Hi Tina!

Have you checked your weather forecast? I try to keep an eye on the lows for the next week or 10 days. I'm in Madison and I'm going to do most of my planting this weekend or the next. It doesn't look like we'll dip much below mid-low 40s for the rest of the month, so I think it's probably safe here.

I think your seeds should be fine. I've been gardening for about as long as you, so I'm still learning. But the way I understand it is that seeds are resiliant. If it's cold it's better to have a seed in the ground than a very young plant, because the leaves can be more vunerable. And if the conditions aren't right, the seed just won't germinate until they are.

I don't know a ton about veggie gardens, I usually just do tomatoes, peppers and herbs. I think asparagus takes several years to get going, but I could be wrong.

Have fun!

Tina,
I just moved from Sheboygan to Cascade, but still work in Sheboygan. You can get Asparagus plants at Wal-mart or Menards, if they still have any. It grows very well here, even in the wild. Full sun, and lots of organic matter in the soil. The drop off site in the city has compost available (unless they run out) right next to the free bark mulch. Your soil probably doesn't have enough compost/manure and that could be why you havn't had much luck. Also helps to mulch around the plants with grass clippings to keep the soil moist.
I planted my wife's vegetable garden about 2 weeks ago. Being right next to the lake, you should have no problems with frost until fall.

Lee

thank you for the help!
I will check walmart and menards ( going there tomarrow for other item's) for asparagus plants.
My soil is very bad...just this week i have been adding topsoil to all my flowerbeds, just turning over the garden soil - I think this weekend I will make a run down to the drop-off site for some free stuff :)
The soil in my yard is clay-like and dry, not sure how else to explain it.seems to needs to be watered almost 2x a day in summer.- Hoping to amend that with the new top-soil.
thanks again and i look forward to reading this area often!

Tina

Tina,
If you mulch with the grass clippings, you shoudn't have to water as often. Also water in the morning, never in the evening, or you could have a mildew problem. Just place a couple of inches of grass clippings around your plants. In fall after your garden is done for the year is a good time to add lots of ammendments to your soil. Grind up your leaves, or get some from the dropoff site, and add them to the garden. Also you can bury your fruit and vegetable scraps in your garden. If you need some rabbit manure, I could hook you up in fall also.

Lee

Hi Tina,

Good topsoil will help, but organic materials will be even better in terms of water retention and nutrition for your plants. If you have a place you can pick up free compost, by all means get a lot of it!

I bought asparagus at Menards a few years ago, they still have it at my local one. (My advice is not to buy ANYTHING from Wal-mart. Evil company, wasting our tax dollars.) You can find asparagus in garden stores, too, if you have Steins or anything like that up there. It is important to mix lots of organic material into the soil BEFORE you plant the asparagus. I didn't prepare my beds very well and I keep getting the most pathetically thin asparagus.

As for artichokes, forget it! Unless you want to grow in a greenhouse over the winter it doesn't really work here. Southern California is the right climate for them, to give you an idea of what they like.

Tomatoes like very rich soil so lots of compost there, too. I don't know what your weather is like, maybe too early for zucchini, they like warm soil. Good luck in your gardening. THe more organic material you apply, the better your garden will get. You don't even need to dig it in, you can just put it on the top and plant in it.

You might find the soil & compost, vegetable, and tomato forums helpful. Happy Gardening!

Marcia

I second the recommendation for grass clippings as mulch. If applied _fresh_, they will release some nitrogen as they break down. They will also feed a healthy earthworm population, further improving your soil. My one reservation would be the source for the clippings; make sure no poisons or herbicides were applied.

Exercise caution when throwing kitchen scraps (trimmings, peelings, etc.) onto your garden; you could be introducing new diseases into your soil. Especially, _do not_ throw potato peels onto your garden, or any leaves or clippings that contain tobacco; they may contain viruses that would be destructive to your tomatoes & peppers. These items would have to be composted first. As a rule, I would recommend to only throw vegetable scraps onto the garden from produce that was grown there.

Root crops, cabbage family, peas & most greens (like spinach & chard) can go in any time now, so your carrots should be fine... all this rain is just what they need. The zucchini might make it, but it will take it a while to come up. If you donÂt see it by June 1, you might have to replant.

I garden near Lake Winnebago, so my conditions are very similar to yours. While weather may allow earlier planting some years, I have found June 1 to be the most reliable date for direct-seeding beans & squashes, and putting out transplants. Mid- to late-May works some years; but unless you have extra seed or plants in case of failure, it is safer to wait until soil has warmed. A little black plastic over squash, melons, and lima bean seed (if you plant them) will warm the soil, and improve germination; check the plastic _daily_, and remove at the first sign of germination.

The same black plastic (or black landscape fabric), applied as a mulch around tomatoes and melons, will help warm the soil, retain moisture, & improve yield. The plastic has to be perforated; if it is not, punch small holes in it to allow air & water.

Hey Gardenquest, how does your garden grow? Did you have any luck getting the free compost? How about the asparagus? Is your soil doing better this year? I started using rabbit food (alfalfa pellets) as a fertilizer and I am happy with the results. Lots of worms!!

Lee

Hi -
everything is growing well this year, i am quite happy.
everything has fruit, right down to the gourds that were giving me grief for a while. I have 12 green toms on cherokee purple, first time growing cherry toms- which are covered in fruit ( soo cool!) even 1 zuchinni growing in a terrible spot..i also went and bought some Toms to plant in containers - celebrity and brandywine that will be used for harvest donation at the end of summer - I also have beans like crazy......have to pick this AM and share wiht co- wokers ( we have had beans with dinner 3 times this week already LOL!) thanks for asking....The soil seems oK , i have making sure to keep it loose and weed free. I have alittle problem with mold/moss on one side where the zuchinni are so that is why i guess thye are so slow comapred to past years. that part of garden is very shaded by the garage, only gets late sun after 3pm.

thanks for asking how it's going.