In Edmonton, this is the official – It’s time to plant! Which means that the odds of a late spring frost date has dipped below 15% ! It’s time to plant and enjoy those warm-season vegetables! So enough planning … let’s get planting!
Here’s my tip list for getting the most from your plants all summer long.
1. Plant your tomatoes deep! Tomatoes grow stronger and sturdier when planted deep. Create a trench and leave just the top 2 inch tip of the tomato exposed. NOTE: Every other flower, vegetable and herb should be planted so that the root ball is just below with the surrounding soil.
2. Planting: Locate tall plants and staked plants like corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and pole beans on the north side of your garden so they won’t shade shorter plants.
3. Water in: Give your new garden a gentle but thorough watering as soon as possible after planting so your plants won’t wilt. Remember to try to water the soil and not the leaves.
4. Feed them: Top dress your garden bed or container with an organic compost or granular fertilizer. Just spread a few handfuls over your planting area and use a rake or hand trowel to work it into the soil. Be sure to check the package for specific instructions.
5. Cool night Caution! Warm season plants like cucumber, pumpkins, peppers, basil, melons and squash will not tolerate even a hint of frost! We usually wait until June 5th to plant these plants into the garden!
These Prairie Gardens’ vegetables and herbs below are safe to plant now that danger of frost has hit reasonable odds. These veggies need several months (50 to 90 days) to mature (except herbs, which can be harvested as soon as they have mature leaves to pick). In the north, these cool-season crops do well in the Fall, Winter and Spring, but be prepared to cover if there is a frost – or it could nip them back or kill them.
• Bush & Pole Beans
• Sweet Corn
• Peas, Potatoes & Celeriac
• Fennel
• Herbs (Many herbs will tolerate a light frost including Thyme, Mints, Oregano, Parsley)
• Onions & Leeks
• Greens – Lettuce, Mizuna, Arugula and Komatsuna
• Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts (tolerant of -5C)
• Strawberries & Rhubarb
• Swiss Chard
• Tomato
