Gardening

With the cost of food on the rise, many people are looking to start new gardens and experienced gardeners are looking to grow even more food to help provide for their families. For those of us that live in a short growing season can be a bit limited. The good news is there are some ways we can get out gardens started early this year. Why you should start your garden really this year The sooner you get your garden up and going this year the more food you will produce for your family. This increased yield is well worth the time and effort. Every extra day your garden gets the more food it will produce. Getting ahead start over the winter on your garden can give you plenty of time to plan your garden and to make room in your time and budget for your new garden. When you take the time to get your garden going earlier you can save money and allow your plants to become stronger before dealing with the summer heat or common garden pests that can easily kill off younger weaker plants. Start your seeds early I have always started my seeds a few weeks early to give them a chance to grow before they go into the garden but I was shocked to discover that many people in my area are starting their seeds in December or January each year to get a head start. Seeing we can not plant until after Mother's day unless we take some extra steps to protect them from frost and freezing this was a surprise. This does make sense if you have the space to grow many plants in small flower pots rather than simple seed starters. Consider a greenhouse A pop-up greenhouse is a great way to get our seeds started and growing ahead of time even if you do not have the room inside your home. A seed mat can help keep the seeds warm inside your greenhouse even on cold nights after the worst of winter has passed. Cover your early direct sowing plants and young plants Row cover hoops with frost cover are great ways to allow you to plant in your garden early and trust that your plants will have a better chance of survival. These are like portable greenhouses you can place over your garden beds to help get your garden started earlier at a much lower cost than building cold frames. Pop these back up in the harsh summer sun leaving air gaps on the bottom to weather heat waves and again in the fall to get a bit longer out of your garden for the year. Start your planning early Planning your garden over the winter is one of the best moves you can make to help get your garden started earlier this year. If you take the time to plan your garden early in the year-long before planting season you can speed up the start of your garden to make the most of your time and get your garden going much earlier. Plan what you will be growing, the layout, and the supplies you need before you dive in to make things easier than ever. Remember that this can give you an extended gardening season but starting your garden early does require that you keep on top of things like the weather report to ensure you never get caught off guard and leave plants uncovered for a frost or freeze.