What to Plant Now: Feb 12-19

Feb 12 - 19 Transplant or Leafy Greens and Cereals
We hope you have all your plants tucked in as we approach the New Moon and this Arctic blast. As we are approaching the First Quarter and are in Waxing Crescent, it’s a good time to plant leafy greens and cereal grains but we recommend you start some seeds indoors if you have a plant light set-up. If you already have seeds planted, they can handle a freeze, but hold off on transplants until the freezing temps have passed. 

We were inspired by Brie Arthur's talk on gardening with Grains this last Monday and included oats in our list. According to the Texas A&M extension service, oats should be planted in the spring between February 10 and March 15. While oats are typically grown in the north, they are grown in Texas for feed and forage. More recently, the San Antonio, Texas company MagiFoods began growing oats in Texas for human consumption! 

Oats have the deepest taproot of all the cereal grains so “sow your wild oats” in an area you want to prepare for growing later in the spring/summer. Their deep tap roots will scavenge for nutrients and companion planting with peas, will make a complete cover crop. If you missed Brie Arthur's talk, you can catch it on our YouTube Channel. 

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Here is a list of leafy green plants and cereal grains that are recommended for transplanting or direct seeding. During the waxing of the moon (the period extending from the day the moon is new to the day it reaches its fullest point), the moon pulls moisture upwards. Seeds do well during this time because moisture is available at the surface of the soil. It’s always best to try to transplant and seed-in with the coming moisture, but hold off until after the freeze.

SEED-IN

• Oats

SEED-IN or TRANSPLANT 

• ​Spinach
• Kale
• Swiss Chard
• Collards, Mustards
• Asian greens such as Bok Choy or Tasoi

For more ideas on Ornamentals, Perennials, and Herbs, visit the Central Texas Gardener and The Natural Gardener lists online. Download the Texas A&M Extension Planting Chart and Varieties Chart at AustinOrganicGardners.org.