February is Prime Time for Planting Many Cool-Season Crops

While most people remain snug in their homes during the colder winter months, savvy, Southern gardeners know February is a great time to begin planting several frost-hardy vegetables directly outside in prepared garden beds.  Many vegetable varieties can thrive in Georgia’s late winter temperatures and can even handle a light frost.  

I always heard that our last, average frost date here in Fayette County was Tax Day – April 15, but other studies show our average last-frost date is around March 21-31. So right now, you can begin direct sowing many vegetable seeds into your garden beds, including root veggies like carrots, radishes, and turnips.  Quick growers – radishes can be ready for harvest in as little as three weeks!

If you love your salads, go ahead and sow those leafy greens, including lettuces, spinach, mustard greens and kale.  According to farmers, many greens actually become sweeter after a light freeze.

Alliums (onion sets, leeks and garlic), those wonderful veggies that add spice to your recipes, can still be added for a late spring or early summer harvest. 

There is still time to prepare your garden beds for cool-season sowing, if you have a yearning for fresh veggies.  Here are some tips:

• Get a soil test from your local UGA Cooperative Extension Office and adjust your soil as needed.  Vegetables usually need a pH level between 6.2 and 6.8.
• Plant in raised beds to avoid digging in hard clay.  You can add all the soil amendments you need for a well-drained, nutrient-rich environment for your plants.
• Protect your new growth with a row cover or frost blanket if we get a late deep-freeze that can potential damage your crop.
• Water as needed to keep uniform moisture in the beds.

Country Garden Farms in Newnan offers excellent classes on organic vegetable growing. Their next class is February 28, from 10 a.m. – noon at the farm, 2050 Sharpsburg McCollum Rd.  The cost is $10.  For more information, go to countrygardenfarm.com.