It is time to prepare our gardens for lush summer production. Here are some tips to get you ready for the season:
Finish site preparation if not completed. Use proper pre-plant fertilizer.
• Finish direct seeding and transplanting cool-season crops to prevent them from maturing under hot summer conditions.
• Harvest may begin on the earliest seeded leafy crops or root crops.
• Begin purchasing transplants of warm-season crops.
• Be ready for spring spraying on fruit trees for disease protection.
• It is common to seed some direct seeded warm-season crops a bit before the frost-free date (beans, corn). Be cautious of soil temperatures, though, especially if you are seeding untreated seeds or supersweet corn.
• Transplants of warm-season crops can be planted in Tennessee in April after frost free dates. However, soil temperatures support root growth, and sometimes transplanting crops early is not all that helpful due to cool soils.
• Harden off your transplants before placing them in the garden

Submitted by Shannon DeWitt