Tag Archives: garden planning

Garden Advice

Halfway to Spring: Imbolc

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Also called Candlemas, Oimelc, or St. Brigid’s Day, Imbolc was a Celtic celebration that took place on February 1st or 2nd each year. This celebration symbolizes the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.

The Romans and ancient Brits also celebrated this important time of year. The Romans called it Lupercalia, and the Brits called it Sul-Minerva. There’s evidence that this celebration dates back to the Neolithic, when megalithic chambers marked the light of the rising sun on this day.

Imbolc was believed to have originally meant “in the belly of the Mother” or just “in the belly.” It was a time when many herd animals were pregnant, and winter food stores were getting low. It was a time to look forward to the season to come. 

For the Celts, this festival celebrated Brigid a maiden sun goddess who brought spring to the land. She’s associated with light and warmth; candles and fires were often part of the celebration. Brigid was later added to Christian celebrations as St. Brigid.

According to the Boston Public Library, a modern celebration can include a chant to send away winter:

“Old man winter, it’s time to go!

Take with you these piles of snow!

Melt, snow, melt!

Spring will soon return!

A flame, a fire, all the warmth it brings,

melt the snow, cold be gone, welcome back the spring!“

Agricultural Calendar

History aside, this time of year is an important date in the agricultural calendar, and it’s time we start looking ahead to spring too! In zone 7a, we begin sowing seeds indoors this time of year. Here’s what we’re planting: 

  • Broccoli (Sow indoors Jan 31-May 31)
  • Cabbage (Sow indoors Jan 31-Jul 1)
  • Cauliflower (Sow indoors Jan 31-Mar 7)
  • Celery & Celeriac (Jan 21-Feb 15)

Coastal gardeners, you’ll have mild winters that will allow your planting dates to be 2 to 4 weeks earlier than ours. Mountain gardeners have harsher winters and will be 2 to 4 weeks behind us.

Find the complete list of our recommended planting dates in the back of our catalog or click here.

Seed Starting

It’s also an excellent time to learn about or review good seed starting practices. Good practices like consistent watering, using a proper potting mix, potting seedlings up as needed, and hardening off transplants lead to a more healthy and prosperous garden throughout the season.

Garden Planning

If you haven’t already done so, it’s also time to plan your garden. You’ll want to consider crop rotations and successions, new varieties, and isolation distances.

Here are some of our resources to plan your garden:

Are you getting ready for spring yet?

Garden Advice, Seed Saving

Proper Seed Storage: 3 Key Steps

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This time of year, there’s not much work to do in the garden. We’re mostly looking ahead to next spring, planning garden rotations, new beds, and selecting varieties we’d like to grow next season. One chore that may still need to be taken care of is seed storage. Properly storing seeds will ensure they remain viable for a long time. There are three main things to consider when storing your seeds this winter, whether they’re leftover packets or seeds you saved from your garden. 

Keep them cool.

Cooler temperatures help keep seeds in dormancy. The Svalbard Global Seed Storage Vault, which hopes to be the “ultimate insurance policy for the world’s food supply,” stores seeds at about -0.4°F or -18ºC to keep the seeds viable for long periods. 

While that isn’t necessary or even possible for most home gardeners, generally, you want to keep your seeds as cool as possible. Storing seeds below 40°F is optimal, but between 50° and 60° will work just fine. Get creative and think about what areas in your home always remain cool, whether it’s your basement or a particular cupboard, closet.

It’s important to remember that freezing and thawing or any significant temperature changes can mimic seasonal changes and cause seeds to deteriorate. Freezers can be a great place to store seeds, but if you frequently lose power during the winter, it may be better to put your seeds in a cool cabinet than into the freezer to avoid significant temperature fluctuations.

Keep them dry.

Moisture also signals seeds to germinate. If you’re saving seeds, make sure they’re fully dry before you package them. Larger seeds should easily snap in half and not bend. Smaller seeds should shatter under pressure. 

Use airtight containers such as mason jars to store seeds. It’s also a good idea to avoid storing seeds in the refrigerator or unheated garages and sheds due to the fluctuating moisture and temperature levels. 

