Get planting!

SEEDS--they're the miracle of Mother Nature.  How those tiny black and brown specs we drop into the ground grow into lettuce, cabbage and peppers is something to contemplate--truly the wonder of spring!

If you haven't yet put your seeds in the ground, be on notice that the end of April is when the window starts to close on optimal time for planting cool season veggies.  Here are a few tips that can help you get the job done quickly and with great results.

#1 - Work in some compost. 
About 1 to 2 inches of organic matter on top of the soil that is then worked into the soil will get your gardening season off to a great start.  A good blend has peat/sphagnum peat with yard compost (made up of leaves and grass) with minimal animal matter.  Keeping animal compost to a small amount reduces both salt content (not beneficial for plants) and burning in the soil. 

#2 - Use an organic, alfalfa-based fertilizer.
A formulation of 8-5-5 (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, respectively) is a good mix of nutrients for veggies.

#3 - Plant garden rows from east to west.
In order to get maximum exposure to the sun, plant rows from east to west, instead of from north to south.  The east/west orientation  gives the sunniest advantage for your crop and produces more even plant growth.

#4 - Speed up planting with seed tape. 
A quick and easy way to plant seeds is to use seed tape.  Seeds come pre-attached to the tape with the proper spacing for planting.  You lay out the tape in rows and cover it with soil; within a few days, the tape disintegrates and the seeds germinate.  This method gets plants growing in very straight rows and with proper spacing--and it will make you look like a real gardening pro!

Enjoy your garden this season and take pride in the time you take to plant, weed and water.  Also take a moment to honor Mother Nature who brings about that amazing transformation of seed to plant to harvest.  She deserves some credit, too.  Thanks mom!

Tip of the Week reprinted courtesy of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) of which Harbor Landscape Company is a member. ALCC is the only professional organization for Colorado's landscape contracting industry statewide. Tip of the Week is copyrighted by Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and may be forwarded or copied by its members provided proper credit is given to ALCC.

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