Climate and When To Plant

Just about the only remaining bit of homework not related to the specific plants themselves now considers the timing of the garden and when we commence seeding it and getting it going. What this requires is an understanding of when things warm up enough to plant.

What we need here is an adequate depiction of what we can expect from our local climate. There are obvious reasons for such an intense level of education about the local climate, especially in 4 season climates, owing to frost. A late frost can be deadly to a garden which is not yet strong enough to withstand it. Frosts can ruin all the best-laid plans of any gardener and we have all suffered from these at one time or another. A link such as that below can provide not only weather detail in the sense of forecasts, but can also give us a view of our climate in general and the best times for planting based on the experiences of gardeners in our neighborhoods. This is just an example and is hardly my particular bible for the information. What I now rely on - having been through this many times - is whatever has worked best in the past.

There are abundant differences in climates throughout the world and also in the amounts of sun a garden can expect. The Sun, in fact, plays such an incredibly vital role in plant growth, via Photosynthesis, that an abundance of Sun can literally make plants larger. The amazing Alaskan gardens can produce vegetables of astounding size during their relatively short growing season. A series of days with 20-22 hours of sun can produce plants the likes of which will not be found elsewhere.

Therefore, study the minds and habits of local gardeners or access the information online or at the local nurseries or feed stores for the most ideal and secure planting times and don't jump the gun. Another great resource - and one I use all the time - are the local university extensions who specialize in agricultural and local gardening information. Honestly, this can be a hidden resource for all sorts of matters, from garden timing to information on local diseases and pest control. Typically, university agricultural extension programs are composed of students and professors who are delighted to make contact with members of the public and who have even more information at hand than even they sometimes know. It is not difficult to develop relationships and to experience not only good information but to accidentally happen onto even more.