When is it time to start the garden?

If you could see my back yard right now you, you would not doubt me when I say I am not much of a gardener. But as I am ever striving to improve in this area, I was doing a little research today for myself I found some great tips and thought at least I could point you to some sites that do know what they are talking about.

First thing first, when is the best time to start the garden?

The Farmersalmanac.com has an interactive map to show you the last frost date for your area. Last frost dates can be as early as January in some areas and as late as the end of May in others with March being the median across the United States.  These dates are compiled by looking at the last 100 years and averaging the last date that frost is on the ground. If you plant after the last frost date there is something like a 90% chance that frost will not kill your new seedlings. The last frost date ranges by state. Even from one town to the next within a state can vary by a month, sometimes more. 

Another way to tell:

Look at your soil. Some great tips on checking when to plant can be found at The Old Farmers Almanac which, according to my mother (who is an awesome gardener), is THE authority on gardening. One such tip is to pick up the soil form it into a ball and throw it on the ground, if it crumbles your soil is ready, if it breaks in two or stays in its shape your soil is not ready for planting. In an amazing article they explain more ways to tell when it is best to plant including what to look for in a footprint in the soil and by looking at the weeds. To see that article click Here.

How to make nice soil:

I believe most of my gardening problems are because of bad soil so this year I am looking into how to make my soil better. First MotherEarthNews.com has a great article on some interesting ways to improve your soil including planting cover crops and even why your should let some weeds grow. 

And other tips I found include raking up the soil and then adding any old leaves and other such yard waste, adding kitchen scraps (vegetable matter, not dairy or meat), and then test the pH before adding any store bought soils or fertilizers so that you add the correct ones to improve your soil.

*I have added this link to: Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora Thursday, visit to see amazing garden and decor ideas!