# When to plant?



## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

I have so much to learn! :scratch

I looked up my region according to the USDA hardiness zone, and varying sources put me at either 7B or 8. I know that means colder crops are best for now, and planting hot plants like tomatoes in May. Bringing potted plants inside on colder nights isn't an option for me.

One big problem with that is that I live in an apartment, and container growing is really my only option. I'm also impatient - today there's a seedling sale as a fundraiser for my city's domestic violence resource and I really want to support that. And I'll be out of town the first week on May.

My gardening skills are terrible to boot, but I learned a lot from my first attempt last year and I think I can do better if it weren't for the timing of my vacation. 

So I guess my question comes down to timing ... and a little bit of venting on the side. Any suggestions?


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

You could get some planters and fill them with spinach, kale, chard or other "greens", it may be getting a little late for spinach though. Radishes could be a good choice, they will grow pretty much any time of the year and all parts are edible, same with beets and turnips, carrots would even be good and again all parts are edible, the greens can be used like parsley. Herbs may be a good choice, you could keep them growing all season long.

Some people like to plant lettuce in planters on balconies or porches but since space would be an issue for you, I'd go with something that had a little more nutrition than that. 

Since you are going to be gone for a week in May, you may have watering issues, you can get some of the "cheap" watering bulbs that you poke into the pots and and they may work for a week or so.

You also dont need to be limited to buying potted seedlings, you could plant seeds and start them yourself, that would give you a wider verity to choose from.

Good Luck.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Thanks! I have some nice radish seeds left over from last year, so maybe I'll just invest in some greens and let it go till I get home. As for supporting a good cause, I can always just write them a check and save them the overhead from the event.


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

check to see if your state or county has an Extension Service. If so call and see if they have a gardening calendar or even some info on their website( if they have one).

Just by doing a bing search for your area I came up with this site:
pacificnorthwestgardening.com

By doing a bing search for an extension service in your area I came up with these:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/
http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/handle/1957/11962

I don't know if oregon is where you're at but thats what I came up with when using "pacific northwest"


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

Genevieve said:


> check to see if your state or county has an Extension Service. If so call and see if they have a gardening calendar or even some info on their website( if they have one).
> 
> Just by doing a bing search for your area I came up with this site:
> pacificnorthwestgardening.com
> ...


I have planted a garden for forty years, yes I started young.
I live by my EC570 Extension manual & the calendar.
Unless you get heavy snow, you should plant year a round.
Too cold? Hoop Houses will help your garden run late & start early.
Maybe a green house later on.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

crabapple said:


> Hoop Houses will help your garden run late & start early.
> Maybe a green house later on.


An easy and cheap way is to run a centerlinie of pvc pip down your plot, drape plastic sheet over it and anchor it at the edges of the plot with something to keep it from blowing away. When it finally gets warm just pack it all up and save it for the next time its needed.

On a balcony or porch garden some variation of it could be used or you could just cut the bottoms out of milk cartons and put them over the potted plants, cheap and easy.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Just for fun, here's a picture of my garden last year ...









I got very little produce, probably because the pots were so small. I dumpster-dove a big stack of large plastic pots, so I have higher hopes this time around. Yesterday a friend gave me some strawberry sprouts that were already flowering, so I'm on my way!


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

I have big window boxes I found at Home Depot.
Check this thread and see the pics:
http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f36/whats-everyone-planting-today-18820/index15.html#post334017

You can grow a lot of food if you invest in the right planters.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Wow!

I do have a couple of window boxes above the frame of this photo - I planted radishes and some colorful flowers that did quite well.

I found out that next week there's a seedling sale as a benefit for a neighborhood elementary school, so I'll hit that up. I'm spending the same money either way, so I'd rather see the money go further than some corporate bottom line. I also volunteer in a neighborhood community garden, so last year I traded work for most of those seedlings. Life is good.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

notyermomma said:


> Wow!
> 
> I do have a couple of window boxes above the frame of this photo - I planted radishes and some colorful flowers that did quite well.
> 
> I found out that next week there's a seedling sale as a benefit for a neighborhood elementary school, so I'll hit that up. I'm spending the same money either way, so I'd rather see the money go further than some corporate bottom line. *I also volunteer in a neighborhood community garden, so last year I traded work for most of those seedlings. *Life is good.


