Harvesting Dill!

Fresh Homegrown Dill

It's that time of year again.  Time to harvest the dill.  Dill is one of my favorite flavors of summer!   All parts can be used for cooking or making dill pickles.  It's easy to cut the whole plant and put it headfirst into a paper sack and let it dry with the sack open.   Check out this post about dill that I wrote a few years ago.

The Snow Is Piling Up And So Are The Plant And Seed Catalogs!

It's that time of year again!  The wonderful time of late winter when we gather up the seed and plant catalogs (oh, the pretty pictures!) and make lists of everything we want.  This is a fiesta - an extravaganza of list-making.  And, if you are like me, you want some of EVERYTHING.  However, when the list party is over, we have to edit.  We must edit before we place the order.  It's painful, but you will be glad in spring when you realize you have enough garden space for the plants and seeds you purchased.  Here is a blog post about seed catalogs from several years ago.
Now is a good time to go over your garden plan.  Or create one.

plant and seed catalogs

5 Ways To Save Money In The Vegetable Garden

vegetable garden in Salt Lake City

Vegetable gardening has some costs.  There are things you need to buy in order to experience the magic of growing your own food.  Hopefully you will harvest enough food from the garden to offset the monetary inputs.  Most certainly, you will reap the immeasurable benefits of joy and satisfaction when you sit down to a plate of food that came from the garden you nurtured.

Here are 5 ways you can save money in your vegetable garden:

1 - plant things from seeds when you can.  Plants are relatively expensive and seeds will produce plants at a fraction of the cost.
2 - be efficient with water.  Drip systems are perfect for the vegetable garden.
3 - be efficient with the harvest.  Money and time (and your blood, sweat and tears) have gone into this garden.  What a terrible waste if you don't utilize the fruits of the harvest.  If there is too much for you and your family, share it with friends and neighbors.  Or do some canning and preserving.  Your local food pantry will welcome any fresh produce you have to offer.
4 - compost.  Make your own compost to feed the soil and plants in your garden.  It's much cheaper than buying it.
5 - go organic.  Use organic methods to feed your soil and plants and to control pests and weeds.  Pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers and plant foods are expensive and can damage your soil in the long run.

When Can I Plant Corn In Utah?

Corn is a tender vegetable plant, which means that it cannot tolerate temperatures below freezing (32 degrees F or 0 degrees C - the temperature at which water freezes).  If it is still freezing at night then it it too cold for tender vegetables.  Therefore, you should plant corn starting several weeks before the average last frost date for your area.  This way when the tiny plants germinate, they will be safely past that frost date.   Generally, the last average frost date for the Wasatch Front is sometime around Mother's Day.  You can ask your neighbors or the folks at your local independent garden center when your average last frost date is.  You can extend your corn harvest in summer and fall by succession planting your corn seeds.

Corn Grows In Utah!

When Can I Plant Beets in Utah?

Beets grow well in Utah.  In fact, they were grown commercially here for many decades.  The Utah sugar industry was based on locally grown and processed sugar beets.  The history of sugar production in Utah and Idaho is interesting, but way too long and involved to discuss in this blog post.
The beets we enjoy growing in our home gardens are nothing like sugar beets (big, gnarly white beets).  There are wonderful red and orange and striped varieties that are small, tender and sweet - perfect for cooking and canning.  Some excellent beet varieties are:  bull's blood, chioggia, Detroit dark red and golden boy.  And beet greens are edible, too!
Beets can be planted in late March and early April.  They work best when planted by seed directly into the garden.   Succession planting is a good idea if you want to harvest over a longer period of time in the summer.

beets grow well in Utah - plant them in April

How And When Do We Thin Seedlings?

