I am wondering, myself, whether it is too late to plant potatoes and some other spring things. Though I am technically zone 8, spring planting around here follows a more zone 7 schedule. I think you should put the lettuce and the beets and the turnips in the ground and not worry about it. Soak the peas overnight and put them in right away (use a quick-maturing variety, if you haven't already bought them.) I would hold the parsnips till the fall. Go ahead and plant spinach. I'm not sure what to tell you about broccoli raab as I'm growing it myself for the first time this year, but I would plant it, myself, maybe just a few plants.

Now this is just what I would do, guessing about your zone a little bit. But I have found that when I plant things as far ahead of the frost day as the charts tell me to, they sit in the ground and germinate poorly. My first peas, for example, went in Feb. 15, were covered and babied, but I still only got about half a stand.

For the things I am late with, I am planting them in an open-one-end hoop house and plan to take it down toward the last week of April, which is our tomato-setting-out date. That way they should grow quickly with the extra warmth, but won't get over-heated later when things get toasty around here.

Good luck. Spring gardening is my favorite gardening, but I had 2 weeks of flu and a late cold spring here, so ...

Best,
Martha

Don't think it's too late yet. We have not planted anything yet but are making plans. We have had that nasty flu this year too, for about two months now! Yuck!!

Thanks for the tips. I'll try and get started over the next couple of nights and hopefully finish over the weekend.

I have two kids aged 3 and 1 and they are just as energy drainning as having the flu. :) Have to wait until they go to sleep to get anything done. I need one of those helmets with a light on top.

ant