When buying seeds, how do you know which you can plant in the ground NOW versus those that need to wait until mid-May? Look at the back of the seed packet! Cool-weather instructions usually say something like: “Plant in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked.”

Today I harvested cilantro & spinach from my garden! Plan ahead, and you too can have an early harvest. These were planted last fall, along with kale and arugula, and survived UNPROTECTED during the winter. A few plants died, but those that survived have now perked up!

Did you know you can build a raised bed garden without building a frame around it? Create a border flush with the ground & mound the soil within the border. It gives you more surface area to plant & is unobtrusive. Perfect for gardeners who only have sun in front of their abode.

We love this! So grateful to be a part of the Delaware YES! summit!

Use edible flowers to beautify your spring cakes, salads and other goodies! These pansies, violas, & violets all fall into the edible category. You’ll want to make sure they haven’t been sprayed/treated with anything that should not be consumed, so check with your garden shop!

Our friends at UD Extension have some great online resources tailored to Delaware gardeners udel.edu/academics/coll…

Delaware Gardeners: You can start planting your frost-sensitive seedlings, like tomatoes & peppers, as early as Mother’s Day weekend! DE average date of last frost is approximately April 20th, and you want to aim to plant about two weeks AFTER that.

Happy Mother’s Day! A favorite treat, these French breakfast radishes were planted March 30th & harvested today. How did I know they would be ready? The seed packet says 4 wks, but that number is more accurate for May planting. I added two weeks for earlier planting.

Would you believe that this is ONE spinach leaf on this 11" plate, and it's still tender? It's from over-wintered plants. In contrast, spinach planted at the end of March has much smaller leaves. When spinach starts to bolt (2nd photo), harvest leaves asap & plant something else!

High price of groceries got you down? I saved about $40 this week because of my garden. Now is a good time to plant seeds for beans, cucumbers, squash, corn & okra. Most seeds you buy this year will still be good next year & beyond if you store them in a cool, dry place.

Are your cilantro or arugula plants bolting (growing tall & producing flowers)? If so, harvest and use the leaves, but consider allowing a couple of plants to form fruit. Why? They will eventually reseed themselves, and you'll have a new crop without having to buy more seeds!

If you’re harvesting your March/early April planted leafy greens like spinach, lettuce & chard, watch out for jimson weed (AKA loco weed). It’s toxic, but luckily is easily recognized by its spiky-looking leaves. Remove it before you harvest, to avoid accidental ingestion.

Fresh Carrots from the Carrcroft Garden! #carrcroftchampions #carrcroftstory Healthy Foods DE Brandywine School District

Growing potatoes is SO much fun! When plants flower, the potatoes are “new” potato size. For full-sized potatoes, wait to dig them until the vines die back. In the meantime, watch for tubers peeking out of the ground, & cover them with soil so they don't turn green (= toxic).

"If we want this country to be safe, then we have to feed people." - Secretary Tom Vilsack HFHK agrees! We create mini-farms through #schoolgardens 40 & counting! Amazing panel!#veggiecatethefirststate C.D. Glin Nate Mook Morgan Ortagus Liz Schrayer #gif2022 #whatsitworth

Signing off from my Sunday garden observations & advice posts, because I officially retire from HFHK on 6/30. I'm leaving HFHK in good hands, and leaving you with a photo of some of my favorite edible flowers, marigolds. HFHK Founder Thianda Manzara, PhD,

Launching 9/21! Bring the April 2022 Growing School Gardens Summit home with our 6 month webinar series, featuring presentations from the Summit. Learn more and register at sgsonetwork.org/webinars/ Generously funded by Sprouts #growingschoolgardens #schoolgardens

Just posted a photo instagram.com/p/CjivpI0rbbV/…

Just posted a photo @ Agilent Technologies instagram.com/p/Cjiyg3WLbmt/…

Just posted a photo instagram.com/p/Cl1tBLHOKtA/…