Resources for Organic Vegetable Gardening

Garden Hotline: (206) 633-0224; http://seattletilth.org/learn/hotline

Greendays Gardening Panel on KUOW (94.9 FM), Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m.

Seattle Tilth, including  an Issaquah Edible Plant Sale on May 22^nd at the Pickering Barn: http://seattletilth.org/ .  Seattle Tilth offers classes in Seattle — and in Issaquah: http://www.ci.issaquah.wa.us/News.asp?NewsID=1420

Trellis, a group of vegetable gardeners, meets on the third Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at the Valley Christian Assembly Church in Fall City, 32725 SE 42^nd St. They also have online forum at http://trellis.ning.com/

Demonstration Gardens:

Bellevue Demonstration Garden, 15500 SE 16^th St, off 156^th, was created by King County Master Gardeners and offers garden talks:  http://www.mgfkc.org/locations/bellevue/

Bradner Garden: 29^th Ave S and S Grand St, created by Seattle Tilth and KC Master Gardeners who are often onsite to answer questions: http://www.seattle.gov/Parks/park_detail.asp?ID=401

Books:

Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades by Steve Solomon

The Maritime Northwest Garden Guide: Planning Calendar for Year-Round Organic Gardening by Seattle Tilth

Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew (in the Pea Patch Library, donated by Maryfrances)

Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening by Louise Riotte

Nurseries & Garden Stores:

Squak Mountain Nursery: 7600 Renton-Issaquah Rd SE; has lots of seedlings and gardening supplies

Issaquah Grange: 145 NE Gilman Blvd; carries Territorial Seeds, seed potatoes, and gardening tools

Hayes Nursery: 12504 Issaquah-Hobart Rd; staff knows what grows in Mirrormont

Seed & Plant Catalogs:

Territorial Seed Company offers seeds field-tested in our climate: http://www.territorialseed.com/

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds offers 1400 heirloom varieties: http://rareseeds.com/

Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit dedicated to sharing heirloom seeds: http://www.seedsavers.org/

Abundant Life Seeds specializes in organic and biodynamic seeds: http://www.abundantlifeseeds.com/

Raintree Nursery has fruit, nut and berry cultivars from around the world: http://www.raintreenursery.com/

When to Start Your Spring Garden

All digging should be done when the soil is moist but not dripping wet. Pick up a handful of soil in one hand and squeeze it into a ball. It should feel damp, but no water should drip as you squeeze. Ideally, you should be able to form a ball of soil that stays together when you open your hand, but crumbles easily when you tap it with a finger. Planting dates vary according to microclimate. Those gardening very near Puget Sound or one of the area’s large lakes will probably be able to start quite early. Inland gardens, particularly those in the Cascade foothills, will need to wait a little longer.

As soon as soil is ready in March, can plant

asparagus             chard              kale                  kohlrabi

lettuce                  onions            peas                  turnips

radishes                rhubarb          spinach              mustard greens

After April 1, plant

beets                     collards        broccoli                   leeks

cabbage                 parsnips        carrots                   potatoes

cauliflower             celery

Wait until after mid-May to plant

beans                       corn           squash              eggplant

cucumbers                 okra          melons              pumpkins

peppers                     tomatoes                            Brussels sprouts

Companion Planting: see http://www.gardensablaze.com/Companions/CompanionYield.htm