TRANSPLANTS NEED TO BE HARDENED OFF!

The Garden Resource Program supports over 1,600 gardens and farms across our community and is madepossible through the collaboration of hundreds of community-based organizations and residents. The2019 Garden Resource Program is coordinated by Keep Growing Detroit (KGD). For more information,please contact 313-656-GROW (4769), email info@keepgrowingdetroit.org, or visit keepgrowingdetroit.org.

Hardening off is a process of letting your plants slowly get accustomed to the outdoor conditions after beinggently cared for since they were first planted in the greenhouse. To harden off, slowly expose your plants to theoutdoor conditions. Set them outside for a few hours on the first day and then bring them back inside. On thesecond day and third day, leave them out for an entire afternoon. After that leave them out all day long for afew days, bringing them back inside, or covering them with row cover, each evening. They should be ready toplant after 5-7 days. Because the weather in spring is so variable, there is no exact schedule you need to follow,but we highly recommend you gradually expose them to outdoor conditions before you plant them. Due to thespread of COVID-19, we also recommend sanitizing the plastic containers and washing your hands afterhandling them.

A FEW NOTES ON TRANSPLANTING

It's best to choose an overcast day for planting. Keep in mind most vegetables need 8-10 hours of sunlight a day.Before planting loosen the soil of the area you are planting with a shovel. Then, make a small hole about the samesize and shape as the soil bottom of the transplant. Place the plant in the hole and gently firm in the soil around it.Do not plant deeper than the existing soil level of the transplant. 

Water immediately after transplanting. Apply a generous amount of water to the soil just around the base of theplant. To ensure that you have watered enough, follow these steps: 1. Water the plant until you see thewater glisten at the top of the soil. 2. Water the next plant the same way. 3. Go back to the first plant and re-water, then repeat for the second, etc.

Please note the plant spacing in the attached directions. Plants that are placed too closely together tend to bestunted and prone to problems with pests and diseases.

PLANTING

WATERING

SPACING

2020 Cold Crop Varieties & Planting InstructionsGARDEN RESOURCE PROGRAM 

A cold weather crop is a plant that is cold hardy and frost-tolerant. They are planted inearly spring because they can tolerate these conditions, and because they need time tomature before the weather becomes too warm. Too much heat can cause some coldcrops, such as lettuce, to go to seed and become bitter. Many cold weather crops canalso be planted in late summer if there is a long enough period for them toreach maturity before winter. 

WHAT ARE COLD WEATHER CROPS?

VARIETIES: Red Leaf Red Salad Bowl burgundy-red, deeply-lobed, delicate oak-like leaves; Romaine Parris Islandthick tender dark green leaves; Summer Crisp Magenta; Shiny, slightly puckered, red-tinged leaves.SPACING: 6-8 inches between plants. One pack contains 6 transplants which will plant approximately a 2 footby 2 foot area.GROWING TIPS: 28 days to harvest. You can harvest whole heads of lettuce or pick larger outside leaves as theplant grows. It is best to harvest leaves  early in the morning to avoid bitter-tasting lettuce. Pay attention to theplants as they get larger- if you see the center of the head begin to extend upwards, this is the beginning of theseed stalk and the lettuce should be harvested right away. The formation of the seed stalk is called “bolting”and is a natural part of the lettuce’s life cycle. Hot weather encourages earlier bolting. Leaves will turn bitteronce bolting begins.

MIXED LETTUCE PACK

MIXED CABBAGE PACKVARIETIES: Golden Acre has deep green heads with short, dense cores filled withtender, thin, crisp, peppery-sweet leaves. Red Express is an early red cabbage withcompact plants and solid, round 2-4 pound heads.SPACING: 18 inches between plants. One pack contains 4 transplants which willplant approximately a 3.5 foot by 3.5 foot area.GROWING TIPS: 65 days to harvest. Cabbage heads are ready when they feel veryfirm and solid, with little to no space between leaves. Give them a squeeze to test ifthey are ready. To harvest, twist off central head and leave outer leaves and baseof plant. After central head has been harvested, smaller mini cabbage heads willoften form that can be harvested as well. To prevent flea beetles and cabbageloopers, place row cover over plants at planting until they grow a few inches. COOKING TIP! Loose outer leaves can be boiled or braised. Ferment thinly slicedcabbage as sauerkraut or kimchi.

