John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds

John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds
Easy Harvest Bounty From Direct-Sow Vegetables
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No matter how many times we do it, it occurs to us that starting vegetable and herb plants from seed is one of nature’s greatest miracles. Though some crops, like Eggplant, Tomatoes and Peppers, need to be started in a greenhouse or indoors under lights, there are many vegetables that can be grown by sowing the seed directly into the garden. Peas, Beans, Sweet Corn, Spinach, Lettuce, Carrots and Radishes are just a few of the vegetables that grow best when you sow their seeds directly into a patch of warm, brown soil. What could be easier? It really is like magic.

How do you know which kinds seeds you can direct-sow and when you should plant them? In this email, you will find lists of direct-sow vegetables, a link to the Frost-Free Date for your location, and a planting schedule that can be customized to match your location and the crops you'll be growing. Circle which vegetables you want to grow, find the Frost-Free Date for your location, and then fill in the planting dates. Near the end of this email, we’ve also provided some seed-planting basics in case you're new to vegetable gardening.

Deciding What to Grow
The following vegetable and herb seeds can all be planted directly and easily into the garden. (Although not quite as easy, you may also direct-sow Asian Greens, Endive, Escarole, Fennel, Okra, Onions and Radicchio,.) Circle those that you want to grow:

Easy Vegetables and Herbs to Direct-Sow in the Spring
Arugula * Beans * Beets * Broccoli Raab * Carrots * Collards * Cucumbers * Endive * Escarole * Kale * Kohlrabi * Lettuce * Melons * Mustard Greens * Parsnips * Peas * Pumpkins * Radishes * Diakon Radish * Rutabaga * Salad Greens * Salsify * Scallions * Spinach * Swiss Chard * Sweet Corn * Summer Squash * Turnips * Winter Squash * Basil * Dill * Chives * Chervil * Cilantro * Pepperbox Breadseed Poppies

Easy Vegetables to Direct-Sow Continuously through the Summer
Arugula * Beans * Beets * Carrots * Collards * Kale * Lettuce * Mustard Greens * Radishes * Salad Greens * Spinach * Swiss Chard

Easy Vegetables to Direct-Sow a Second Time in Late Summer
Endive * Escarole * Kohlrabi * Peas * Turnips

Find Your Frost-Free Date (FFD)
If you live where winter temperatures fall below freezing, your spring planting schedule is governed by the Frost-Free Date (FFD) for your location. On and after that date, the soil is relatively warm and the risk of frost is very low.

You can get your FFD by using a nifty chart from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). GO HERE and select your State from the pull down menu. This will generate a PDF with a list of NOAA data collection sites in your State. In the left column, choose the location nearest or most similar to where you live. Then read across. Use the middle threshold number (32F) and right next to it in the Spring column, will be the 90% probability date. This is your FFD.

Once you have the Frost-Free Date in hand, refer to a calendar so you can fill in the blanks below. Since weekends are our primary gardening days, we usually move our FFD to whatever Saturday is closest to the date on the chart.

What to do on (3-4 weeks before FFD)
Prep your garden. If it’s a cold, soggy spring, wait an extra week until the soil has dried out so it won’t get clumpy. Loosen the soil and remove any weeds. Mix in well-rotted, aged compost and a granular, all-purpose organic fertilizer as necessary.

What you can plant: Peas, Broccoli Raab and cold-tolerant Salad Greens such as Loose-Leaf Lettuce, Spinach and Arugula. If possible, cover all newly seeded areas with garden fabric to help warm the soil and speed growth.

What to do on (2 weeks before FFD)
What you can plant: Lettuce, Spinach, Arugula, Asian Greens, Kale, Swiss Chard, Scallions, Beets, Carrots, Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Mustard Greens, Parsnips, Radicchio, Radishes, Rutabaga, Salsify, Turnips, Cilantro, Dill, Chervil, Pepperbox Breadseed Poppies. You may still plant Peas too. (This is also the time to plant out cold-tolerant transplants of Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale, Onions, Shallots, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts and Celeriac that you may have started indoors in advance.)

