Now that the threat of frost in the Lowcountry has passed, it’s time to plant spring vegetables. Seasoned gardeners and amateurs alike have been out in droves in recent weekends stocking up on compost, fertilizer, and a variety of edible plants and showy blooms. It can be difficult to start a garden as the options of what to plant can be overwhelming.
Here are some tips to set up your vegetable garden for success whether you are planting in raised beds or pots:
Plant what you eat and eat what you plant
Before plant shopping, think about what vegetables you and your family enjoy. If you’re not typically a beet or kale eater, don’t plant them. Instead, spend your energy caring for things that you eat on a regular basis.
Plant things that go together
If you’re starting out, try planting lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes for a quick salad. A container with a variety of herbs will always come in handy in the kitchen. Chives, parsley and cilantro are versatile and can give many dishes that freshness that can’t be duplicated with their dried counterparts. Try mint which pairs nicely with watermelon and summer mojitos.
Tend to your soil before planting
A nutrient-rich soil is the foundation of a healthy garden. If you are planting directly into the ground, add two to three inches of compost to the surface. If you are planting in containers or a raised bed be sure to use a quality soil, preferably organic. The local garden go-to resource, Rita’s Roots, states that to have high yields, you must amend your soil each season because overtime plants use up all the nutrients. Rita also recommends using an all-purpose organic fertilizer in the hole of each new planting.
Get the family involved
Gardening can be a lot of work and any hands can be helpful. Most children love to get their hands dirty and are thrilled to be involved. A garden provides the perfect opportunity for family team-building, establishing patience and an overall respect for how food is grown.
Buy locally grown plants
Vegetable plants grown here in the Lowcountry are more likely to be successful in your garden as they’ve already been conditioned for our climate. Seek out local plant sales such as those at Rita’s Roots and the Plantasia event from April 6 to April 10 that is hosted by the Charleston Horticultural Society.
Mix in cut flowers
Pollinators will benefit your garden and cut flowers will help draw them in. Additionally, cutting a few flowers and bringing them inside will bring happiness into the home and will provide a reminder of the benefits of your hard work in the garden.
Available and ready to plant
Rita’s Roots just hosted a spring plant sale and these were just some of the items ready to be planted now. Roadside Blooms will host another Rita’s Roots plant sale on April 23.
- A variety of kale and lettuce
- Cherry, heirloom and other varieties of tomatoes
- Beets
- Eggplant
- A variety of peppers
- Herbs
- Cucumbers
- Squash
- Cut flowers such as yarrow, sunflower, rudbeckia and cosmos
- Edible flowers such as nasturtium
- Watermelon
- Okra
- Beans
Toni Reale is the owner and creator director of Roadside Blooms, a unique flower and plant shop in Park Circle in North Charleston. It specializes in weddings, events and everyday deliveries using near 100 percent American and locally grown blooms. Online at: roadsideblooms.com. Visit at 4610 Spruill Ave., Ste. 102, North Charleston.
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