VARIETY: Gypsy (F1 hybrid) heads are domed, medium-sized and medium green in color. These strong, stress-tolerant plants also have good side shoot production.SPACING: 18 inches between plants. One pack contains 4 transplants which will plant approximately a 3.5 footby 3.5 foot area.GROWING TIPS: 58 days to harvest. Harvest when a large, tight head has formed, before buds have begun tostretch and separate. After the center head is harvested, smaller side shoots will continue to form and can beharvested the same way. Using row cover early in the season will help keep plants free from flea beetles. Inorder to minimize the chances of black rot on broccoli heads, avoid watering the crown or leaves, instead waterat the base of the plant. 

BROCCOLI

VARIETY:  Long Island produces remarkably uniform 1.5 in. sprouts that are dense, nutty, and sweet.  Sproutsgrow along the stalk of the plant at the base of the leaves.SPACING: 18 inches between plants. One pack contains 6 transplants which will plant approximately a 4 foot by3 foot area.GROWING TIPS: 90 days to harvest. Brussels sprouts plants by removing its leaves around September 1st. Thiswill allow the plant to put more energy into sprout production. Brussel sprouts are extremely hardy; harvestafter the frost for extra sweet sprouts.COOKING TIP! Roasted Brussels sprouts: Heat oven to 400°F. Trim bottom of sprouts and slice each in half topto bottom. Heat oil in cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers; put sprouts cut side down in onelayer in pan. Add whole, peeled garlic cloves, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until sprouts begin tobrown on bottom. Transfer to oven. Toss sprouts every 5 min. Roast until sprouts are brown and tender, about10 to 20 minutes. Season to taste. Toss in balsamic vinegar (and honey, if you'd like). Serve hot or warm. Yum!

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

VARIETY: Champion is a compact, rich, dark-green collard plant with long,broad, wavy, tender leaves; prefers cooler growing temperatures, but willproduce good crops under warmer, summer conditions. SPACING: 12-18 inches between plants. One pack contains 6 transplantswhich will plant approximately a 3 foot by 3 foot area.GROWING TIPS: 50 days to harvest. See tips for both kale and collards below.

LEEKSVARIETY:  King Richard beautiful leeks that can grow up to a foot or more. Wrap leeks gently in damp papertowel and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to plant. You do not need to harden off this plant. SPACING: 4 inches between plants. 15 transplants will plant approximately a 3 by 3 foot area. Leeks can beplanted half the length of the entire plant. *We bunch leeks in 10s*GROWING TIPS: 75 days to harvest. Plant leeks carefully, ensuring all roots are well buried. Leeks like to betransplanted at a fairly deep level - leave at least 2 inches of leaves above ground. Plant in a well-weeded spot,and keep clean of weeds throughout the season. Leeks and onions will not need to be watered as frequently asmost other vegetable crops. Leeks can be harvested as soon as they are the thickness of a quarter. Leeks canalso be left in the ground until late fall or even next January.

COLLARD GREENS

VARIETY: Joi Choi tall, broad, heavy plant with dark green leaves and thick, flattened white stalks. Tolerant toheat and cold.SPACING: 1 ft. between plants. One pack contains 4 transplants which will plant approximately a 2 foot by 2foot area. *Boc choi come in 6 packs.GROWING TIPS: 45 days to harvest. Harvest when plants get 10-12 inches tall.

