Planting Early Spring Crops

Last Saturday I had hoped to plant more early spring crops, but the Texas weather would not cooperate.  It was cold and super windy.   Cold enough to keep me inside the house!  Sunday, however, was a beautiful day with sunshine and warmer temperatures.   I usually spend most Sunday afternoons resting, but I sacrificed my nap to work in my SFG. 

 

 

I planted several squares of salad greens including several types of lettuce, spinach, and mesclun.  I purchased three varieties of lettuce starter plants at a local garden center -- Red Leaf lettuce, Bibb lettuce, and arugula.   I planted Burpee Mesclun Classic Mix from seeds.  Mesclun is a variety of salad greens often sold in supermarkets as spring mix.   The seed package indicates that there are eight different varieties of salad greens Prize Leaf Lettuce, Oak Leaf and Red Salad Bowl Lettuces, Green Ice Lettuce, Arugula Rocket, Endive, Curled and Radicchio Red Verona, Corn Salad Mache, and Curled Chervil.

 

 

Arugula planted four per square. 

 

 

Red Leaf Lettuce planted four per square.

 

 

Bibb Lettuce planted four per square.

 



The back row (Sorry, Mel,I know you hate that word.) is sugar snap peas
 planted eight per square.

 

 

One of the SFG crops I am most excited about is sugar snap peas.   I found some starter plants at the local garden center.  Since Mel, my go to guy for square foot gardening, recommends planting seeds rather than growing starter plants indoors, I decided to do a little experiment.  I have planted one square with the starter plants and three squares from seeds.   The seed package promises only 64 days to maturity.   I hope the weather doesn’t get too hot too soon and I get a great harvest.        

 I also planted two more squares of onions.  This is in addition to the two squares I planted two weeks ago.  Replanting every two weeks will extend the length of my harvest season.   Being the southern girl that I am, I can hardly wait for the harvest.   Freshly picked sweet green onions go great with a country girl’s favorite comfort foods.  What’s for supper Grandpa?   Red beans, fried potatoes, hot water cornbread, and green onions.   Yum! Yum!  

Sweet Onions planted 16 per square.

 

Other crops added to my SFG included two types of parsley, flat and curled as well as some onion chives.   Has anyone ever tried to preserve chives by drying them? I would sure like to know if this can be done and if I need a dehydrator. 

My initial three 4X4 squares are just about full.  I have left a few squares for potatoes and some early tomatoes, but I will have to be patient and wait for warmer days. 

As I put this post to bed, I am hearing more cold weather is forecasted.   Looks like there is no way around getting the PVC pipe and building the  mini greenhouses for each square.