Home Gardening:“Prices of food may spur you to grow your own”
People have turned to gardening to de-stress, get outside, and enjoy an activity that does not involve a computer. This week, many people have stopped by the Clemson Extension office to inquire about when to start growing their vegetables, citing the rise in prices for fresh fruits and vegetables. Growing fruits and vegetables can be an exciting adventure, especially in the warmer months.
If you are looking to get started with a garden or raised bed, check out the Clemson Extension factsheets on garden beds https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/raised-beds/, or come into the office, and we can print out a copy.
Whether you are planting in-ground or in a container, you will want to wait until April 15th to put in your summer vegetable crops. The time is now to plant your late spring vegetables, including broccoli, kale, and collards. If this is your first adventure in gardening, I highly encourage you to buy seedlings, or transplants, from the store. If you plan to grow from seed, you can seed root vegetables, beans, sweet corn, and okra directly into the garden bed. For more delicate plants such as tomatoes, peppers, and flowers, you will be better off starting them in small pots indoors and transplanting them when they are 6 inches tall or have more than five true leaves. Check out our printed guide on when to plant different types of summer crops and for the complete list of what you can produce and when, visit our office or go online to https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/planning-a-garden/.