Our Edible Garden: What to Plant Now
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After years (seriously) of planning, waiting, hoping for a raised vegetable garden, we finally have one completed in the back yard. The girls and I had so much fun choosing baby plants at the nursery.
Clockwise from the top: asparagus, strawberries, watercress.
While L (almost 2) naps, B and I enjoy being outside getting our hands dirty. We have gotten so far removed from nature with iPad/iPhone/TV stimulation that it feels really good to just sit in the sun and dig in the dirt. I also think it’s pretty cool for the girls to get to watch foods that they have only seen in markets growing up from the ground, or planter box in this case.
To prevent the plants from intermingling, we have them separated in beekeeping boxes. We acquired the boxes (okay, our landscaper acquired them) from a local beekeeper who was finished with them. Making a garden is easy, especially if you have a handy husband to nail old wood planks together together for a box. If you have any questions about starting your own garden, please leave them in the comments.
Overnight the plum tree has sprung little white buds and flowers. A sure sign spring is on the way, right?!
The chickens think our garden is a giant salad just for them. We have caught them flying into the raised bed and munching on broccoli leaves. We’re now off to the garden store to look for some sort of fencing to make the sides of the box chicken proof.
I can’t wait to see how our vegetables grow and start cooking with them. Do you have an edible garden at your house? Perhaps next I’ll tackle composting – something I’ve been too intimidated to try. Any tips?
March Planting Guide
This is a general guide that applies to California and may not work everywhere. Check with your local nursery for information on what to plant in your area.
Vegetables
Plant perennial Artichokes and Strawberries.
There is still time to plant a final crop of cool season veggies: Broccoli, Cabbage, and Peas etc.
Continue to plant Leaf crops, Lettuce, Spinach, Arugula, Chard and other Greens.
Plant Carrots, Beets and Radishes from seed.
Start first crops of Beans, Corn and Summer Squash.
O.K. So you can’t wait! Set out early Tomatoes – Save room for more in April and May!
Wait until April to put in the heat loving Peppers, Eggplant, Cucumber, Melons, and Pumpkin.
Herbs
Plant all annual and perennial herbs now: Basil, Dill, Oregano, Marjoram; Mint, Savory, Parsley, Sage Rosemary and Thyme.
Keep in Mind: Basil likes warm weather.
via La Sumida Nursery
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There is no better therapy than getting your hands in the dirt. I just started gardening about 6 months ago. I am hooked.
Your family will have so much fun. The food that you bring to your table will forever change your palette (smile).
I am envious….You have a few chickens too. So very cool.
Velva
P.S. Keep us posted on your gardens progress.
I love my garden! Yours looks super fun and the pictures are wonderful! The asparagus looks super tasty and I too am envious of your chickens! Have a wonderful week!
Beautiful!
I'm super impressed, it's a great skill to grow your own food.
Love your little garden! I love growing my own food too!…such a rewarding feeling eating your own homegrown fruits and veggies 🙂
Marina – this is pure awesomeness!! I day dream about having a garden and like in the movie It's Complicated. One day!! Great job – momma.
My mom grows her own vegetables. It is amazing and makes me really appreciate all the fresh organic produce we get to eat every summer. What a great thing to teach to your kids!
Oooh, I loved getting to see a little of your garden! Thanks for sharing this 🙂 We have a garden too. We always plant herbs, peas, tomatoes, peppers and squash(and we have a strawberry patch that comes back, I just have to take better care of it!), but we experiment with other things too. I'm not sure what we'll do this year, we wont be planting outside for a little while yet!
Marina, what a wonderful post! Oh yes, I do have a small something slightly resembling a garden! Will be posting in a few days all my weekend work in and around so called garden! My dream is to make a garden fresh salad entirely from my own tomatoes, cucumbers, dill, parsley, and whatever else is there. Mmm!
I love your garden! I've never had a house of my own – only apartments, and currently a 3rd-floor condo – and am so looking forward to the day when I can have a house of my own with flowers, veggies and herbs in the garden!
I am so excited to get my vegetable garden growing this year. I just started to clean up the garden and pull the weeds. My strawberry plants are starting to bud right now. I have to prep the soil to plant the season.
Last year I planted a honey bear acorn squash plant, that had the perfect size acorn squash for one. I'm hoping to find it again this year. You got me all excited for my garden!! he he…
I can't wait to start up my garden again. Most of my stuff died during the winter. I am thinking chocolate mint for sure!
You're amazing! I leave the gardening up to my folks. They have 2 vegetable gardens…one in the city, one up north at their summer home. Nothing better than fresh from the garden veggies for sure.
I am terrible at gardening! I wish I was better because I would love to have my own herb garden!
This post makes me excited for spring!
This inspires me to ressurect our planter from a while back. It's awesome when you can actually walk from your garden to the kitchen and use the produce straight away! Beautiful photography as usual!
Take care..
I seriously envy your garden and green thumb! I have a really hard time keeping plants alive 🙂
How awesome! I love taht you involved your kids so much in the project…I'm sure it'll be something fun you all do together!
I miss my vegetable and herb beds…there is nothing like eating straight out of your backyard (tastes so much better!)
XO – Marion
I can't wait to compare gardening notes This year! We need to get planting over here!
Thank you so much for this!!! I bought two square foot raised garden beds last summer and really want to put them together this season. Great reference 🙂
Marina, this is so exciting! Love that the chickens have a giant salad 😉 The girls look like they are having a great time!
How lovely – best of luck with your garden. It's so great that you are exposing your girls to food from the source like this!
Mary x
so glad i found you! lovely photos and wonderful post.
I agree, I'm so ready for Spring in Southern California and daylight savings time starts this weekend so we'll all be able to enjoy extra outdoor time in the garden. I love the idea of the raised boxes for your veggies and such. I look forward to your ideas for recipes using natures bounty. 🙂
Karen
We have an edible garden too! But you just opened up a bunch of new ideas!
What a great way to spend an afternoon! One day I would love to have my own garden in my backyard!
I bet it's so therapeutic too!
ps..the pics of your girls are just darling!!
So jealous! It is dumping snow here in Utah right as I type!
Those chickens are so plump and gorgeous! Yes, they will eat every bit of your lovely garden! Get that fence up soon! The girls are going to have so much fun seeing things grow! My oldest daughter planted her first raised garden last year and it was so abundant. It was so fun seeing her give it a try!
We're still so wet here it may be a while. I love having a garden and your's look wonderful!
This post came at the perfect time. I am going to plant some herbs this weekend. A few weekends ago I planted Kale and Swiss Chard and they are doing great. Do you use any fertiizer or special things for your plants? Your garden is beautiful!
I love your garden! I try to create a small one each summer, and am always unsuccessful. I'm already saying, this year will be the year!
I see some amazing fresh salads (and other yuumy recipes) in your future, Marina! Our apricot tree is sprouting just like your plum tree. We need to get on the stick and plant our garden.
Your garden is beautiful…..so are your children. This post has a wonderful feel to it:) I just ran my first 1/2 marathon in New Orleans last weekend. I wrote up a post about it. I'd love to hear your input and how it compared to your experience. xoxoxooxo Hanna
I love this! Nothing beats fresh lettuce. Our neighbors grow it and share. It's amazing the difference in taste, even from the organic at the market. Can't wait to see your recipes! xoxo
hi Marina. You have a beautiful garden. you have me all motivated. Right now i have only mint and basil in my kitchen garden but I will plant some more herbs this year.