What to do on (FFD for your area)
What you can plant: any of the seeds above as well as the following: Beans, Sweet Corn, Daikon Radish, Chinese Cabbage, Chives. Now is a good time to plant a second crop of Salad Greens and Lettuce. Continue replanting Arugula, Radishes, Salad Greens, Spinach, Swiss Chard every two to three weeks right through mid-September. (This is also the right time to plant out seedlings of Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers, Hot Chile Peppers, Eggplant, Tomatillos and Cauliflower that you may have started indoors in advance.)

What to do on (2 weeks after FFD)
What you can plant: any of the seeds above (though it’s a bit late for Peas) as well as the following: Cucumbers, Melons, Pumpkins, Winter Squash, Summer Squash, Pumpkins, Okra, and Basil. Seed a second planting of Beans, Beets, Carrots, Collards and Kale. Continue planting Arugula, Salad Greens, Radishes, Spinach, Swiss Chard and Lettuce.

What to do on (8-10 weeks after FFD)
What you can plant: fall crops of Carrots, Beets, Broccoli and Kale. Continue sowing Arugula, Salad Greens, Radishes, Spinach, Swiss Chard and Lettuce.

What to do on (12-14 weeks after the FFD)
What you can plant: cold-resistant crops for late fall harvests and for overwintering under fabric. Lettuce, Beets, Carrots, Endive, Escarole, Peas, Turnips, Salad Greens, Swiss Chard, Asian Greens, Spinach and Arugula.

Seed Planting Basics
Preparing a fluffy, weed-free, well-draining seedbed in a nice sunny spot is the best way to ensure a successful crop. Rake the area smooth, breaking up any clumps and removing stones and weeds. Seeds are usually planted in either a narrow row, a 12” x 12” square, or a 2’ to 3’ wide bed. The choice is entirely up to you and depends on the layout of your garden and what feels best to you as you tend to and harvest your vegetables.

Check each of our seed packets to determine how deep to plant the seeds and how much space to allow between the seeds. Though seeds are inexpensive, taking time to plant only the recommended number of seeds saves a lot of time later. You won’t need to thin, and your plants will stay healthier and be more productive when they’re not overcrowded. If you are unsure how deep to plant the seeds, a general rule is to cover seeds to a depth that’s no more than three times their diameter. Lettuce seeds, for instance, should only be covered with about 1/8” of soil.

Consistent moisture is critical for good germination. Many seeds have a tough protective seed coat that must be softened for seven to 10 days before a sprout can emerge. After planting, water the area very gently to avoid disturbing the seeds and let the water soak in to a depth of several inches. To ensure the top inch of soil stays consistently moist, you may need to sprinkle the soil surface once or twice a day, or cover the area with garden fabric to help retain moisture. Once the seedlings break through the soil surface, you can reduce your watering schedule to several times per week (unless rainfall is sufficient). Once the plants are established, you can cut back even further.

We share our best-of-the-best recipes so you can feed your family and friends well without feeling frenzied, and practical, hands-on horticultural tips to demystify gardening with seeds (it need not be tricky or difficult. Truth be told, it is a bit more like easy magic.) If you need help with anything, our office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can email us at customerservice@kitchengardenseeds.com or call us at (860) 567-6086. Lance Frazon, our seed specialist, is happy to help you in any way possible. He loves to talk seeds.

-To see our seed collection click: Flowers, gourmet fruits & vegetables and aromatic herbs.

-To request a 2013 Kitchen Garden Seeds catalog, click: Request catalog.

-To look at our yummy recipes, like Candace Dugan’s Zucchini Bread, click: Recipes.

-Or, call us at (860) 567-6086: we will help you in any way we can!

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John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds

23 Tulip Drive * PO Box 638 * Bantam, CT 06750
Phone: (860) 567-6086 * Fax: (860) 567-5323
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