Will spring be early this year? I sure hope so.
Until then, I am enjoying delicious greens from the garden. The collards pictured above have survived our light frosts pretty well.
Turnip harvest have been good, and the mustard greens and kale have kept us supplied with veggies.
I have been pleased with the ‘White Egg’ turnips this year. Despite being planted too closely, they have still produced many turnips. We ate the thinnings as greens, and now they are bulbing up nicely, no succession planting needed.
The shed bed has been producing mustard greens, and the garlic is progressing nicely.
Broccoli has been a bust. Again. Last year I blamed myself, the weather, and the soil and decided to try it again.
This year, I blame it on the variety. I’m going to spend a little extra and get a named variety or hybrid for next time. Do you have a favorite variety that you recommend?
The pac choi is bolting, and I welcome the cheery yellow flowers. I plan to let my mustard bolt too, I’m hoping for an impressive display from them.
My to-do list:
1. Start tomatoes and flowers on Valentine’s Day. Last year I had spring fever so bad…do you remember the strange place that I sprouted seeds?
2. Make marmalade!! I love it so much on homemade bread, with hot tea to accompany it. That combination makes me feel cultured and British. 🙂
3. Sketch out a garden plan. I hope to have most of my crops and seeds planted by mid-March, and then to just let them do their thing.
4. Get more green bean seeds. I’m going to buy some in bulk to save money. Maybe this year I will save some seeds from them. Saving your own seeds is a great way to save money in the garden. You can also get seeds for free; check out my popular post on How I Get Free Seeds.
5. Plant out sugar snap starts. Last year I figured out too late that the squirrels were digging up my peas. I found a few peas that I had managed to save from last year, soaked them, and planted them in flats. Hopefully it’s not too late.
Are you ready for spring? I have to admit, I’m not quite as stir crazy as I was last year; maybe it’s because I have so many crops actively growing and maturing.
We are supposedly in for some cold weather this week. If you have raised bed gardens, look for a post soon on how to cover your raised bed.
Are you going to try any new techniques or varieties this year? It’s never too early to plan!
Coffee to Compost 
Oh, your greens are looking wonderful! I just adore collards. That’s fantastic to hear that you like the White Egg turnip – that’s one I’m trying this year.
Since you are in a warmer climate, have you tried the Piracicaba broccoli? It’s a little different than the standard heading broccolis – looser heads with larger florets – but it’s a Brazilian variety that is extremely heat tolerant for a broccoli while also growing well in cool weather. Not to mention, it’s just plain delicious.
I’ll see if I can get some of that broccoli. Variety really makes a difference, and I don’t want to give up on a vegetable that is so yummy. Thanks for the recommendation! !
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What a great to do list! Although we cleaned out our vegetable beds a week or so ago we have not planted a seed or plant. I did take your advice and checked out how to get free seeds. I will be looking into that but I’m not sure it will be in time for this year. I’m going to stay on top of it for next year.
A local feed and seed store sells seeds in bulk. It’s a very inexpensive way to buy seeds.
Thank you, Sarah! What a great idea-so obvious but I honestly never thought of that. Crazy since I live in a semi agricultural community. I had already decided we were not going to buy any vegetable plants at the local home improvement store this year. Our yeild had been moderate to less than great these past few years. I have read that you should only buy from places that sell vegetables that are grown for your specific area to ensure better results. We will be headed out later today. I have seen these stores all around us but have never stepped inside a one of them! !!
Yes, my feed store sells many varieties recommended for Florida. Your local feed store should also have someone knowledgeable about when to plant in your area. Timing is really important too.
Went to one store today and they are moderately helpful. Did buy some seeds….😊
Good for you! Hopefully they will do well for you. If your local extension office has a planting calendar for your area, that could be another good resource.
Thanks. I am going to investigate local resources!
With today’s cold, I have a feeling spring is going to be a while.
I keep hoping that this week will bring the last of the frosts, but we’ll have to wait and see. I did bring my flats in tonight, though. I’d hate to lose my work.
That’s super smart. We brought so many plants into the garage. We also covered over everything else. We shall see!