This can be an emotionally painful experience for some gardeners - pulling out some of the seedlings in order to allow enough space for others to grow.  After planting seeds and dutifully watering, watching, waiting and hoping over them and they finally sprout from the surface of the earth, it seems just so horrible to have to destroy any of them!  But it must be done in order to have a successful crop.
The best time to thin seedlings is right after germination so the new root systems won't have so much competition.  Some crops will need thinning several times.
The best way is to find out the spacing/thinning recommendations on the seed packets and pull out the seedlings in-between the recommended intervals.
You can use a measuring tape as a guide or you can eyeball it.  See the before and after photos below of radish seedlings.
Get it over with - the sooner, the better.

thinning radish seedlings - before 

thinning radish seedlings - after

Succession Planting For The Home Vegetable Garden

Succession Planting can mean several different things.  I want to talk about succession planting for the home garden - for small crops in small spaces.  Some vegetable plants produce harvest all summer and into the fall, like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplants and swiss chard.  Other vegetable plants are harvestable only once and then they are all done for the season - like lettuce, beets, peas, and radishes, for example.  You harvest these vegetables when they are ready and then the plant is either gone (because you dug it up and ate it) or it is not going to flower again (like peas).
With this in mind, think about spreading that harvest time out over a month or two instead of having ALL of the harvest of ONE thing happen within a few days.
We can do this by succession planting - plant some of the seeds for a particular crop one week, then more the next week, more the week after that, etc.  By not planting the whole row of peas in one day and instead, spreading the plantings out, you will have small amounts of peas each week from late June through the end of July.
If, however, you are planning on preserving the harvest in some way (like canning or freezing) and you want the harvest to happen all at once, then plant the seeds all at once.

harvesting the salad garden

When Can I Plant Peas?

The rule of thumb for planting peas - St. Patrick's Day is the day to start plating peas in Utah.  They will flower and produce peas in June.  Then, in July, you can remove the plants and plant something else in that space - maybe a fall crop of lettuce or spinach.  Or maybe more peas!

plant peas on St. Patrick's Day

peas will grow in Utah!

What Does "Germination" Mean?

Germination is "the development of a plant from a seed or spore after a period of dormancy".  In other words, it is when a seed "sprouts" and starts to send up stems and leaves.  This process is activated in response to moisture and warmth.  That's why we have to wait until spring to plant most seeds in the garden - the soil needs to warm up and reach a certain temperature, or the seeds won't sprout.
Most seed packets mention germination in the planting instructions.  You might see something there about "soil temperature needed for germination".  Garden centers sell soil thermometers so you can take the temperature of your soil.  There might also be something about "days to germination".  Days to germination is good to know because if it takes two weeks, you won't be worrying and wondering why you don't see the seedlings coming up.
In a nutshell, the warmer the soil is, the faster the germination will happen!  And if your soil is dry, you will need to keep it moist.

thermometer for soil temperature

germination - when seeds sprout!

Starting Seeds Indoors

These are my Aunt and Uncle.  They are enthusiastic vegetable gardeners and they like to start seeds indoors in the spring.  It saves some money on plants, gives them a jump on the season and gives them a sense of satisfaction in the knowledge that "we grew it" - from a tiny seed to the dinner table!
I asked them recently about their experience with starting seeds indoors (successes and failures, etc. ) and here is what they wrote (see pictures below):

We like the little green house we got from Home Depot. About $40. We’ve seen them at Smith’s and Lowe’s and other garden centers. There are bigger ones and smaller ones. In the picture, you’ll see we’ve rigged up lights and fans on power strips and with a timer.

We started with seed plantings in March, following the instructions on the packages about germination times, maturity times, temperature sensitivities, etc. If started too early plants can get very leggy

The pictures show the progress through establishment, hardening off, and delivery to the garden.

We generally had good luck with winter and summer squash, Tomatillos, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, melons, cantaloupe, Flowers (4 o’clocks, marigolds, nasturtiums, etc).

We haven’t had good luck with peppers nor tomatoes. A friend of ours started Tomatoes early and tended them until after Mother’s day and they did ok…We’re going to let the stores do the work on tomatoes and peppers. Our Aunt Nelly’s Ground Cherry failed to sprout at home.

Which Vegetable Seeds Should I Plant In The Ground And Which Should I Start Indoors?

This can be a little confusing and there are no rules set in stone.  What works for one gardener might not work for another.  And the gardening police aren't going to show up and tell you you've done it all wrong.  Don't be afraid to experiment.   Just be aware that (as with all gardening) there can be some failure.  Don't let it get you down.  Be joyous about the successes!

