For our Little Botanists
There is something simply magical about growing your own plants. My two little botanists love seeing their plants rise out of the soil. Right now, we’re growing mint, strawberries, and greens. (We would grow beans but my oldest, Jack, is concerned about giants.)
It all started at my parents’ house in Mississippi where they a large garden. My oldest, Jack, refers to it as his and his Pawpaw’s garden. They grow all kinds of vegetables, fruit, and flowers. My two little botanists love all of the plants.
Now we want to help you get started with your own garden.
First, you need a designated area or planter for your plants.
We have an elongated planter with space for each of the plants. You can also use a raised flower bed.
Second, you need topsoil.
Find something that is full of organic nutrients. Place the soil in your planting area. (As an alternative, you can consider composting.)
Third, you need to select what you want to plant.
If your planter is outdoors, be mindful of the season. Certain plants grow better during different times of the year.
Use the list below to help you select which plants to grow.
January: Plant beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, collards, garden peas, Irish potatoes, kale, lettuce, mustard, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, Swiss chard and turnips. Plant seeds of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants in small pots in greenhouses or under lights indoors.
February: Plant beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, Swiss chard, collards, lettuce, mustard, potatoes, radishes, spinach, snow peas and turnips. Plant seeds of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants in greenhouses or under lights indoors.
March: Plant tomatoes and bell peppers (use transplants for these two), cucumbers, corn, snap beans, mirliton and squash.
April: Plant eggplants, peanuts, pumpkins, Southern peas, hot peppers, lima beans, luffa gourds, okra and yard-long beans, tomatoes, snap beans, squash and cucumbers.
May: Plant cantaloupe, cushaw, eggplant, Malabar spinach, edible soybean, peanuts, pumpkin, Southern peas, hot peppers, lima beans, luffa gourd, mirliton, okra, sweet potato, watermelon and yard-long beans.
June: Plant collards, eggplant, hot pepper, luffa, Malabar spinach, mirliton, New Zealand spinach, okra, peanut, pumpkin, Southern peas, edible soybeans, squash and sweet potato.
July: Plant cantaloupes, collards, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, Southern peas, shallots, squashes and watermelons. Also, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, peppers and tomatoes.
August: Plant broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bunching onions, cabbage, cauliflower, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, collards, cucumbers, lima beans, mustard, snap beans, Southern peas, shallots, squash and turnips. Also, bell peppers, tomatoes and eggplants by mid-August.
September: Plant in early September, tomatoes or peppers and seeds of squash, cucumbers, bush snap beans and bush lima beans. Throughout the month plant broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, collards, mustard, kale, kohlrabi, turnips, shallots, bunching onions, and small whole Irish potatoes.
October: Plant beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, collards, endive, green peas, snow peas, edible podded peas, garlic, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, onions, rutabaga, shallots, parsley, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard, turnips, and kale.
November: Plant beets, cabbage, carrot, celery, collard, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, mustard, onion, rutabaga, shallot, spinach, Swiss chard and turnip.
December: Plant beets, cabbage, carrots, celery, Chinese cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, onions, radish, rutabaga, shallots, spinach, Swiss chard and turnips.
Fourth, you should water and monitor the soil while your little plant(s) germinate in the ground.
Make sure the ground stays nice and soft. Make sure the soil has plenty of nutrients.
Fifth, enjoy the process with your little botanist.
They’re only little once (them and the plants).
