Planting
Follow these best practices when planting your plants into the garden (whether they were started from seed or purchased) .
- “Harden off” your plants before planting them into the garden. That is, get them used to the real outdoors gradually, over the course of 7 to 10 days. Start with an hour a day outside during mild days and gradually increase the time, leaving them out overnight during warm calm nights.
- Determine that the time is right for planting based on the soil temperature and the past 1-2 week's overnight lows. Check the specifics for each plant in . Use this Edibles Seed Starting & Planting Schedule for an overall plan.
- The ideal day for planting into the garden is overcast and not windy. Water in plants at base after planting.
- Protect your young plants from winds and unexpected overnight lows with floating row covers and other season extenders.
- Mulch around your plants to discourage weeds and conserve moisture. Inexpensive straw (not hay!) is best.
More Information
Visit the Vegtables Forum at GreatLakesGardeners.com to get answers to your growing vegetables questions. To ask a new question, Register if you haven't already done so(it's free and helps protect the forum from spam), click on Start New Topic, enter your question and click on Post New Topic.
Come join us at our Vegetables forum, Herbs forum and Growing Vegetables & Herbs blog.
You may also appreciate these books on growing vegetable gardens.
