Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County

starting seeds indoors

Gardening Video: Starting Seeds and Growing Transplants Indoors

A Sowing Circle Presentation:
Starting Seeds and Growing Transplants Indoors

Sponsored by the Black Mountain Blooms Seed Lending Library
in partnership with Buncombe County Master GardenerSM Volunteers

Presenter: John Bowen, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

This three-part program is presented by John Bowen, Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer and long-time gardener. John shares tips and tricks for starting seeds indoors and tending the young plants until they are ready to transplant into your garden. He talks about containers, planting media, lights, temperature, and other parts of the process to grow those healthy, robust transplants we all need. He also discusses timing and helps us learn when to plant for the best outcome.

To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:

Starting Seeds and Growing Transplants Indoors

Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org, click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page and select the video from the list provided.

Gardening Outdoors: Vegetables, Flowers, Whatever You Like!

Do you suddenly have more time to garden? That’s the good news! This is a busy—and often a favorite—time of year to garden as everything springs to life with fresh new growth! It is also a time when gardening chores begin in earnest: plants need planting, weeds need weeding, lawns need mowing, mulch needs to be spread. In this time of pandemic, let’s focus on how gardening can be a fun activity that provides time outdoors to de-stress and get some exercise! Even if you don’t have any land to garden, if you have any space to plant containers outdoors—even on a balcony, or by your door, go for it:  https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/18-plants-grown-in-containers

Vegetables
If you’ve never grown your own food, this is a good year to start! If you are a seasoned gardener, this is a chance to have a more ambitious garden or try some new crops or methods.

There is a wealth of information on how to choose a site, what to grow when to plant, how to troubleshoot pests and diseases, when to harvest in the North Carolina Extension Gardener Handbook:  https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/16-vegetable-gardening
The time for planting cool season crops is waning, so focus on warm season crops to plant in May. You may need to do some calling around to find out who is selling seeds and plants; another chance to explore new things—different sources, new varieties!

Flowers
If vegetable gardening doesn’t appeal, you can brighten your landscape by planting flowers.
Annuals. Again, there may be limited outlets and varieties available, but for a small investment, many warm season annuals will quickly give you a long season of bloom: even the commonly available begonias, marigolds, and petunias come in many colors and sizes. Or try something a little different like upright Angelonia, trailing Calibrachoa, filmy Cosmos, or Pentas. This is instant gratification—although these plants will not come back, it could be the beginning of a new tradition of flower gardening.

Think about ordering flower bulbs to plant in the fall

Perennials. Planting these may not produce flowers as quickly, but the plants will come back yearly with a little care, and some may even spread. You can start a specialty garden of a favorite type of flower, such as daylilies, which can bloom over much of the summer if you choose early, mid- and late season varieties. Or you might like to start a wildflower garden of native plants. These might include groundcovers such as green and gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) or Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) that bloom in spring, as well as some showy summer bloomers beloved by pollinators, such as butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia triloba), and garden phlox, and for fall, asters.

Whatever!
Plant a tree. If you see a spring-blooming tree you love, consider planting a young one in your own landscape. Do your homework to be sure your choice is the right size for your yard and that you have the right growing conditions. The Forest Service provides a lot of useful information about choosing, planting, and caring for trees in this “Owner’s Manual”:  https://www.fs.usda.gov/naspf/sites/default/files/tree_owners_manual_print_res.pdf


Add a new garden feature. Have you always wished for a small pond, a raised bed, a trellis, or a comfortable bench in your garden? Consider taking on a do-it-yourself project this spring!

Article by Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers

For more information:
Pollinator plants:https://homegrown.extension.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Pollinator-Garden-Plant-List.pdf

Kids Post: Planning your garden!

 

Do you have a vegetable garden? Do you know what you want to grow in your garden this year? Now is this time to choose! What do you like to eat? What would you like to try? Some crops are early, and you’ll get to eat them soon—like peas and radishes. Others will take more time, like tomatoes and pumpkins. Choose crops carefully and you’ll have food to eat all summer long!

Where to find ideas:

  • Seed catalogs (paper copies you may receive in the mail or online catalogs) are a great place to start—look at the pictures and find your favorites and maybe something new to try. Think about including some flowers to attract pollinators!
  • Black Mountain Library Sowing Circle is one community resource that has information and a seed-saving library you can visit during regular library hours.

How to decide!

Check on how much space your plants will take: how big is your garden plot or how much space do you have for container gardening? If you are gardening for the first time, pick a sunny spot that is easy to water. Test the soil now and fertilize and lime as directed!

  • Look at what you’d like to grow and figure how much ground or what size container will you need to grow this crop. Many crops need more than one plant for pollination and/or to produce enough to eat. Most vining plants need a lot of space or some kind of vertical support.
  • Make a map of where you’ll put each crop or container. Outdoors you can have fun doing some quick measurements—measure your shoe with a ruler or yardstick and then walk around your garden area to figure how may “feet” your garden area measures!

  • Make a map of your garden

Planning to plant

Can you put seeds directly in the garden? When? If you need to set out plants, do you have time and space to grow the plants to set out, or will you buy transplants?

  • If you want to start your own plants, read the seed-growing instructions and count back from the last frost date (you can use May 10 as a rough date for Buncombe County) to know when to plant for indoor starts.
  • Make a calendar and include when to plant your seeds both indoors (if you are starting your own plants) or outdoors.

Get ready, get set:

If you’ll be planting seeds, get them now! Many popular and new varieties sell out quickly and your seeds will be fine for the few weeks or months before you’ll plant them.

With transplants, though, be careful not to buy them too soon! Use your calendar to decide when to buy, not when you see plants for sale. You may end up with spindly, sickly, or overgrown plants if you buy them too early.

GROW!

Get an adult to help you figure out how to prepare your garden plot and/or containers. You may need to have your soil tested or buy potting soil. Make sure you follow directions on how close to plant seeds or plants and any other information about watering and fertilizing to be sure your crops will grow!

Look what we grew!

Article by Debbie Green, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

For more on the Black Mountain Sowing Circle programs (FOR ADULTS):

Feb. 1, 10 to 11:30 AM, Free Gardening Workshops on Starting Seeds Indoors and How to Sharpen Pruning Tools. Black Mountain Library, Education Room

The seed library will provide free materials to get you started: seed starter soil, containers, and seeds to take home (limited quantities).  Bring your small pruning tools for sharpening. Presentations are in partnership with Black Mountain Blooms Seed Lending Library and Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers.

Vegetable gardening planting times: https://extensiongardener.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/NC-Vegetable-Planting-Guide-1.pdf?fwd=no

**Note: Planting times for Western North Carolina Mountains are in purple and times to harvest from seed are indicated in the left-hand column. Those with an “*” should be started indoors rather direct seeded in the garden.**

For more on kids measuring in the garden:

http://www.njagsociety.org/uploads/1/7/0/5/17057112/you_are_the_ruler_lesson_plan_wbs.pdf

 

 

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Buncombe County Extension Office
49 Mount Carmel Road
Asheville, NC 28806
Helpline 828-255-5522

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