Early Spring Planting for the Edible Garden

March is time to plant "early Spring" edibles in the garden.

The rain let up today and off to the garden center I went.

It’s mid-March and time is short to get those early Spring veggies and herbs planted.

Some of my little darlings are the usual suspects. I cannot have enough sugar snap peas and lettuce (by seed). I also plant a lot of potatoes and onions (by potato pieces and bulbs).

But I do have some new cooking favorites that I thought should get some space in the garden: asparagus (by potted 2-year starts), shallots (by bulbs) and leeks (by seed).

The asparagus is a new adventure for me. Asparagus is a long-lived perennial crop that you don’t harvest the first year. And it spreads. So asparagus will be getting its own raised bed in my garden.

I also bought some more Rosemary because I almost ran out this winter. That just wouldn’t do with my love for that lovely evergreen herb on roasted chicken, in risotto and in stews.

And, now is also the time to plant garlic bulbs if you missed the Fall planting window.

Praying Mantis hatchlings are fun and good for the garden.

In a few more weeks, it’ll be time to look for broccoli and cauliflower starts, as well as plant another round of sugar snap peas and lettuces.

It’s also a great time to grab some ladybugs or praying mantis kits to help the overall health of your garden. These “good” bugs, eat the “bad” bugs that harm your plants.

I hatched some praying mantis a few years back and it was amazing.

Hang the egg sacks now and when the temperatures get warmer, out they come. Do keep a daily watch though, because they don’t stay around long.