm hoping my daughter kept my sweet potato plant alive through the winter so I can cut slips from it in the spring.