What's happening in Denver gardens in March? Seed starting tops the list. According to the Farmer's Almanac, these are the vegetable seeds Denver residents should start indoors by mid-March, preferably sooner. Doing so gives veggies plenty of time to grow strong and healthy before being planted outdoors.
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Lettuce
- Peppers
- Tomatoes
Note: Opinions and experience vary depending who you ask. Some gardeners prefer to plant the vegetables below directly in the garden at a later date:
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Celery
About lettuce:
- Some gardeners like to start lettuce outside in cold frames. It does get nice and crispy that way.
- Some grow lettuces indoors year round. It's possible, just not as crispy.
- Others plant head lettuce indoors for transplanting later, while starting leaf lettuce outdoors.
About tomatoes and peppers:
Savvy Denver gardeners recommend starting tomato and pepper seeds indoors. They wouldn't reach maturity if planted by seed outdoors after the last frost.
Summing it up:
With the exception of tomatoes and peppers, it's your choice which veggies on the Farmer's Almanac list you prefer to start indoors by seed in March.
Bonus tip: Additional seeds to start in March:
Herbs
Adding to the Denver herb garden this spring? Start herb seeds indoors now if you haven't already. Keep in mind, not all herbs like it outdoors. Plus, some are shade friendly, while others love the sun.
Onions
Should Denver gardeners use onion seeds or sets (bulbs)? While it's true, seed can be started outdoors, there is a maturation issue. Sets simply grow faster. That being said, onion seeds can be started inside now. The resultant bulbs can be planted outside when ready, provided spring has sprung. For a continual crop, stagger onion plantings throughout the season.
Garlic
Garlic is planted from bulbs. Technically speaking, the bulbs are actually individual garlic cloves. They're easy to grow. Bulbs can be started indoors in March, then transplanted in spring. They can also be planted directly outdoors in spring. They grow quickly. There's no worry they won't mature in time.
Annual flowers
Save money on annual flowers by growing your own. Planting seeds indoors in March gets them off to a good start.
Comments