Erin Hill
Spring has a way of sneaking up on you here. One week the mornings are crisp, the next the air feels warm, and it is time to start thinking about the garden. I have been waiting for this moment, the time to dig in, plan what goes where, and imagine the summer harvest that is just around the corner.
This year the last frost date is expected to be March 19. I didn’t start any plants inside during the winter, so I guess I will be sowing directly into the ground.This year I am especially excited about three things…bush green beans, okra, and peppers. Last year I had an incredible run with my green beans. My 2×8-foot raised bed was packed, and I planted in succession which meant I harvested thousands of beans throughout the season. There is something magical about that steady planting, tending, and picking. I am looking forward to repeating it, maybe even improving my timing so I can stretch the harvest a little longer.
Okra is always a favorite too. Those tall, elegant plants do not just produce beautiful pods; they add height and structure to the garden. The bees and butterflies love the pollen from the beautiful yellow flowers they produce. For the past couple of years, I’ve planted green and burgundy okra. Last year, due to cross pollination, some of my plants produced hybrid burgundy and green streaked pods.
Peppers, whether sweet or hot, are my little bursts of color and flavor that make every meal feel like summer. I can already imagine the rows of seedlings coming up, the sun hitting their leaves, and the smell of fresh dirt as I check for growth each morning, then again before settling in for the night.
I will continue to grow Georgia collards until the caterpillars take over.
Starting a garden in North Florida is always a balance of patience and planning. The soil is ready, the weather is warming, and the days are just long enough to get the work done before the sun drifts too high. I will be filling my raised beds carefully, spacing each plant, and maybe marking notes in a little garden journal to keep track of what worked last year.
Gardening is more than the harvest. It is kneeling in the soil, watching new life pop up, and imagining what is to come. This spring, as I plant my green beans, okra, peppers, and collards, I am not just starting a garden. I am starting another season of small, tangible victories, one pod, one seed, one row at a time.
Here is to a productive and colorful spring garden.
Friendly reminder: Gadsden County Library System will present its Spring Seed Library beginning March 16, while supplies. Stop by the library for free packets of local seeds.
