Get an early start on spring gardening

Source: Rick Durham, extension horticulture specialist

You don’t need to wait for warm weather to start your vegetable garden. Did you know there are several types of vegetables you can start as early as March? Radishes, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, onions and many more vegetables are all quite frost tolerant, and you can seed or transplant them in the garden from mid-March to early April.

If you want to get an even earlier start, you could try covering an area with clear plastic film to create a mini greenhouse where plants will thrive. To try this season-extending technique first work up the soil for your plot and stretch some black plastic over the area for a couple of weeks. This will help warm the soil and give seeds and transplants an added boost.

After a few weeks under black plastic, the soil will have warmed a few degrees, and you can prepare the bed for planting and transplanting. Once planted, you should install a wooden or metal frame over the bed and cover it with clear polyethylene film. Anchor the film at the base with boards, bricks or soil, but remember that occasionally you will have to remove the poly to tend to the plants and to harvest the crop.

For this reason, it’s best if you don’t permanently attach the plastic to the frame. It will also be necessary to open sections of the covering for ventilation on warm sunny days. You can easily accomplish this by designing the ends of the covering so you can easily open or remove them during warm weather.

For more information on early spring gardening techniques or other gardening topics, contact the Clinton County Cooperative Extension Service at 606-387-5404.

Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Upcoming meetings and reminders

Private pesticide applicator training

The Clinton County Extension Service will host a private pesticide applicator training meeting, Thursday, March 12th at 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm. The meetings will be held at the Clinton County Extension office. The meetings will cover information necessary to obtain a private pesticide applicator’s license. The private pesticide cards are valid for three years and are required to purchase restricted use pesticides. Please call the Extension office at 606-387-5404 for more information.

Tobacco Good Agriculture Practices

The Clinton, Cumberland, and Russell County Extension Offices are hosting a Tobacco Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) meeting on Monday, March 16th at 10 am.. CST at the Russell County Extension Office. UK Tobacco Specialist Dr. Bob Pearce will be conducting the GAP training. A meal will be provided, please call the Extension office at 606-387-5404 if you plan to attend.

Producers elgible for free soil tests

Reminder for producers, the Clinton County Soil Conservation District, in cooperation with the Clinton County Extension Service, is offering free soil tests for producers. Each producer is eligible for three free soil tests done through the University of Kentucky soils lab. The free soil testing program will run until funds for the program are exhausted. Producers are asked to let samples air dry, thoroughly mix the sample and bring about a pint of soil to the Clinton County Extension Office. Basic information needed for fertilize and lime recommendations are previous crop, primary crop to be grown, and primary crop use. For more information on this program or soil testing procedures call the Extension office at 606-387-5404.