OSU Extension: Resist the urge to work wet soil
Many gardeners might have gotten that itch to get out the tiller, work up their garden soil and maybe even put some potatoes in the ground. But many areas are still soggy from excessive weekend rains, making soils too wet to work.
It really is best for your garden’s long-term health to resist the urge to work the soil when it is still wet. Whether you use a tiller, plow or just a garden spade, working wet soil can badly compact soil, and the negative effects will last for many years.
Working wet soil will pack soil particles tightly, leaving less room for water and air to penetrate. Compacted soil also makes it more difficult for plant roots and gardening equipment to move through the soil. The compression forms tight clumps of soil that become hard as rocks upon drying and are difficult to break up. In addition to making it difficult for plants to grow, compacted soils also tend to drain more slowly, in turn delaying the ability to work the soil after the next rainfall.
Once compacted, it will take many years to rebuild a healthy soil structure, requiring annual applications of organic matter, such composted plant and animal wastes or perhaps growing a green manure crop, such as annual rye or winter wheat.
The best course of action is to prevent compaction in the first place. To determine whether your garden’s soil is dry enough to work, dig a trowel full of soil and squeeze it in your hand. Soil that crumbles through your fingers when squeezed is ready to garden. If, however, the soil forms a muddy ball, give the soil another few days to dry, and sample again later.
In the mean time, you can soothe that gardening itch by sketching garden plans, browsing online and mail-order catalogs, and making a shopping list for your local garden center. You’ll be ready for action when the soil does dry enough to work.
By: Rosie Lerner, Purdue University, Dept of Horticulture
Is it time to plant vegetables?
A soil thermometer can be a gardener's best friend especially this spring.
With a thermometer, no guess work is needed. Soil temperature is the best indicator of when to plant each type of vegetable, no matter what climate zone you live in.
Crops that germinate in the coolest soils (down to 40 degrees F) include arugula, fava beans, kale, lettuce, pak choi, parsnips, peas, radicchio, radishes and spinach seed. When the soil temperature reaches above 50 degrees, Chinese cabbage, leeks, onions, Swiss chard, and turnips can join them in the garden.
At 60 degrees you can sow warm-season vegetables such as beans, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots and cauliflower. But watch weather forecasts — beans will not tolerate frost and may have to be planted twice if the temperature goes below freezing.
Wait until the soil warms to above 70 degrees to plant warm-season vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, cucumbers, squash, corn and melons. It can take several weeks for tomatoes, eggplant and peppers to germinate in the garden. You can get a jump on the season, however, if you buy them already started from your local garden center. On the other hand, squash, cucumbers and corn grow quickly and are easy to start from seed.
To ensure success with early-season vegetable gardening. If you just can't wait to plant, warm the soil with plastic mulch and use a cloche, fabric row cover or cold frame.
Be prepared to carefully cover your plants with burlap, plastic or an old blanket or sheet if a hard freeze is forecast. Even a crop that's germinated and starting to grow can be ruined by a late frost.
Source: Oregon State University
If you have not yet made plans to the 2018 Fairfield County Master Gardener Volunteers Educational Event on April 28, this is the last call for your reservations. The one-day educational event will feature four educational speakers discussing Invasive Plants and their Control to the Latest & Greatest plant selections with Doug Parkinson from Proven Winners. The event starts at 9 a.m. with the opportunity to shop from 17 local vendors and craftsmen and a continental breakfast. Program begins at 10 and lunch is served. Cost is $30 and reservations are needed ASAP and can be made at OSU Extension located in the Fairfield County Ag Center located at 831 College Avenue, Lancaster.