Short growing season

[almanorigo]

Happy Tuesday!! I am not sure where I should post this so if it needs to go elsewhere, please let me know!

I am in Zone 7a (according to a gardening book written by a -former- local Botanist, we are similar to Zone 5b, as well). I would like to start planning my garden (or part of it) but our local nurseries aren't open for the season! If anyone can give me direction/guidance/info on the short growing season veggies, I would appreciate it. Although, this year it looks like we should have a longer growing season. It is still in the mid 20's at night but our days are pretty nice. I dug in the beds a few weekends ago and have a few returning plants from the previous owner!

 

[NwMtGardener]

Well i have a short growing season, as well as quite a few other members, so you should get lots of advice here! And we dont really care where you post things, we're easy like that.

Hmmm...where to start. It sounds to me like you're asking if you should plant peas as opposed to artichokes, due to the growing season. But what I might suggest, humbly, is grow what you LIKE to eat, within reason. There are varieties of most things that ripen in a shorter amount of time. So...if you enjoy tomatoes, plant a variety of tomato that has a shorter "Time to Harvest" listed. You should see that on your seed packet.

Cold hardy things can go out early, to get a jump on the season. I'm just gradually learning about some of those things. Onion sets come to mind, as well as bok choy and some of those asian greens that Hoodat and Digits grow.

You can probably get us to name some specific varieties if you narrow down some of the veggies you're considering growing. I know for sure we've had some recent discussion on tomato varieties, you can use the "search forum" button up above to locate that thread for good short season tomato varieties.

 

[almanorigo]

Thanks!! I have never planted from seed. Well, I take that back, we tried two summers ago (in a different area) and they all got trampled by the fence builder!

I would like to plant grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, beans, pickling cucumbers and squash. I planned on just starting with plants.

 

[baymule]

It is real easy to start with plants. I think everybody started out like that. Then you start thinking you are so smart, that you buy seeds......then you're hooked. Suddenly varieties with all kinds of catchy names are in your seed box. yes, you will have a seed box, so get organized from the start.

If you are just getting started in gardening, don't overwhelm yourself. Start out with a few of your favorites, make it easy on yourself. We will all be glad to help you so don't be shy--just ask!

 

[NwMtGardener]

Good idea to start out with plants. It helps you get familiar with variety names, and what does well in the microclimate of your specific garden. If you visit locally owned nurseries (not big boxes ) they should have a selection of plants that will do well in your area.

Oh, now that i look more closely at your list, there are a few things there that i would go ahead and plant, as seeds, directly into your garden. Lettuce and beans for sure. The cukes and squash i could go either way. They're not hard to start from seed right in your garden, but you could also get them at a nursery.

PLAN BEFORE YOU GO TO THE PLANT STORE!! Draw a diagram of your garden area with dimensions, and plan out a rough idea of where you'll be putting each plant. Squash will get really big, tomatoes pretty good size. That will help you know how many plants you need to buy. We all get sucked into buying more than we had planned when we go to the nursery!

 

[so lucky]

Hey, welcome! I'll just say that the lettuce, beans, cucumbers and squash are quick and easy to start from seed, directly in the garden. The tomatoes are easy to sprout, but maintaining them indoors until time to transplant outside takes a little skill and patience. You will enjoy your garden more if you don't set impossible goals right away.

 

[Wishin']

Be warned you may start on here,completely innocent, cautious methodical, planning everything out, and believing that you'll start small and stick with the planned, but you won't It starts with an innocent question,then they open your eyes to something NEW something that would be "easy", now your curiosity is peaked, then they add a little bit of encouragement, a little bit of confidence, and you grow it/try and it is easy. Fueled by your success you get adventurous, you try something else, then something else. And before you know it they have made a full fledged addict out of you. I should know I was an addict in less then a month. I was supposed to start out with lettuce, broccoli, peas and two tomato varieties, with possibly a few potatoes and a strawberry bed in April. Now I'm trying to keep myself from quadrupling my garden, because I know I'm just about at my triple limit.

 

[Smart Red]

And so true!

 

[digitS']

. . . I would like to plant grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, beans, pickling cucumbers and squash. I planned on just starting with plants.

You will have a whole world of opportunities starting from seed, there at Lake Alminor!

You take that Ildi grape tomato (link). I really don't think you'll find that one at the garden center. Notice the 54 "days to maturity." It just couldn't get much quicker than that.

You may have useful local information at hand. It is difficult to go by "winter hardiness zones" for guidance on annual vegetable garden plants. They have to do with perennials and making proper choices for what can survive through the winter in your yard.

Your summer gardening environment is likely to be something closer to a high desert. California is an incredibly variable state, geographically. You are lucky to have an important resource in just about everything that Sunset magazine has done on gardening! It provides a little advice each month for its Sunset zones.

Those zones go right across the U.S. but pay careful attention to California's diversity. You can find some of that information online as well as in each issue. Moreover, they have a dandy book on gardening! It is all geared to their growing zones. I bet every public library in your state has that book and, maybe, in its several editions.

Steve

 

[Carol Dee]

I bet you get sucked-in as quickly as the rest of us did. Just one small success and you are hooked for life. Have fun. Experiment a little, be brave. seeds are cheap!