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| Tomatoes from our yard 2012 |
I realize it's only March 1st. Not only is there snow on the ground in Chicago, it was still snowing today. But I learned something about gardening last year...it's never too early to start.
Last year I started my tomato plants from seed in my window box. But I didn't start the seeds until the end of March. When May arrived they were just little seedlings. Half of them survived. It had nothing to do with the cold. A few got nibbled away. A couple just didn't make it.
While my friends were harvesting in late July from the larger plants they bought in nurseries, I was starring at little green tomatoes wondering if they would ripen before the first frost in October.
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| Strawberries and raspberries! |
Like every year I will also plant other veggies like green beans, yellow squash, zucchini, etc. along with the perennials I always grow - raspberries, strawberries, and rhubarb. I'm not sure if I will see any blackberries - I planted some overgrowth a friend donated last year.
Hopefully I will be able to start harvesting the tomatoes in August - and this year I will can them!
So even though you may be seeing snowmen in your neighborhood, it's time to start preparing for your backyard harvest.
Happy Gardening!
What are you planting this year? Leave us your ideas in the comments.
Alexandra Gnoske is a nature lover, writer, and environmental expert.
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