suggestions planting times

linzelu100 · December 19, 2013

I want to mail my nieces seeds every month, that they can plant that month (indoors or out). They visited my garden this year (which I thought looked disastrously), but they fell in love! In love with vegetables and gardening and bugs. Now they keep asking me for seed, and I have plenty to share with them. I thought it be neat to send them seeds every month (since they like getting mail) and they could learn to garden that way. Their parents are giving them garden space.

But here's where I need suggestions, some months I don't plant anything so I don't know what to send them. I can order the seed, that's not a problem. I'm in Virginia 7a and I start planting February with celery and onions- then by June I don't plant much more. August I start fall veg and that stops pretty soon. What could I mail them for January, July, and Sep, Nov, Dec? Any Suggestions?

Pappi · December 19, 2013

I recommend looking at the Southern Exposure Seed Exchanges catalog. They have a planting date guide for where they grow in zone 7a in Virginia. Might give you some ideas. Their 2014 catalog pdf can be found here. The guide is on page 2. Hope this helps you out some.

Pappi

tlintx · December 19, 2013

What zone are they in? The same as yours?

For whichever winter month is ~two months before their last frost date, I'd send a windowsill kit with peat pellets and pepper seeds. Then the next month I'd send the same but tomato seeds.

For July, I'd send something quick growing that can be brought inside, like one of the asian greens in a tray.

For September, I'd send a little flower pot, a coir pellet, and Mohamed or another micro.

Labradors2 · December 19, 2013

How about some herb seeds to grow inside over the winter?

Linda

habitat_gardener · December 19, 2013

Some good indoor crops are alfalfa or lentil sprouts, or kitty grass (if they have a cat or otehr small mammal).

Pappi · December 19, 2013

Doing pea or sunflower shoots as well. They would get taller than sprouts and would be sweeter and tastier to a child.

happydog · February 14, 2014

This is a fun little booklet that you print out and fill in with your frost free dates. Then it's easy to see what should be planted, and when. You could even make one for each of your nieces and send it to them.

http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2...ng-garden.html

It's fun and very helpful.

December 19, 2013	#1
linzelu100 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 447	suggestions planting times I want to mail my nieces seeds every month, that they can plant that month (indoors or out). They visited my garden this year (which I thought looked disastrously), but they fell in love! In love with vegetables and gardening and bugs. Now they keep asking me for seed, and I have plenty to share with them. I thought it be neat to send them seeds every month (since they like getting mail) and they could learn to garden that way. Their parents are giving them garden space. But here's where I need suggestions, some months I don't plant anything so I don't know what to send them. I can order the seed, that's not a problem. I'm in Virginia 7a and I start planting February with celery and onions- then by June I don't plant much more. August I start fall veg and that stops pretty soon. What could I mail them for January, July, and Sep, Nov, Dec? Any Suggestions? __________________ Lindsey

December 19, 2013	#2
Pappi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Pineland Posts: 126	I recommend looking at the Southern Exposure Seed Exchanges catalog. They have a planting date guide for where they grow in zone 7a in Virginia. Might give you some ideas. Their 2014 catalog pdf can be found here. The guide is on page 2. Hope this helps you out some. Pappi

December 19, 2013	#3
tlintx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: SeTx Posts: 881	What zone are they in? The same as yours? For whichever winter month is ~two months before their last frost date, I'd send a windowsill kit with peat pellets and pepper seeds. Then the next month I'd send the same but tomato seeds. For July, I'd send something quick growing that can be brought inside, like one of the asian greens in a tray. For September, I'd send a little flower pot, a coir pellet, and Mohamed or another micro.

December 19, 2013	#4
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,896	How about some herb seeds to grow inside over the winter? Linda

December 19, 2013	#5
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	Some good indoor crops are alfalfa or lentil sprouts, or kitty grass (if they have a cat or otehr small mammal).

February 14, 2014	#7
happydog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Appalachian Mountains NC Posts: 151	This is a fun little booklet that you print out and fill in with your frost free dates. Then it's easy to see what should be planted, and when. You could even make one for each of your nieces and send it to them. http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2...ng-garden.html It's fun and very helpful.