Growing season is upon us in New Jersey: Plant these now

New Jersey is on the cusp of another great growing season. A time of year I look forward to very much in The Garden State.

Early spring is the ideal time to start getting your garden ready in New Jersey. Although, you do want to be mindful not to disturb the ground too much.

Many critters still haven't awakened yet from the long winter, which may include earthworms. If you do plant directly into the ground, try not to disturb too much of it.

Of course, you could also start planting in pots and transfer into the ground once the ground warms up a bit more. This might also be true for raised beds if they've been sitting filled with soil all winter.

If you start your garden in pots and purchase soil to start it off, then you should have no problems. The option is yours.

Early options

There are many cool weather options you could plant now that'll thrive as the spring progresses. Even in winter, some of these options can go in weeks before the official start of spring.

The following list is just some of the favorites at my house, but feel free to share your favorite early vegetables, herbs, and flowers in the comments. Although it does take quite a bit of work, getting in the garden is also very rewarding.

And for those looking to try it for the first time, here are some choices to consider (remember to check the comments as well for additional suggestions).

What about zucchini?

If you're considering growing zucchini, just keep this in mind. Unlike the options listed above, zucchini is not an early-season vegetable to be planted outside.

Like most warmer weather options, zucchini should not be planted outside until after the danger of frost has passed, which is usually around Mother's Day in May. But that doesn't mean you can't start it by seed inside.

Now, if you're tight on space or have had trouble growing zucchini in the past, here are some tips that have worked for me. Especially where space is limited, this trick works very well in my garden.

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The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.