Spring Vegetable Garden Planting Guide: Seeds, Seedlings & Early Season Gardening Tips

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Hello everyone.

Since today was a little warmer, I made progress on spring work in my home vegetable garden. It still feels a bit early, but I went ahead and started sowing seeds and planting seedlings for the spring garden.

Home vegetable garden with seed sowing and seedling planting

Although mornings and evenings are still cold, the snow has mostly melted and the soil is gradually becoming more like spring. So today I carried out my first seed sowing and seedling planting of the year.

First, I prepared the soil. I dug down about 20 cm using a shovel and turned the soil over. I could feel that my physical strength has declined after not doing this work for a while, but there is still something exciting about touching cold, moist soil. I continued carefully and steadily.

The cold, moist soil exposed to sunlight gradually dried and turned into soft, fine soil. I also removed some weed roots. After about one hour per seedbed, the environment was ready, so I began sowing seeds.

Beta Rich Carrot Seed Sowing

The first seeds I planted were Beta Rich carrots (RL-A9).

Beta Rich carrots are known for being rich in beta-carotene and having a strong sweetness, making them a popular choice for home gardening.

Since carrots take some time to germinate, I focused on:

• Further refining the slightly dry soil
• Sowing the seeds shallowly

Today, the soil still retained moisture from frost and snowmelt, so I did not water it.

In early spring gardening, the soil is often already moist, and adding too much water can sometimes cause overwatering. I feel it is important to observe soil conditions carefully.

Wasabi Greens Seeds

Next, I planted wasabi greens (RL-A11).

Wasabi greens are leafy vegetables with a slightly spicy, peppery flavor and can be enjoyed in salads and other dishes.

They are relatively easy to grow and mature quickly, making them popular in home gardens.

I look forward to enjoying fresh leafy greens in spring. I hope they reach your tables as well.

Raspberry Seedling

Today I also planted a new raspberry (GC) seedling.

Once established, raspberries produce red fruit every year, making them a rewarding plant for home gardeners.

This time, I planted a type that takes about one year before bearing fruit. In stores, a type that takes about three years is cheaper to purchase. In other words, the shorter the time to fruiting, the more expensive the plant tends to be. I also have a blueberry tree I received, so I decided to start with just one raspberry plant.

It will not produce fruit immediately, but I am looking forward to watching it grow. I will take good care of it.

Raspberry after planting

Spring Flower Seedlings

To brighten up the home garden a little, I also planted flower seedlings. Some people plant flowers to help with minor pest control. In this case, the amount is small, so I am not expecting that effect, but seeing small, beautiful flowers is still very soothing. I planted them at the edge and center of the garden. I plan to gradually increase them over time.

The three types planted today are:

• Red ranunculus (RL)
• Yellow ranunculus (RL)
• Yellow calendula (RL)

Ranunculus flowers have layered petals and create a vibrant, spring-like atmosphere.

Red ranunculus after planting

Yellow ranunculus after planting

Calendula is hardy and easy to grow, and one of its charms is that it blooms for a long time.

Yellow calendula after planting

Having flowers as well as vegetables really brightens up the home garden atmosphere.

Condition of the garden after planting

As shown in the first photo of this article, I also recorded the state of the garden after planting seeds and seedlings.

Although nothing has sprouted yet, some areas of soil look freshly renewed, and it is now possible to see where each crop was planted.

Recording the garden right after planting like this makes it interesting to compare growth later on, and it becomes a valuable gardening record.

A little early for planting, but…

I honestly feel that planting carrots and wasabi greens may have been a little early. In this region, even in early spring, mornings and evenings can still be cold, and frost is still possible.

However, the soil still retains moisture from frost and snowmelt, and the conditions did not seem bad. I will observe carefully to see how well they germinate.

One of the joys of home gardening is testing these seasonal timings little by little and feeling the rhythm of nature.

Today was my first round of spring planting.
That’s it for today!