That right there is your BEST source of what to plant when where you live!!! I bet there are lots of folks who volunteer who have gardens of their own. That or they had had gardens in the past. Ask questions and get to know them!! You never know, an older person may have some land that used to be gardened and may be more than happy to let you use it for a cut of the produce.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Yeppers. My balcony is small enough that I couldn't possibly live exclusively on my own produce, nor would I want to. It would be way too monotonous. I just take pride in the pleasure of producing what I can.

I believe strongly that community-building and social capital are critical to prepping. As much as we enjoy practicng our skills and learning new ones, NOBODY can know or do everything. It just isn't possible. And life is a lot more fun and meaningful as a team effort.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

I thought I'd offer an update just for fun and brags ...

My garden is thriving better than it ever has before. I give credit to planting early, using bigger pots, and more rain than usual. Duly noted for next year.

So far I've harvested lettuce, kale, and some herbs. The other morning I picked my first strawberry, and it didn't even make it into the house. As with any Real Strawberry experience, it bordered on the orgasmic.

THIS is why I garden. 

:droolie:


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

notyermomma said:


> I thought I'd offer an update just for fun and brags ...
> 
> My garden is thriving better than it ever has before. I give credit to planting early, using bigger pots, and more rain than usual. Duly noted for next year.
> 
> ...


My son went to Nicaragua with the church & bought a leather Journal for me.
I now add note to my gardening each planting & harvest.
I do not think it will change the garden world, but it should make my world easier.


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

Home grown strawberries are the best..the smell they emit when sun warmed and ripe is intoxicating. Last weekend I finally had my first few finally ripe and I just smelled them first for awhile. Store bought ones look amazing but are fairly tasteless and dont smell even a quarter as inviting as home grown. 

Hay..I noticed you have the tall tomato ( I think) plant on your right corner on the porch. Not sure what time of day that picture was actually taken, or what aspect your porch faces in regards to sun up, just that it seems to be shading the shorter plants. If it was taken in the am, then it looks likely all day their shaded anyways if your porch is facing more north, northwest aspect. If your porch is facing in a southern direction, it is shading the other plants so maybe consider some plant placement rearrangement on the porch so the tall bushy plants arent acting as a sun barrier to other shorter plants all day. 

Im in the Pacific Northwest as well and with the cooler, foggy less warm climates we share little details can have a big difference on a plants ability to produce. 

When I started expanding what kind of stuff I grew I really liked the wisdom the farmers almanic book for planting suggestions. I also got some good tips from a book called ,planting by the moon utilizing the moon light and really being in touch with the seasons to grow stuff.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Thanks!

My balcony faces due south ... for the most part everything gets good sun, but I like your idea of rearranging because I've noticed that the peas get shortchanged. I'm actually on my second installment of pea seedlings because the first ones didn't make it. I'll try some shuffling this afternoon.


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

sweet! peas love our weather by the way..mine always do awesome out here. The wind knocks them around a bit but so long as the trellis's are anchored well they grab on real good even 40 mph summer winds dont ruin them. I collect driftwood and use blackberry canes ( the big peices I chop from the fenceline) to use as anchors and trellisses for the peas..or turn a big tomato cage upside down for the short variety of pea plants. I usually grow the tall ones tho...


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Blackberry canes? Aren't you worried about filleting your fingers?


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

Hooch said:


> sweet! peas love our weather by the way..mine always do awesome out here. The wind knocks them around a bit but so long as the trellis's are anchored well they grab on real good even 40 mph summer winds dont ruin them. I collect driftwood and use blackberry canes ( the big peices I chop from the fenceline) to use as anchors and trellisses for the peas..or turn a big tomato cage upside down for the short variety of pea plants. I usually grow the tall ones tho...


They are ugly, but 5 gallon buckets with 3/8 to 1/2 bamboo work well as trellises, & you can pull up the winter/English pea & plant tomatoes or a potato in the same pot. You can plant radishes around the peas if like them.


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