| If you live in an area that has cool, short summers | | | | You should start your seeds indoors 4-6 weeks |
| and have trouble growing a garden, here's a few tips | | | | before you plan on planting outdoors. Be sure to set |
| that will help. | | | | the seedlings outdoors in the shade for an hour or |
| First, what is a cool weather area? If your last frost | | | | two each day for 4 or 5 days before transplanting |
| date in Spring comes after April 15th you probably | | | | so the plants can adjust to the environment. Allow |
| live in a cool weather gardening area. If your | | | | the plants to be exposed to late afternoon or early |
| tomatoes are not ripe until late August, you live in a | | | | morning sun for 30 minutes the last 2 days. |
| cool weather gardening area. Some examples are | | | | There are, of course, some cool weather vegetables |
| just where you would expect them to be, San | | | | that may be started outdoors after the last frost. |
| Francisco, Seattle, Lake Placid, NY, the High Plains | | | | Lettuce, Boc Choy, turnips and peas do well in cool |
| states. If you live in a gardening zone of 4 or below, | | | | weather. Even carrots may be planted directly in the |
| you live in a cool weather gardening area. And if your | | | | garden in cool weather. |
| summers have cool nights and are short, you live in a | | | | 3.Tips on warming the soil early. There are several |
| cool weather area. | | | | ways to warm the soil earlier than nature will do |
| As you are aware, it is difficult to have a garden in | | | | alone. Planting in raised beds will give you an earlier |
| some of these areas. But with a a little planning, you | | | | start. Planting inside old tires or in hills will provide |
| can have a successful garden. | | | | warmer soil. One of the best ways to warm the soil |
| Here are a few tips: | | | | is to place a sheet of black plastic over the garden |
| 1. Choose the proper plants. You can not grow Okra | | | | area. The plastic will warm the soil and retain the |
| in Seattle. Or any other plant that requires hot days | | | | heat. Many garden shops today sell red plastic |
| and warm nights. You can grow tomatoes in cool | | | | designed specifically for early tomatoes. Just place |
| weather but if you choose the wrong variety you will | | | | the plastic over the planting area a week before |
| not have ripe tomatoes until the first frost of fall is | | | | planting. Cut a small hole in the plastic to transplant |
| approaching. One of the tomato varieties that will | | | | your tomato seedlings and leave the plastic there all |
| grow in cool weather is the "Stupice". It ripens in | | | | summer. One caution: plastic will not compost for |
| about 60 days and can tolerate cool nights. The point | | | | many (hundreds?) of years and adds nothing to the |
| here is that you must be more careful in your plant | | | | nutrient value of your soil. So, be sure to remove it in |
| selection than the lucky folks that live in Atlanta or | | | | the fall. |
| Sacramento. | | | | Sunny areas next to a wall, fence or garage generally |
| To find the proper plant varieties, go online and | | | | have higher soil temperatures, so take advantage of |
| search for cool weather vegetables or flowers. You | | | | this when possible. Just take care that the area is not |
| will find a wealth of information on selecting cool | | | | one where the fence or wall shades the area more |
| weather plants. Many of these varieties may not be | | | | than it allows sun. South facing areas generally work |
| available locally so you will have to order from seed | | | | well. |
| companies online. | | | | Finally, should there be an unexpected late frost, be |
| 2. Plant at the proper time. One of the biggest | | | | sure to protect your plants by covering them. You |
| mistakes cool weather gardeners make is planting | | | | can use an old blanket, plastic or newspapers. Just be |
| too early. You should check the soil temperature | | | | sure to remove the cover when the sun comes up |
| before you plant. The air temperature is a poor | | | | and the temperature rises. |
| indicator of when to plant. Most plants will require a | | | | Follow these simple tips and you can have a |
| soil temperature of 60 degrees, minimum. | | | | successful garden in your cool weather area. |