Vegetables to Plant Now: first seeds of spring

It is my goal to share knowledge of growing vegetables with people, so I’m starting a series called Vegetables to Plant Now where I will share what I am planting, how to do it, and tips.
The seed sowing season actually got away from me a little bit. It begins in February with onions, and there are several things that like to be planted in early March. (All of these are indoors unless noted.)
Mid February until mid March

• onions/shallots 
• celery/celeriac

Early-mid March

• broccoli
• cabbage
• collards
• kale
• escarole
• kohlrabi
• chard
• direct seed spinach into the ground

Mid-late March

• eggplant
• cauliflower
• direct seed peas

Late March

• pepper
• tomato
• chard
• direct seed radish and turnip

On March 11th I planted:

• Vegetables in trays: kale, collards, broccoli raab, lettuce, orach

Orach is a green that’s tender as spinach with the flavor of mild chard. We had it last spring and loved it. I’ve learned to only grow things we eat. Adam does at least half of the cooking, so I grow things he likes. Too many times I have brought home things we don’t eat often, full of hope, only to watch them wither in the fridge. Grow what you eat!  

• Perennials/companion flowers in trays: Garlic Chives, Yarrow, Lupine, Viola, Alyssum.

The first three are beneficial in the garden; confusing pests with their scent and bringing up nutrients from the soil. Viola is the only food for Fritillary butterflies, so it’s important to include specialist foods like this. Alyssum is a good ground cover in the vegetable garden—it spreads over the ground so less mulch is required.

• ​Vegetables in the ground: spinach and peas.

It feels very early for these, but I'm trying it. (The literature I've read says you can plant spinach now!) Peas prefer a soil temperature of 40 degrees or more to germinate. The regular ground is probably not this warm, but I spread a bunch of compost over the garden so I’m hoping it’s a little warmer. 

​Here is a little photo essay of what I did. Seeds and supplies are sold at Natureworks and we open again Thursday March 19th, the first day of spring.