Find Out When To Plant Certain Things

As a relatively new gardener, I often get confused as to when to plant certain garden plants and vegetation. Many seasoned gardeners will advise on when to plant but the advice is often confusing or just plain contradictory. The problem I have is determining whether to wait until there is no chance that a frost can occur or not. I also have trouble determining which plants to start from seeds and which to put into the garden after they have begun to grow.

This year is pretty confusing because the weather has been unpredictable. We thought that the frost was tucked safely away until next fall. We chose the first week of May as the prime time to get started. Of course, spring has been running its course since the end of March so many of us think May is when to plant in our gardens.

Unfortunately, I followed this general rule thinking that spring was well on its way only to find that I really did not know when to plant my garden. I found myself desperately trying to cover the entire garden area with a tarp to protect the delicate budding plants from a frosty demise. Some made it through the unseasonable cold snap while others did not. I may have even caused more damage by covering the poor things.

The whole dilemma of determining when to plant continues in our household. My husband swears by planting during the full moon and this would be fine if the full moon occurred each weekend. I hate the idea of only having one opportunity to plant a garden. Of course, the full moon also seems to coincide with cold, rainy days that are not suitable for the outdoors.

There are other factors that come into play as well. Another problem we face in determining when to plant our garden is our toddler. She only takes a few hours to rest each day and scheduling around her sleep schedule is not always the best route to take. Balancing her schedule, the waning moon and the potential for frost leaves us with a narrow window of time.

Sometimes it is best to just let nature take its course. Having a garden is in itself a lesson in trial and error. Your gut instincts may help you determine when to plant your garden. You may feel that this is the week for tomatoes even though the moon seems to disagree and the weatherman warns of frost.