Gardening in the South: Vegetables All Year Round

Gardening can be a fun and relaxing way to spend your time. When you live in Georgia, you can enjoy this pastime almost year round. Vegetable gardening in particular is rewarding because of the bounty that you can use in your own kitchen or, in the event of overabundance or lack of culinary desire, the bounty that you can share with others.

Keep in mind two major planting periods: spring (March to May) and fall (late July to September). Be prepared for a little trial and error the first year or two that you try out your vegetable garden. As with any gardening, you need to use your own judgment when planting. Each year is different in regards to timing of first and last killing frosts and how much moisture has been accumulating in the soil over the year.

Late Winter Months

Write up your garden plan. If you are going to be using your garden as your main source of vegetables for your family, be sure to include plants from the various groups of vitamins. Consider adding a few plants of something you haven't tried before each year that you plant your garden.

Plan how much of each vegetable that you will be planting, remembering to consider extra to can, freeze, or share. Apply compost and plow it under, especially if you are just starting or if you didn't do it in the fall.

Prepare your land for planting. Early spring plantings should be done on a raised bed for earlier soil warming and better drainange.

Early plants can be chosen from these vegetables: carrots, lettuce, radishes, Irish potatoes, onions, spinach, and turnips.

Select your herbs if plan to grow them from seed. If you don't want to grow them from seed to begin with, get your list ready to buy the plants instead.

Early Spring Months

Second plantings can be made of vegetables that mature quickly like turnips and spring onions.

Thin plants when they are 2 to 3 inches tall to give the plants room to grow. Get your rows ready for warmer season vegetables planted at the end of the month or the begin of next month.

Start to watch for insects like red spider mites or aphids. Place mulch down to control weeds.