Gardening is a rewarding activity that brings joy to those who sow, grow and harvest. As winter winds down and hints of spring begins to appear, the itch to garden plants itself like a well established seed.
While many wait until late April or early May to start gardening, the good news is you don't have to. Despite lingering winter weather conditions and cool temperatures, some types of vegetables such as cole crops thrive in early spring. In fact, planting at this time allows you to not only get a head start on the season, but reap the benefits of growing a more bountiful garden harvest with a larger variety of vegetables.
When is the right time to plant and which vegetables should be planted for early spring gardening? What should be done to prepare the soil? Here are some helpful early spring gardening tips to help you get started.
Preparing the Soil for Early Spring Gardening
The best soil prep is done by mixing compost into the garden soil in fall or early spring. The basic green thumb rule is two inches of organic matter worked into six inches of soil. With the right amount of organic matter in the soil, it’s easier for a plant to get air, water and nutrients to the roots.
More organic matter mixed into less soil can be counterproductive and limit plant growth. On the other hand, if you have heavy, wet clay, lacking air space, your plants won’t do well either. Mixing the right compost to soil ratio–one part organic matter to two parts soil–will help provide a healthy, nutrient-rich bed for your plants.
Build up your garden soil with the best compost, mulch and soil amendments
Provide the optimum seed bed by tilling the soil and mixing the organic matter with fertilizer thoroughly in the garden. Use truly composted organic material such as Oakdell Organic Compost to create a healthy and ready to grow root zone. Green matter that has not yet been composted (grass clippings, bark, etc.) is better collected in the summer and blended into the soil in the fall so it can fully compost during the winter months. Use a compost bin to collect organic materials throughout the year.
What to Plant and When in Early Spring
When it comes to spring gardening plants, vegetables can be divided into two groups: cole crop plants and bulbs, and cool season root vegetables.
Cole Crop Plants and Bulbs
The first group, cole crop plants and bulbs, are cool season vegetables that can be started directly in your garden or indoors. Cole crops–a variety of cruciferous vegetables part of the brassica, or mustard, family–thrive in cooler weather. This makes your leafy greens, broccoli, Brussel sprouts and others perfect for early spring and fall gardens.
Cole crops can be planted as early as Valentine’s Day, once the snow has melted (don’t plant in the snow). While they are hardy vegetables, some seed varieties are good to plant directly into the soil outside early in the season, and others are best started indoors before transplanting outside.
Kohlrabi, kale, collard greens, Chinese kale, peas, onions, radishes, spinach, lettuce and turnips can be planted as seeds directly into your garden soil outside. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts are best started indoors as early as 4–6 weeks before planting them outside. A greenhouse or hot box are both ideal indoor settings for these plants to start growing while its still too chilly for them to be out on their own.
Learn more about starting vegetables and other plants from seed
Cool Season Root Vegetables
The second group of cool season vegetables are your root veggies, they should be planted in your garden from seed 2–3 weeks after you plant your cole crops. This is usually a couple weeks into March, or when the minimum daytime temperatures are between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
The list of cool season root vegetables include beets, carrots, potatoes, swiss chard, parsnips and turnips. Plant these seeds early enough to reach maturity for harvest before the temperatures get too warm for them to thrive, whether it's early spring or a little later.
Read "IFA's Growing Guide for a Plentiful Potato Harvest" for helpful tips
Frost and Snow Concerns for Early Season Planting
Cole crops and cool season root vegetables perform and produce better in cool weather as opposed to warm. The hot days and nights of summer easily stress them out. These plants can, however, be planted again in late summer when they can benefit from cooler temperatures and light frosts of early fall.
While cole crops and root vegetables perform well in cool temperatures, snow and frost are still a concern. Most garden plants don’t tolerate colder temperatures when they dip below a certain level depending on the variety. It may sometimes be necessary to cover your plants early in the season with Insulated Plant Protectors (formerly Walls O' Water), HotKaps, insulated blankets or similar products to protect them from the cold.
The last frost in northern Utah is usually somewhere close to Mother’s Day, but this will vary depending on the year and where you are located.
Additional Early Spring Gardening Tips
One great aspect of gardening is that it's always fun to grow the things you love and experiment with something new. We recommend growing the plants you like to eat while also planting at least one new veggie or fruit each year to keep things fun and interesting.
Most of the cool-season vegetables mentioned in this article also do well when grown in the fall. Take advantage of their ability to grow later in the season and extend your gardening season. Plant seeds again in mid-to-late summer for another round of fall crops.
To maintain healthy plants, make sure they have the right blend of nutrients and micronutrients for healthy growth. Applying IFA’s Grand Champion All-Purpose Fertilizer or IFA's 16-16-8 Premium Garden Blend Fertilizer once or twice every six weeks is an easy way to make sure your plants have the energy they need. With any fertilizer, always make sure to follow the directions listed on the bag.
For more information, visit your local IFA Country Store or download this Utah State University Extension “Vegetable Planting Guide,” which offers more details about vegetables to plant and when to plant them.
Information for this article was provided by Nick Loveland, Certified Arborist, Assistant Manager, Ogden IFA Country Store; Daniel Thatcher, Branch Manager, Price IFA Country Store; Jill Fillingim, Price IFA Country Store; and Kent Mickelsen, Utah Certified Nurseryman, IFA Country Store.
IFA Vegetable Planting Guide:
