Every year around this time in Spring there is lots of excitement and anxious gardeners waiting on pens and needles for the perfect day to start their Spring/ Summer gardens (or update their flowerbeds with new seasonal annual plants). In the south, we refer to this popular seasonal moniker as “Blackberry Winter.” The precise timing for when you ‘should’ feel safe in moving your newly seeded veggies and other tender plants outdoors is dependent on being safely past the likely chance of frost. For the past several years, our Blackberry Winter has come well past two weeks or more after when the blackberries bloom and the nurseryman’s guide of Mid-April plantings. Despite when you decide to plant, this day of celebration came about only a few short years ago to re-encourage the age-old trend of getting out and planting a garden (veggies or plants or mix).
There are lots of places for guidance on preparing a space for gardens, securing the right tools, and choosing the right plants for your spaces. Your local Cooperative Extension office is a great resource too; we provide soil test analysis services, host Master Gardeners to offer advice and insight, and employ an Agricultural Agent that will likely be an informational source, know how to guide, or even offer programming to help get your excited and educated about gardening. There are lots of helpful guides to encourage timely plantings; consider the Farmers Almanac as a place for popular insight too.
Once you decide on your new garden adventure it’s important to enjoy the season. Take photos of the before, during, and after. Have your kids and spouse join in the efforts so that the excitement and buy-in is felt by all. Get your hands dirty; sweat equity is good for your mental health as well as your body. When the time is right and your bounty starts coming in there is so much fun to be had in the kitchen. A garden of fresh veggies allows you to be creative as you have produce coming into ripeness. This may even become a way to share the love of the garden with others; consider donating or sharing your extra garden goodies with friends and neighbors. Then again, if you decide you need another connected hobby there are likely to be Food Preservations classes offered through your Extension office by your local Family and Consumer Science Agent. They know the best ways to turn your harvest into one you can enjoy yearlong. Happy National Gardening Day!