BOC CHOI

VARIETY: Tall Utah is a dependable celery variety for home gardens. This celery has dark green stalks andcompact hearts. SPACING: 6-8 inches between plants. One pack contains 4 transplants which will plant approximately a 2 footby 2 foot area.GROWING TIPS: 80 days to harvest. This crop needs a consistent supply of moisture throughout the season foroptimum flavor and yield. Cut stalks when they are of edible size (at least 8 inches). Blanching celery is optional.Blanching is done to get sweeter celery, but plants may be less nutritious at harvest. blanching shouldbeginning two to three weeks before harvest. Simple use card board or paper to block light from reaching thestock of the plant. Don't cover the leafs.COOKING TIP! Make homemade stock or broth by covering celery (cut in half), onion (cut into quarters), andcarrots (cut in half) with water and simmering for an hour or so. Add chicken bones, peppercorns, or bayleavesfor extra flavor and depth. Scraps like onion and garlic peels, mushroom and kale stems can be saved in thefreezer to be used in stock.

CELERY 

CURLY AND DINO KALEVARIETY: Darkibor Curly Kale is sturdy and fast growing with narrow, tightly curled leaves that are easy to de-rib.Vigorous plants will continue growing to produce leaves for successive harvests as the lower leaves areharvested. Black Magic Dino or Lacinato Kale has dark green leaves, known for its high quality flavor.SPACING: 12-18 inches between plants. One pack contains 6 transplants which will plant approximately a 3 footby 3 foot area. GROWING TIPS: 50 days to harvest. Kale and collards are among the hardiest of garden vegetables. Beginningabout 2 months after planting, harvest by clipping individual leaves. Harvests can be extended through thewhole season by harvesting the bottom older leaves and leaving younger top leaves to grow. Remove all yellowand dying leaves from the plant. Putting row cover over the plants early in the season will help keep your cropsfree from flea beetles. 

PREPARE A PROPER SEED BEDMake sure the soil is free of weeds that could compete with slower growing vegetables. Loosen the soil and remove anyrocks and use a rake to make it as smooth as possible. This ensures that all seeds are at the same depth, makes it easierto water evenly, and provides an even and smooth seed bed for consistent seed germination. MAKE SURE TO MAINTAIN GOOD MOISTURECheck the seeds daily to make sure they are getting enough water, but be aware that seeds do not need to be wetconstantly. Watering in the morning is better than evening to avoid fungal issues. Once plants have germinated keep aconsistent watering schedule. One thorough watering per week is a good rule of thumb; this will provide enough water tokeep the soil moist approximately 4 to 6 inches deep. DON’T GIVE UP!Some crops can take a long time to germinate. Carrots are famous for taking as long as three weeks. Don’t give up andreplant too soon. If you have done everything else right, it is often just a matter of waiting. THIN CROPS THAT NEED TO BE THINNEDPlants need room to grow! For some plants it is a good idea to plant too many seeds, in case not all of them germinate.When they are baby-sized, the extras need to be removed (thinned) so that the others have room to mature. Gardenersare often reluctant to thin crops because they cannot stand killing their little babies, but if you do not thin them they ALLsuffer. Thin out so there is enough room for the plants to develop. DEVELOP A GOOD CROP ROTATIONMoving crops to different places in your garden each year helps to keep insects and disease at at bay, as well askeeping soil from being stripped of its nutrients. Crops should be rotated according to their family. (OPTIONAL) SOME SEEDS PERFORM BETTER IF YOU SOAK THEMSeed soaking can help expedite germination for seeds that are big, slow to sprout and have a hard seed coat such aspeas, beans and beets. You can do it with small seeds but they are harder handle when wet (eg. lettuce, greens mix).Using enough warm water to cover seeds soak smaller seeds for 2-6 hours and larger seeds no longer than 24 hoursthen plant and water in as usual.

These seeds are all cool weather crops that can be sowndirectly into the garden. They do not need to be startedindoors. You will receive additional seeds intended for warmweather planting at the Hot Crop Distributions.

2020 COOL WEATHER SEED INSTRUCTIONS

*PLANTING SEEDS DIRECTLY IN THE GARDEN*

GARDEN RESOURCE PROGRAM

PLANT SEEDS AT THE RIGHT TIME

Keep Growing Detroit (KGD) coordinates these events as a part of the Garden ResourceProgram. To learn more about the Garden Resource Program, contact us at 313-656-4769(GROW), keepgrowingdetroit.org, or email info@keepgrowingdetroit.org.

