May in the Garden

Well, it's officially go-time! Those of you in Waitsburg proper should probably be a week or two ahead of me in terms of planting. Living a bit north of town and in a slightly colder spot, we managed to get one very light frost the night of May 7 and still have a slight risk of it tonight (May 10). As such, I held off on planting most of my frost-sensitive crops like tomatoes, peppers, and melons to be safe. Good thing too, as the few plants I rushed into the garden without season extenders had a bit of damage.

If you still haven't planted anything yet, there is still plenty of time. Focus efforts on those warm-weather crops and skip the cold weather crops as they're likely just to bolt and go to seed. I recommend visiting Nancy's Dream Garden in Waitsburg or checking out the local nursery in your area to get starts for any peppers, tomatoes, or eggplant as it's too late to start them from seed.

If you're looking to grow beans, melons, or squash, I generally recommend direct sowing in the garden as they're very cost-effective to grow from seed and a bit finicky to transplant. You can also get away with starts for your squash and melons, but it's essential to look for small plants. There will be less transplant shock if you get a smaller plant that isn't root-bound in its pot. Don't worry; they grow so quickly, so it won't set you back at all.

Here's an age-old zucchini plant buying guide: One plant for the average household, two for the brave, three if you're crazy like me.

For something different, look for "grey" zucchini, also known as Lebanese, Kousa, or Mexican Grey. I very highly recommend them.

Another quick tip: Avoid buying corn starts. Corn should always be planted in a big block to ensure adequate pollination. Getting a six-pack of starts won't get you remotely close to what you'll need for decent wind pollination, unfortunately. Just go ahead and grow your corn directly from seed. One other tip for corn: Do not be tempted to grow a bunch of different varieties simultaneously. Because they are wind-pollinated, you will be disappointed by the muddled genes and resultant ears of corn (read: they will be mushy, bland, and won't keep well). There are ways to separate corn varieties through spacing or by staggering planting times. However, it's probably best for those of you who are growing in town to just try one type if you're new to corn.

Now on to this years' experiment: Growing strawberries in rain gutters. Our traditional strawberry beds became an overgrown mess as I could not keep up with all the runners each plant sent out. The resulting patch was dense, full of slugs, and hard to manage. The gutter-growing technique is said to increase production by allowing more sunlight to reach the plants. It also makes it easier to prune off runners that take energy away from berry production and reduce pest pressure by getting the berries high off the ground. I anticipate that my slug problem may be replaced with birds, but that remains to be seen. Switching to the gutter technique should generally allow for easier management of my strawberry patch. Brad ran irrigation to the gutters. So, for the time being, they require zero maintenance. At least initially, I like the setup. I'll report back once the flowers turn to fruit!

It is spring, so don't forget to keep your eye out for new fledglings. I almost stepped on a young robin while searching for a rogue chicken this morning! While fledglings look far too young to be out of the nest, resist the urge to scoop them up or move them (unless they're in the middle of the road or otherwise immediate danger). Momma bird has her eye on them and will be bringing them food throughout the day. They'll be grown and flying in no time.

I'll leave you with a humble quote from Michael P. Garofalo: "Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise." No matter how many years you've been gardening, how many books you've read on the topic, or how detailed your garden plans are, you're bound to learn something new every season. That's what makes it fun.