Don’t you love it this time of year? I certainly do. Everything from the buds swelling on the fruit trees, dandelions blooming, willows and others flowering, to the birds getting more active, it sure feels like spring.

I just hope that a late frost doesn’t get some of our fruit trees this year. As you may know if you read these columns, the Fairpark Community Council is hosting it’s First Annual Get your garden STARTED Plant Sale. We are starting dozens of varieties of peppers and tomatoes. Lots of heirlooms as well as several varieties of Basil. In fact, as of March 7th some of the Lettuce Leaf basil is already up from seeds planted 8 days ago.

It is also a great time of year through the month of April to plant some crops that are tolerant of a little frost. The sooner we plant carrots, beets, cilantro, peas, lettuce, spinach and chard the better! Other plants that are safe to plant starting in March include onions and kale in their many varieties.

There’s no special need to get the whole garden ready yet if you are pressed for time, but at least try to get one end of it ready and you will be glad you did when you are rewarded with some early greens, and the sweet taste of fresh shelled peas!

Next month’s article will include a listing of all the plant varieties we are starting from seed for your garden for the Fairpark Community Start Your Garden Plant Sale. There are more than a dozen varieties of peppers both sweet and hot, over 15 varieties of tomato, both large and small, and 4 types of eggplant as well as a few herbs. The plant sale is May 14, but early pre-order forms should be available online by the middle of April. Since there are limited quantities of plants that will be available, orders will be filled on a first come first serve basis.