I have made some general lists of seeds to start indoors and seeds to plant in the garden and plants to purchase at your local independent nursery.  You will see that some vegetables appear on both (or all three) lists.  Be sure to read the seed packet instructions and know your average last frost date.

Vegetable seeds to plant directly in the garden:
*all root vegetables (carrots, beets, radishes)
potatoes (from seed potatoes, not seeds)
beans
swiss chard
corn
cucumbers
all greens
cucurbits (gourds, melons, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers)
basil
cilantro
lettuce
peas
spinach
okra
onions (sets or starts)
leeks (starts)
garlic (in the fall)

Vegetable seeds to start indoors:
lettuce
cabbage
tomatillos
cucurbits (gourds, melons, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers)
basil
onions
tomatoes
swiss chard
cauliflower
eggplant
leeks
peppers
okra
*no root vegetables

Vegetable plants to buy at the plant nursery:
In March and April:
cauliflower
cabbage
broccoli
brussels sprouts
kale
In May and June:
tomatoes
eggplant
peppers
tomatillos
okra

When Can I Plant Seeds In The Garden In Utah? Get To Know Your Average Last Frost Date

garden seeds!!

Winter is a great time to plan your vegetable garden and buy seeds.  It's important to prepare for the timing of the plantings as well as the locations.  The calendar for planting seeds directly in the garden revolves around the average last frost date in your area:

-  This is the date marking the end of freezing nights (in late spring).
-  It's safe for the rest of the summer to grow tender plants outside in the garden.  
-  Some seeds can be planted weeks or months before this date and some seeds can only be planted after this date.

Along the Wasatch Front, the average last frost date is around the middle of May.  (Mother's Day is a good way to remember it).   A great way (maybe the best way) to find out the date for your specific area is to ask some of your gardening neighbors.

Once you know the average last frost date for your area, you can plan your seed planting.  Here are some tips:
     - read the directions on the back of your seed packets.  There is a lot of information on the package about how to sow, thin and water the seeds.
     - the seed packets will tell you how many weeks before or after the average last frost date you should plant the seeds.  This will help you with your planting calendar.
      - save the seed packets so you can remember the varieties of vegetables you planted and the dates you planted them.   You can refer to the instructions if needed.  You can make notes about successes and failures.
     - check with your local independent garden center to see if they have a spring planting guide.  It's a chart that tells you when to plant what in your area.  Here is a link to an example of a planting guide from Utah State University.  And here is a link to a post on this blog about which seeds to start indoors and which seeds to plant in the ground.
Here is a picture of some helpful instructions on a seed packet:

seed packets have planting instructions

 seed packets have lots of gardening information

Another Excellent Seed Catalog!

The John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds catalog is AMAZING!  They do lengthy write-ups on the many vegetable and flower seeds that they sell.  You can learn a lot from this catalog about how to create and cultivate a successful garden!  If you visit their website you can request a free catalog and sign up for their eNewsletter.
Here is a gorgeous pic from their homepage:

It's Time To Buy Seeds!

January is a great time to buy seeds.  There are some excellent companies out there from which you can purchase seeds either on line or from their mail order catalogs.  One such organization (it's a non-profit) is Seed Saver's Exchange.  Their mission is to grow, protect and promote the use of heirloom vegetable seeds.  You can go to their website and request a free catalog and learn more about what they do!

If You Garden, You Need This . . .

Ok.  There are seed catalogues and more seed catalogues.  But this seed catalogue is a work of art.   It's arrival in the winter mailbox is an event.  It is a dense book of ideas, imagery, color and information that keep hopes and dreams alive through the dark and cold days of winter.  Loaded with inspiring photos and write-ups about the many heirloom fruit, vegetable, herb and flower seeds that they sell,  The Whole Seed Catalogue From Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds is well worth the $9.95 price (they also offer a free catalogue, but it's different from this one.  Get this one.) .  This is a must have for all gardeners - an excellent gift!