"Sow in spring or late summer/early fall": This means these are the 'cool weather' crops which likecool weather and don't do well in the summer heat. Plan for two separate plantings and harvests. Someof these crops (such as carrots, spinach and collards) actually taste better after a light frost."Sow in spring through late summer/early fall": This means that seeds can be sown repeatedlythroughout the summer for a continuous harvest. Pay attention to the days to maturity and for enoughtime for them to grow before the first frost in fall."Sow after danger of frost has passed": This means that seeds cannot handle the cool weather. Ifplanted too early, they might not germinate well or might rot in the ground. 

GARDEN RESOURCE PROGRAM2020 SPRING SEED CHOICES

'Seaside' (F1: 39 days) Seaside has upright, dark green leaves, that are somewhat spadeshaped. Stays small, which extends the baby leaf harvest window. Sow 1 seed every inch, ½ inch deep, in rows that are 2 inches apart for baby spinach, or1 foot apart for full-grown plants.Thin spinach to 3 to 4 inches apart.1 pack will plant about 15 feet in 1 row.  Spinach is very cold tolerant, plant as soon as the ground is workable.

Spinach

'GRP Mix’ (21 days) a beautiful mix of greens including Mizuna, Red Mustard (Scarlet Frills and Red Giant),Tatsoi and Red Russian Kale.Gently shake the packet to mix the seeds. Sow about 5 seeds every inch, 1/8 inch deep, in rows that are 2inches apart.Each pack will plant about 1.5 feet in 1 row.Harvest individual leaves when they are 3-4 inches tall, above the growing point for continuous growth. 

All Greens Mix

‘Northern Lights’ (28 days baby, 55 days full) produces a wide array of vibrant colored leaves and stems.Sow 1 seed every 2 inches, ½ inch deep. Thin to 1 plant every 4-6 inches for larger leaves. Each pack will plant about 10 feet in 1 row.Each seed will sprout 1-3 plants. When harvesting, be sure to leave the growth point and enough baby leavesso that the plant can keep growing.

Swiss Chard

‘Sugar Sprint’ (58 days) sweet, crisp, almost stringless 3 inch pods excellent for eating raw.Sow 1 seed every 3 inches, 1 inch deep. Vines will grow to about 2½ feet and can be grown with or withoutthe support of a trellis.Each pack will plant about 9 feet in 1 row.This variety is a snap pea, meaning that the entire pea pod can be eaten. Wait to pick until the pods are nicelyswollen, about 3 inches long. 

Snap Pea

‘Premium’ (60 days) very sweet, crisp, peas that can be grown with or without trellis support.Sow 1 seed every 3 inches, 1 inch deep, in rows that are 1 foot apart. Vines will grow to about 2½ feet andcan be grown with or without the support of a trellis.Each pack will plant about 9 feet in 1 row.This variety is a shelling pea, meaning we are harvesting for the peas, not the pods. Wait to pick until thepods are nicely swollen, about 3 inches long.

Shelling Pea

‘Detroit Dark Red’ (60 days) classic red beet with good size roots and tasty greens.Sow 1 seed every inch, ½ inch deep, in rows 4 inches apart. Thin to 1 plant every 2-3 inches if you want fewer,larger beets. Thin Beets to 3- 4 inches apart.Each pack will plant about 13 feet in 1 row.Beet greens are edible too! Prepare as you would other greens like chard, kale, collards, or mustard. 

Beets

‘Scarlet Nantes’ ( 65 days) Bright red-orange, delicious flavor, and nearly coreless variety.  Sow seeds 1 inch apart, ¼ inch deep, in rows 2-4 inches apart. When seedlings reach 3 inches, thin plants to3-4 inches apart; more space will generate bigger carrots.Each pack will plant about 22 feet in 1 row.Carrots perform best in soil cultivated 6-8 intches deep. Make sure to cover the tops of carrot roots that areexposed with soil to keep the carrot root tops from turning green. Keep well weeded, carrots do notcompete well with weeds.

