Spring is the perfect time to get a jumpstart on growing your own food! In the sweetness of Spring the trees explode into bloom, bulbs pop up to offer their greetings, and the first delicious leaves sprout, ready to add their fleeting freshness to any dish in the kitchen. March and April are fantastic months for growing tender greens and aromatic herbs, and for laying the foundation for the gardening season to come.
Whether you’re a container gardener, a full-blown homesteader, or prefer a more ornamental approach to your edible gardening, now is the time to make sure you’re maximizing your outdoor space and taking advantage of all the delicious offerings of Spring! Most Spring edible crops can easily be grown from seed or starts, and they fall into three categories:
1. Edibles with a short season that will grow and be eaten within Spring
2. Veggies and herbs that are longer season that will be harvested months after planting
3. Woody and perennial fruits and berries that will bear fruit this year and in following years
Short-Season Spring Edible Plants
The advantage of short-season crops is that you can fit them into virtually any space in the garden. Plant peas where you plan to grow your tomatoes, sow lettuce and greens into empty pottery, and plant radishes below your roses! Since they turn over quickly, there is no “wrong” way to sow a Spring edible garden. Harvest any of the options below as microgreens when they germinate or let them live on and mature until you need to reclaim the space.
Sow from Seed: Peas, Radishes, Lettuce, Arugula, Mache, Spinach
Plant as Starts: Cilantro, Parsley, Nasturtium, Peas, Radishes, Lettuce, Arugula
Visit us in store to shop our current inventory of vegetable and herb starts!
Long-Season Vegetables & Herbs for Spring Planting
Spring brings a guarantee of rainy days and chilly evenings, but nevertheless, March and April are the perfect time to plant cooler season crops. Members of the Brassica family and root vegetables can tolerate dips in nighttime temperatures without issue and benefit from having more time in the ground at the beginning of the growing season so that they have ample time to mature before Summer and Fall harvest. Plant longer-season Spring veggies where they can enjoy sunlight and regular water, and ideally where the canopy of larger Summer veggies can give them a bit of shade during the hottest months of Summer.
Sow from Seed: Beets, Carrots, Chard, Fava Beans, Kolrahbi, Parsley, Fennel
Plant as Starts: Beets, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Kale, Leeks, Onions, Shallots, Potatoes, Parsley, Thyme, Sage, Rosemary, Mint, Oregano
Fruits for Spring Planting
Fruiting trees and berries arrive in stores in early Spring, which is when our selection is at its largest! Spring is a phenomenal time to plant fruiting trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants because the rain and cool soil temperatures will make sure they have time to set a strong foundation of roots before the heat arrives in Summer. Plus planting in Spring rather than Fall means you get to enjoy the first fruits produced by your plants that year!
Learn more about how to grow the best backyard berries in the Pacific Northwest!
Plant as Starts: Apples, Cherries, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Blackberries, Grapes, Marionberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Olives
Spring Edible Planting & Care Tips
Planting
Plant Spring edibles into soil in the ground, raised beds, or containers that has been amended with high-quality organic compost, chicken manure, or worm castings to help reinvigorate the soil for the season.
Fertilizing
Feed young plants when they have at least four sets of true leaves with a gentle, granular organic starter fertilizer or vegetable fertilizer. As the season continues, supplement with liquid organic fertilizer and add a layer of organic mulch to help suppress weeds and conserve water.
For more information about growing veggies, herbs, and fruit, check out our comprehensive edible gardening blog!
Looking Ahead to May & June Planting
While Spring is still too early to plant warm-season veggies like Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplant, and tender herbs like Basil, it’s a great time to start marking out space for these must-grow vegetables and herbs. Consider planting them in vacancies left behind by short-season Spring veggies, or in and amongst longer season Spring vegetables to help create your very own food forest!
Dennis’ 7 Dees Garden Centers have a fantastic selection of vegetables, fruits, and herbs available in store. We partner with local Pacific Northwest growers to provide us with the best quality plant starts, and receive shipments weekly during the Spring and Summer. Visit us in store to see our full set of offerings, or browse our selection online!