After a long winter spent indoors, gardeners must be revving to step outside and feel the dirt under their fingernails again. Those in the know are familiar with the feeling of peace and accomplishment that are undoubtedly the best parts of recreational gardening. It is an exercise in patience and diligence but there is truly nothing more rewarding than nurturing your own garden. For older adults who experience limited mobility, planting some seeds and watching them flourish can rekindle a sense of excitement, and what better time to utilize those green thumbs than in spring? Here are four of the best seeds to plant in spring!
Snow Peas
Snow peas are cold-weather vegetables that are best planted the second you have workable soil in spring. The ideal conditions for optimal germination are soil temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t worry about the spring frost getting to them as they thrive under such weather.
To plant snow peas, you need to sow the seeds directly into the garden around four to six weeks before the last of the spring frost melts away. Apply a granular beneficial soil bacteria to the seed rows when planting gives your plants the nitrogen they need to help improve their growth. Sow your seeds at a depth of half-inch and about one or two inches apart.
As they grow, you will need to install a fence or some garden netting as snow peas tend to grow tall.
Lettuce
Lettuce is among the easiest and most versatile spring vegetables to plant. While you may choose to purchase starter plants and transfer them into your garden, it is typically less expensive and easier to start your own garden of lettuce from scratch.
Lettuce comes in many different shapes and types, each with a subtly unique flavor, color, and texture. However, no matter which variety of lettuce you choose to feature in your garden, the seeds can be sown directly around eight weeks before the last expected spring frost. Sow more seeds every two to four weeks to have a continual crop of lettuce! You should space your lettuce seeds around half-inch apart and at a depth of a quarter inch.
If you’re looking to plant full-sized lettuce heads, you will need to thin the seedlings to six inches when they form their first true leaves. However, if you’re planning on harvesting baby lettuce leaves, you won’t need to thin seedlings, you can simply snip them off as you need them.
Kale
Kale is considered one of the healthiest and most nutritious greens you can find and they are surprisingly easy to grow! This superfood packs a number of antioxidants and is perfect for seniors who need that additional nutritional boost. Kale also thrives in the cooler temperatures of spring and can produce edible yields within a month of planting them!
To grow kale, you will need to sow the seeds directly into the garden as soon as the soil reaches around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Sow the seeds one and half inch deep and space them around an inch apart.
However, if you wish to harvest baby kale, you will need to thin the seedlings to around six to eight inches apart.