When Can We Plant Spring Greens In Utah?

March is here!  It's time to plant peas!  And it's also time to plant seeds for spring greens like Kale, Spinach, Arugula and Lettuce!  The local garden centers have many seeds in stock.  It's easy and inexpensive to grow greens from seed.  Read the directions on the seed packets for spacing and depth of seeds.  It's a wonderful thing to be able to make salad from the greens growing in your own garden!  Don't forget to grow some radishes and green onions to put in your salad.

growing vegetables from seeds in Utah

Can I Start A Vegetable Garden In August, In Utah?

We usually have a long Autumn in Utah - from early September until sometime in November when it turns cold and wintery.  The average date of the first frost on the Wasatch Front is around the middle of October, but it may not bring a permanent end to the growing season.  The ground is still warm and the weather often warms up again for a few more weeks.  Plants can be covered at night when a cold snap is expected.  So this means, yes, you can plant some cool season vegetables in August for a fall crop!  Planting seeds for lettuce, cilantro, spinach, carrots, radishes, beets, peas, kale, chard, arugula - anything that grows quickly and likes cooler weather.

Plant cool-season crops from seed in August for a fall harvest in Utah

When Is The Best Time To Harvest Dill?

Dill is a flavorful herb that grows very well in Utah.  It looks a lot like fennel but it is not nearly as large - only 2 or 3 feet tall.  Dill is not perennial, however it will reseed itself readily.  If you're lucky you will only have to plant dill once.  Let some go to seed by not harvesting it and you will have dill every year in your garden.  It is a very pretty plant - green ferny foliage with yellow flower heads. Dill attracts pollinators and it looks great in summer flower bouquets!
Plant dill in full sun and give it  moderate amounts of water.  It is easy to grow from seed and can be planted any time from March through May.
Harvest dill weed (the ferny leaves) anytime up until the plant flowers (around July).  You can use dill weed fresh or dried in salads, soups or sandwiches.  Dill always goes well with cucumbers!
Harvest dill seed after the plant is finished flowering and the seeds are beginning to dry out and turn brown.  Watch the plants carefully (every few days) because if you wait too long, the seeds will all fall off the plant and you won't harvest any.
*When I harvest dill for dill pickles, I use the whole plant.  I cut them almost to the ground when the seeds are turning from green to brown.  I let the plants dry out on some newspaper or paper towels for a few days in a dark, warm, dry place.   When making the pickles I use stems, foliage, green seeds and brown seeds.

Dill Flowers In Utah

Harvesting Dill For Dill Pickles - stems, foliage and seedheads

When Can I Plant Tomatoes (and other tender vegetables) In Utah?

On the Wasatch Front, anytime after Mother's Day it is usually safe to plant tender vegetable plants.  However, it's a good idea to watch the weather forcasts and make sure that nighttime temperatures aren't expected to go lower than the low 30's F.   Here is a post I wrote about frost dates.  Also, if you purchase plants that have become accustomed to the luxurious and constant-temperatured lifestyle of a nursery greenhouse, they will need to be "hardened off".  This is a process of placing seedlings outside during the day and moving them inside during the night.  They toughen up with the exposure to the outside air.  Then they won't be so shocked when transplanted into the garden.  Here is an article about hardening off plants.

seedlings almost ready for May planting!

Soil Temperature and Seed Planting

Seeds require certain soil temperatures in order to germinate (sprout).  So this is why different seeds need to be planted at different times.  Also the weather needs to be warm enough (especially at night) so that the seedlings will not be killed by air that is too cold.
Some seeds and seedling can germinate in cooler soil and their seedlings can tolerate cold air temperatures (even snow!).  Like peas and other cool season crops.  Others need to be planted later when things are warmer.  Here is a post I wrote about planting seeds and seedlings.
I tried an experiment in late February  to see if black plastic over the soil for a few weeks would heat it up.  After 3 weeks I tested the soil temperature and I couldn't see any difference.
My uncle bought a groovy soil thermometer and it came with an awesome chart showing soil temperatures for seed germination.

Soil Thermometer for Spring Seed Planting