Bea Sias,

Step by Step-Logan, West Virginia

Here in Logan, West Virginia, we have been busy getting all the supplies, tools, fertilizer and potatoes all ready to be put into the ground. Some of our gardeners, those who are experienced gardeners, have planted lettuce, onions, peas and potatoes. We had one week in February, when the weather was real warm, we had no rain and several were fortunate to get those gardens tilled and ready to plan, but it is not the time.

Most people try to plant their potatoes, lettuce, onions and peas on Good Friday. I remember when I was too young to help in the garden, my parents always cut the seed potato in half, always making sure the potatoes had enough eyes on them when we put them into the ground, so the potato can grow new potatoes.

I can remember one year I worked almost all day planting flowers. I had a large bed of tulips and also planted them up my sidewalk. I went to bed that night and I thought “Oh my, I set those tulips up the wrong way”, I put the bulb upside down. The next morning I had to dig them up and do it all over, because they would not have been able to grow.

However,  that spring I had some pretty views of the tulips. It just goes to show you, that if your plants and seeds aren’t planted the right way, you are wasting time and money. So that is why in our Workshops we have once a month, we go over this especially with new gardeners.

The gardeners are anxious to get those seeds and plants in the ground, but we must wait until after the last frost. This was how my father would plan his garden every year, so I am following his ways, so we can have a good garden that will yield a lot of good food.