Spring Plantings

The plan has been revised.

Well, I did some research into last year's plantings, and decided I needed to change it up.  Last year I went with the most conservative last frost, April 9th.  However, most websites plus the Farmer's Almanac are saying February 15th for zone 9.*

Instead of being ultra conservative, this year I'll go with Feb 15th and just be on high alert for cold temperatures, and cover the beds if needed.  I'll even keep the smaller strands of xmas lights handy to spread some warmth about the most tender plants if I have to.  This theoretically will give me another SEVEN weeks of the growing season.  But it also means I must start stuff much earlier than expected.


Crap, I gotta do this stuff NOW! 

Good thing the seeds and seed-starting supplies arrive tomorrow.

Here's the updated week-by-week spring planting schedule (there are repeats due to succession planting):

Dec
Week 3
- Start indoors:  arugula, beet
- Start outdoors:  garlic
Week 4
- Start indoors:  beet
- Start outdoors:  garlic

Jan
Week 1
- Start indoors:  beet, calendula, cilantro, pepper, sage, tomato.  
- Start outdoors:  garlic, miner’s lettuce
Week 2
- Start indoors:  calendula, cilantro, sage, tomato. 
- Start outdoors:  arugula, miner’s lettuce, kale. 
- Transplant:  arugula from dec  
Week 3
- Start indoors:  calendula, chard, cilantro, sage, tomato
- Start outdoors:  arugula, miner's lettuce, kale, radish, turnip
Week 4
- Start indoors:  basil, chard
- Start outdoors:  arugula, carrot, kale, radish, turnip

Feb
1
- Start indoors:  basil, chard, zucchini, summer squash, Lakota squash, sunflower
- Start outdoors:  beet, carrot, kale, radish, turnip
- Transplant:  kale
2
- Start indoors:  zucchini, summer squash, Lakota, sunflower
- Start outdoors:  radish
Feb 15th = Last frost??
3
- Start indoors:  cucumber
- Start outdoors:  chard, radish
- Transplant:  beet, chard, cilantro, sage
4
- Start indoors:  cucumber
- Start outdoors:  chard, radish
- Transplant:  calendula

March
1
- Start indoors:  cucumber
- Start outdoors:  calendula, chard, cilantro, nasturtium, radish, sunflower
- Transplant:  basil, zucchini, summer squash, lakota, sunflower, tomato
2
- Start outdoors:  calendula, cilantro, cucumber, nasturtium, radish, zucchini, summer squash, Lakota, sunflower
- Transplant:  cucumber, tomato
3
- Start outdoors:  basil, cucumber, radish, zucchini, summer squash, lakota, sunflower
- Transplant:  pepper, tomato
4
- Start outdoors:  basil, radish, zucchini, summer squash, Lakota, sunflower

April
1, 2, 3, 4 (all the same)
- Start outdoors:  basil, radish, zucchini, summer squash, Lakota, sunflower

May
1, 2
- Start outdoors:  radish, zucchini, summer squash, Lakota
3, 4
- Start outdoors:  radish

June
1
- Start outdoors:  radish
 

I planned this all out through SmartGardener... but I can't add berries to the garden on the site without purchasing it for $2 as an add-on.  Bah.  They have a bunch of cool features this year, stuff I really wish it had last year, but am currently not going to pay for it.


*Mom and Dad... I'm a zone 9b, and you're a 9a... my planting rules should apply to you, if you want to take some of my extra seedlings (assuming I can make them this year).