I've been asking around, curious to hear what people are seeding and how things are going.
According to the West Coast Seeds planting chart and How To Grow Guide, here's what's fair game for early spring:
Direct-seed into the garden: arugula, corn salad, fava (broad) beans, garlic, kale and collards, oriental greens, peas, radishes
Started Indoors: artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery/celeriac, fennel, leeks, lettuce, onions (sweet), parsley, peppers, tomatoes (mid-month)
Under cover: spinach
When I look at that list I see that I am falling down on most fronts, but the photo at the top of this post shows my very leggy broccoli, leeks, artichoke (which I'm very excited about) and, in the clay pot at the back, eggplant seeded by my daughter. (I will have some eggplant seedlings to share. Has anyone been successful with eggplants? They will be in a greenhouse.)
Leah, in Tofino, reports that she has planted parsnips and radish in the garden; lettuce and mesclun undercover on her porch; and inside, she has: artichoke, celery, parsley, cilantro, basil, thyme, tarragon and several varieties of onion.
Chris, who has a float up in Lemmens Inlet, has her tomatoes well underway, keeping toasty under grow lights:
(The tomato seedlings are in Tofino, not up the inlet. Just in case you were curious.)
And for those thinking of a winter garden (yes, you have to start thinking about it now), Linda Gilkeson's Year-Round Harvest: Winter Gardening on the Coast says that your leeks should be started indoors by now.
Here are a couple more planting charts, from Mother Earth News. Here's what they suggest for the Pacific Northwest for March and April.
What do you have seeded indoors or in the garden? Curious wet coast minds want to know.
I would love to try some of your eggplant in our new greenhouse when they're ready. Could trade for something I have.
ReplyDeleteJust started some flower seeds inside too...mostly edibles... nasturtium, calendula, violas, marigolds. As well as columbine, sweet allyssum, poppy. Maybe a little ambitious but we'll see.
Planted more broccoli under cover outside (cause we love it). Trying a regular heading brocolli as well as a chinese one called gai lan (a sprouting kind).
I had some success with eggplant. It was in my greenhouse. They take up a lot of space, although they are very pretty. I planted some long ones and some big ones, I got some off of most of the varieties I tried. Since they were space hogs I tried them in pots and moving them outside the next year - no success there. I haven't grown them since. I tried spinach and lettuce (from old seeds) in the garden. Nothing really germinated (but then the plastic ended up getting ripped off and then landed on top with a big pool of water - so they didn't have a great chance. Inside the greenhouse I've planted (to be transplanted later): cucumbers, tomatoes, celery (I had a celery plant last all winter inside my unheated greenhouse - awesome), jalapeno peppers (the only pepper I've had success with other than cayenne), artichoke (first time for me), dill, marjoram, and a few other spices. I like the spices since I can plant them anywhere (the deer haven't eaten most of my herbs). I haven't started by brassicas yet. I'm a little slow. I also have to direct seed the greenhouse still. I am still harvesting carrots, kale and broccoli from last year, but most look pretty sad and have bolted long ago.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips on eggplant. Maybe I will have to get that greenhouse afterall. Eggplants are not my favourite, but Ava really likes them and I'm sure there are lots of wonderful ways to prepare them - I just haven't succeeded! Artichoke is a first time experiment for me, too. I'm excited about that. I didn't consider planting artichoke until I heard that someone in Tofino was growing it last year. Yeah, for the garden tour!
ReplyDeleteI have started indoors: tomatoes, mini-bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, basil, cucumber, zucchini, sage, cilantro, parsley. Outside and under cover: peas, beans, lettuce, spinach, kale, chard and radishes. The indoor basil is available to eat now as well as the outdoor seeded spinach.
ReplyDeleteThe seeds are mostly from West Coast Seeds, seed-saving & sharing and a few from Salt Spring Seeds.
Thanks for letting us know what you've seeded, Boathouse B&B. Are the beans you have outdoors fava beans (aka broad beans) or "regular" beans? I thought the latter liked warmed soil. I am feeling impatient though so yesterday set up two good sized planters in a sunny spot and covered them in black plastic. I'll let the soil warm up for a few days and then try some bean seeds, probably with a cloche.
ReplyDeleteAnd, wow, spinach you can already eat. Mine are just babes! Keep us updated.
You are right, the beans I started were Fava. I am waiting for warmer temperatures to start bush beans.
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