Another option is to add silica gel packets or some dry rice to your jars or containers. These will help absorb any excess moisture. While this isn’t strictly necessary, it can provide a little extra protection.

Keep them in the dark.

Sunlight is detrimental to the long-term viability of seeds. It can signal to seeds that it’s time to sprout and cause the seeds to break down. You can place jars or containers of seeds in a dark cabinet or a larger solid color tote or container. 

A few other things to consider:

  • Label everything! Label your containers with the date seeds were stored and when you’ve done germination tests. 
  • Especially when storing grain seed, if you see signs of pest activity such as moths or weevils, place it in an airtight container in the freezer for two days to kill them.
  • Organize your seeds and make a list of what you have to avoid over-ordering this winter.

Properly storing your seeds can save you time and frustration. Follow these tips to ensure your seeds stay viable for as long as possible. Check out a few more of our seed-related posts below:

Garden Advice

Garden Checklist: August

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It’ll be August in just a few days! Late summer is such an exciting time in the garden. Harvests are pouring in, flowers are blooming, and fall planting has begun. Here’s a checklist to help you stay on track during this busy time of year.

Buy perennial onions, garlic, shallots, and bulbs.

Perennial onions, garlic, shallots, and many flower bulbs are all planted in the fall. Exact planting dates may vary depending on your hardiness zone, but here in Virginia, it’s best to plant them between September 15th and November 15th.

If you’re hoping to choose varieties from a wide selection, it’s best to get your order in early.

Keep up with harvesting.

It can be tough to keep up with the harvest, especially if you’re a new gardener, but it’s essential if you want fresh food for as long as possible. Many plants like beans, cucumbers, and summer squash will stop producing when you stop harvesting.

If you can, it’s best to harvest in the morning while it’s still cool. You’ll be more comfortable, and your produce will be crisper and stay fresh longer. Greens should be immediately dunked in ice water when harvesting during warm weather.

If you’re struggling to keep up, offer to share some veggies with friends or neighbors. Host a picking and preserving party to make the most of surplus produce. Find more tips for using produce:

Plant fall crops.

Exactly when you plant will depend on your hardiness zone, but August is crucial for planting fall crops here in Virginia and much of the Southeast. Finish transplanting cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and collards seedlings for fall. Sow radishes, kohlrabi, turnips, carrots, beets, herbs, kale, collards, and Swiss chard. Pam Dawling’s guest post from last year is an excellent resource for those looking to grow fall root crops.

Water consistently.

August in the Southeast is hot! It’s no time to slack off on watering. This is especially true for young fall crops like carrots, beets, and cabbages, which you’ve just got started in the garden. Crops like sweet potatoes, watermelons, tomatoes, and winter squash will produce best when watered thoroughly.

It’s also important to remember to water perennials like fruit trees and flowering shrubs, giving them the occasional healthy soaking, especially if you just planted them this spring.

Watch for pests and diseases.

Keep an eye on tomatoes, eggplants, and squash, watching for hornworms, flea beetles, and squash bugs. Treat with handpicking and diatomaceous earth.

Fungal diseases thrive in the heat and humidity of late summer and the south. Keep an eye on plants for diseases like Downey Mildew, rust, and Fusarium wilt. Remove and burn any diseased plants.

Weed and apply more mulch.

August is an important month to keep up with weeding. You’ll see better production from plants if they’re not competing with weeds for moisture and nutrients during this period.

If the mulch around your plants is starting to break down, it’s a good idea to add another layer. It will help conserve moisture and block weeds.

Take notes.

August is an excellent time of year to take some notes in your garden journal. Jot down what varieties performed well and what didn’t. If you haven’t done so already, sketch out your garden layout so that you can plan crop rotations and cover crops. 

Put up storage crops.

Many folks are beginning to harvest storage crops in August. It’s important to harvest, cure, and store them properly so that they keep well. Check out:

Plant fall cover crops.

As summer crops finish up, it’s important to protect and improve your garden soil for the next season. Sowing red clover, oats, Austrian winter peas, and rye as fall cover crops can help protect your soil from erosion, create habitat for beneficial insects and fungi, and add organic matter and nutrients to the soil. Read more about why you should consider fall cover crops here.