Carrots

'Easter Egg' (25 days) colorful egg-sized radishes, a hit with youth. Sow 1 seed every inch, 1⁄2 inch deep. Thin to 1 plant 4-6 inches between plants, with at least 6 inches betweenrows. Thin Radishes to 3- 4 inches apart.Each pack will plant about 9 feet in 1 row.   Use row cover from sowing until harvest to protect against pest damage. As with all root vegetables use a forkor shovel to loosen the soil before harvest, to avoid breaking the long, delicate roots. Trim the leaves about 2inches above the top of the root, and store radishes unwashed in refrigerator.

Radishes

‘Purple Top White Globe’ (45 days) a classic turnip that can be grown for its greens or its root.Sow seeds 1 inch apart, ¼ inch deep, in rows that are 6 inches apart. Thin to 1 plant every 2-3 inches for goodsized roots. Do not thin if you only want to harvest the turnip greens.Each pack will plant up to 50 feet in 1 row. Sow in early spring and again in summer for two harvests. Flea beetles are fond of turnips; using row cover can help to reduce damage. 

Turnip

'Common Chamomile’ (60-65 days) Good yields of small, sweet-smelling,daisy-like flowers.Gently sprinkle seed into 2 inch wide bands, ¼ inch deep.Scatter the seeds in a narrow band and cover shallowly. Row feet willdepend on how thickly seeds are sown.Harvest flowers continually to stimulate more flower production.

Chamomile

‘Cruiser’ (50-55 days leaf, 120-150 days seed/coriander) has large leaves and sturdy stems, ideal for marketsales.Sow 1 seed every 2 inches, ¼ inch deep. Thin to a spacing of 1 plant every 4 inches, in rows that are 4 inchesapart.Each pack will plant about 20 feet in 1 row. Sow repeatedly for continued harvest as older plants go to seed.To harvest leaves, cut straight across stems, leaving the growth point intact for regrowth. Harvest early toavoid plant going to seed, though it can also be grown for the cilantro seed, known as coriander.

Cilantro

‘Bouquet’ (40 days for leaf, 90 days for seed) Delicious, mild leaves that will bloom into yellowflowers.Sow 1 seed every 2 inches, ¼ inch deep, in rows that are 4 inches apart.Each pack will plant about 50 feet in 1 row. Good crop for succession planting.To harvest leaves, cut straight across stems, leaving growth point intact. Leaves will re-grow for another harvest. Harvest early in the season to avoid plant going to seed,  though itcan also be grown for the dill seed. 

Dill

‘Kanamachi' (35) sweet, petite, juicy, smooth-skinned and delicious even when eaten raw.Sow seeds 1 inch apart, ¼ inch deep, in rows that are 6 inches apart. Thin to 1 plant every 4 inches for goodsized roots. Thin to 3-4 inches Each pack will plant about 30 feet in 1 row. Try in salads, with dip, or like an apple snack!

Salad Turnips

‘Red Giant’ (21 days for baby, 45 days for full size) has large, purple- tinted leaves with a mild mustard flavor.Sow seeds 1 inch apart, ½ inch deep, in rows that are 2 inches apart for baby leaves, or 6 inches apart forfull-sized leaves.Each pack will plant about 50 feet in 1 row. Flea beetles are common pests of mustard greens. Using row cover can reduce damage.

Mustard Greens

‘GRP Lettuce Mix’ (28 days for baby mix, 55 days for full size heads) is a mix of lettuces in different colors andtextures. including Outredgeous, Black Seeded Simpson, Parris Island, Red Salad Bowl , Flashy Trout andTango.Gently shake the packet to mix the seeds. Sow about 5 seeds every inch, 1/8 inch deep, in rows that are 2inches apart.Each pack will plant about 1.5 feet in 1 row.Each pack will plant about 20 feet in 1 row.Lettuce seed needs sunlight to germinate, so cover seeds with only a very light sprinkling of soil.

Lettuce Mix

‘Astro’ (21 days for baby, 38 days for full size) a slightly more heat tolerant salad green with a mildly spicyflavor.Gently shake the packet to mix the seeds. Sow about 5 seeds every inch, 1/8 inch deep, in rows that are 2inches apart.Each pack will plant about 16 feet in 1 row.See All Greens mix for more detail

Arugula