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Do you have a community garden or are you thinking of adding one?
The DE Master Gardeners have started a Community Garden News bulletin. In this issue: preparing your garden for the year ahead.

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Preparing for the New Year
The seed catalogs have started to arrive in our mailboxes. The worms and micro-organisms (like bacteria and fungi) have been busy enriching the garden soil by breaking down leaves, old roots, and the fresh compost that had been put down in the fall. The cover crop sowed in November is starting to show green, and greens like chard and arugula are still growing.

Now it’s time to plan for the new year in your garden.
What to grow this year:
  • Study the seed catalogs and decide what (and how much) you’d like to grow. Try a new variety or two that you haven’t tried before.
  • Did you save seeds from last season? Maybe went unopened. As long as they’ve been stored in a cool, dry place, last year’s seeds are likely good, though their germination percentage may fall. A simple germination test can help you determine seed viability.
  • What vegetables will you plant by seed and which will go directly into the ground? Are there seeds you want to start early, indoor or under cover? Will you plant flowers to attract birds and pollinators, and to further beautify your garden?  
  • What will be planted where, and when? Develop a schedule. Keep it simple, start small, and add additional layers as you gain confidence from year to year. Don’t forget to rotate your plantings year upon year if possible.
For additional suggestions visit our vegetable gardening webpage.
Early Spring (around St. Patrick’s Day in mid-March):
Depending on temperature and soil moisture, is a good time to sow seeds for leafy greens.
  • Lettuce, spinach, and mustard need cool weather to grow; they will not survive once it gets hot and dry in June/July.
  • Kale and chard can be planted early and then seeded again in later spring.
  • Radish and beets, and snow and snap peas also like cooler weather. 
Later Spring:
Other vegetables grown from seed may need to be planted later in the spring.
  • This includes beans.
  • Experiment with potatoes or something in the onion family. You can order these and be ready to put them in the ground (“new” potatoes can be grown in a container) once the soil is warmer in late April/early May. Consider a soil thermometer so soil temps are ideal for the seeds you’re planting.
  • Tomatoes, cucumbers, squashes can be started 6-8 weeks prior to the time they are planted into the ground. This means get them into starter pots or trays by the beginning of March. You’ll need a warm and light location, a starter growing medium, and they will need to be watered consistently. Join Master Gardener Rebecca Rendeiro in an indoor seed starting workshop on February 10. Register here.
Summer and beyond:
What to do once the greens, peas, and other early vegetables are done for the spring?
Lay out a plan for what will go where.

For example, the lettuce will be done early – is this a good place to later plant beans? Are there plants that need more sunlight than other plants like tomato, eggplant, and squash?

Are there plants that will need support? 
For example, vining (indeterminate) peas or cucumbers need a trellis or can be planted against a fence.

Remember, many plants can have multiple seasons in your garden- a second planting of squash where the lettuce was, a fall planting of lettuce where the squash was, don’t be afraid to experiment and don’t let vacant space go to waste!
Other tasks to take care of now:
  • Clean your garden tools. Infectious viral and fungal plant diseases can survive on the dirt left on clippers, trowels, rakes, and shovels. Wash off the dirt and use alcohol or a bleach solution to disinfect. -
  • Soil test (recommended every 3-5 years). Order now and follow provided direction to submit. 
  • Call the garden line for help to interpret your soil test results. 302-831-8862
  • Build raised beds or repair existent beds.
  • Build a site for, or manage, your compost.
 
Thanks for being a gardener! Please share what you know about growing vegetables, and healthy eating with your friends and family. And consider planting an extra row or two for crops to donate to the community.
Prepared by the Community and School Gardens Subcommittee of the New Castle County Master Gardeners

For more info on starting a garden in your community, please contact Carrie Murphy.
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