Spring is almost here!

Spring is around the corner, which means that our we'll be able to start planting in our gardens soon! I am definitely looking forward to it. I have been doing indoor garden related activities with the kids at 5 centers this winter, making garden journals, sprouting seeds, planting spinach in containers indoors, making drawings of vegetables to turn into signs for the garden. We've kept busy but I'm sure the kids will really enjoy getting outside and getting their hands dirty, I know I will.

Beginning of March we'll start with peas, spinach, radishes, and arugula. I'm hoping there will be a fair amount of stuff to harvest by the end of the Oregon Pre-Kindergarten program in May. Then come in the Migrant Head Start kids who will really get to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of our garden, summer is when we get to grow and harvest all the warm weather plants that people love so much: tomatoes, peppers, etc.

Heres a short list of the some of the things you can start planting in your garden:

End of February:
Peas

Early March:
Cilantro
Parsley
Arugula
Radishes
Turnips
Spinach
Swiss Chard
Snap Peas
Snow Peas

Under Cloche:
Beets, Lettuce, Broccoli, Cabbage

Late March:
Potatoes

Sow indoors to transplant:
Tomatoes
Peppers
Celery

This is of course by no means a comprehensive list of what can be started. If you have any questions about this or what varieties of the crops to plant, feel free to post a question or you can consult Seattle Tilth's 'The Maritime Northwest Garden Guide', which the best planting calendar I've found and has been indispensable in planning OCDC's gardens this year.

Happy Planting!

THANK YOU!!!!

We have received an incredibly generous amount of donations this year, without which OCDC's garden project would not be possible. Their donations will help ensure that our garden program will be successful this year, and that our children will have plenty of fresh produce to grow and eat all year round. On behalf of the teachers, staff, and especially the children at OCDC, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the following business for their support.

Al's Garden Center:
A coupon for 12- 4" vegetable plants, which we will use as soon as it warms up

High Mowing Organic Seeds:
50 packs of assorted high quality vegetable & flower seeds

Home Depot:
Two coupons for $25 off, which we used for containers for the centers

Johnny's Selected Seeds:
24 packs of assorted high quality vegetable & flower seeds

Portland Metro:
4 compost bins for our sites in Clackamas and Washington counties

Portland Nursery:
73 packs of assorted high quality vegetable & flower seeds

Territorial Seeds:
73 packs of assorted high quality vegetable & flower seeds

Wilco:
A $75 gift card, which we will use on much needed garden supplies and soil amendments



Thank you so much for your contribution. We are so excited to put these supplies to use this garden season. Stay posted for more updates on OCDC's garden project!