We’re itching to get in the garden but the final frost still seems a bit far away. It’s of course still a bit early, but you don’t have to wait quite until May to plant. Here are some seeds that actually want to be planted while both the ground and the weather are still cool.
Simply sow them right in the ground before the final frost to get your hands dirty and give these cool-season seeds a good start. A good rule of thumb is to do so as soon as the soil can be worked, which means when it is dry enough to just crumble in your hands instead of making a mud ball.
Leafy greens like lettuce, arugula, mustard, spinach, Swiss chard, and kale will all thrive in cooler weather. These greens actually taste better in the spring and fall than in the middle of summer when the heat makes for a bitter taste.
Root veggies like carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, and radishes are also excellent at withstanding frost and getting a good head start in the garden before the real warmth of summer settles in.
Also think about cruciferous veggies like kohlrabi, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower.
Peas must be sown early for a good spring harvest.
And last but not least, onion sets. Get them in the ground first thing for harvesting late in the summer.
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