Here in Utah spring garden chores are done in between an occasional spring snow storm. But that's OK take advantage of the warm days spring does offer and you'll being eating fresh produce sooner than you anticipate.
Plant Perennials
First if you want early spring harvest there are some perennials that give you early spring treats.
Rhubarb is a hardy perennial. Today I harvested some stalks and will enjoy a rhubarb crisp. To harvest grab the stalks at the base and just twist. Be sure to remove any flowering stalks. This dessert plant is one my favorites. It's a beautiful lush plant. For more info on planting check out this post:
Sorrel is the first crop ready in my garden. It is a perennial green. It does best in our zone with afternoon shade. Sorrel can be added to salads but my favorite way is to use it in an omelet with Monterrey Jack or Swiss Cheese. It has a lemony zesty flavor that I love.
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| A sorrel, Monterrey Jack cheese omelet. |
Asparagus is another early spring crop. Be sure to cut off all the winter kill from the previous season, weed the bed, put down a dry organic fertilizer, and put down a layer of compost. Water any perennials in early spring on warm days if the soil has dried out.
Plant a Fall Garden
Planting a fall garden will ensure early spring harvests. This lettuce was planted in the fall, it died back in the winter, and came up in the spring.
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| Merlot lettuce |
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| Butterhead lettuce |
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| Bronze Arrowhead Lettuce |
Kale is a perennial here. You can leave it in the ground through winter. It dies back and starts new leaf growth in March. I also replant new plants but you will have a very early crop of kale if you let it over winter especially if it's planted in fall.
Start Seeds Indoors
Getting an early start on spring crops by starting your own seeds indoors then transplanting out under a low tunnel gives you a two week or more head start. You can then direct seed some of the same crops to lengthen the harvest.
Seeds I have started indoors include: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, Pac Choi, Chinese cabbage, onions, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, tomatillas, dahlias, Impatients, and snap dragons.
Warm Your Soil
Soil temperature is what determines when seeds will germinate. As the soil warms not only do seeds germinate but micro organisms awaken and the soil food web comes alive. Critical to that food chain is compost. These organisms are decomposers and compost and organic fertilizers are their food source.
Other ways to warm your soil is to put a row cover or weed block on the surface of your bed. You can plant seeds and then cover. If you are using the weed block remove when the seeds germinate. A row cover can be left directly on the seedlings or you can construct a low tunnel.
Plant in Raised Beds
Soil in a raised bed warms sooner than bare ground. A sandy loam soil warms up sooner than a clay. I highly recommend using raised bed for most crops. I do have a field garden that I plant in deep dug wide rows. I use this for corn, potatoes, squash, pumpkins, melons, and grains.
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