It’s Time to Get Planting!
March 8, 2012 at 5:32 pm
by Regina Ragone
If you read my column in the April issue you know that I am a first time gardener. Luckily, I have a lot of friends with green thumbs to advise me along the way so it shouldn’t have come as any surprise when one of them told me I had better start my indoor containers (to be later transplanted outside) NOW. Since it was determined I was in zone 7b (The USDA recently released released a new version of its Plant Hardiness Zone Map), the first major revision since 1990 I had to check out what I needed to get going first so I used the Burpee growing calendar, which made it super easy, and then decided on eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. I also found this seed starting video which I will be following step-by-step this weekend.
Have you started your seeds? Share in the comments below.
Regina Ragone, R.D., is food director at Family Circle magazine.
Time Out Space : For Yourself 
I started my first “good” garden this year, after buying my first home too! I put in raised beds (my soil is clay) made from used cinder blocks. I broke down and bought one made from cedar too, I couldn’t move one more cinder block! I am in the process of moving the 4 yards of soil from my driveway to the beds in the far back yard. I am glad to have a teenage son to help!
I planted snap peas and lettuce already. The rest have to wait until mid-May. That is so late, I am used to March planting, but we moved.
I got my seeds from Territorial Seed Company since they are in my state, and I went to a gardening class where they advised us just what variety to plant for our city. I will be getting my tomatoes and peppers from them as plants.
Another good seed and plant source is Gurneys.