
Buy 100 lb of fertilizer for each 1/10 acre to be planted (if manure is not available, buy at least half again more). Apply lime, sulfur, and fertilizer according to the soil test results and vegetable requirements.Apply manure or compost and plow it under if you did not do so in the fall.Take soil samples if you have not already done so, and take them to your county Extension office for analysis.Buy enough quality seed for two or three plantings to lengthen the season of production.Allow about 1/10 acre of garden space for each member of the family (Ask your county Extension agent about So Easy to Preserve). Plan the amount of each vegetable to be planted, including enough to can and freeze.Consider planting a few new varieties along with the old favorites (See Vegetable Gardening in Georgia, Circular 963).Plan the garden to include various vitamin groups. Other Extension publications containing information about specific gardening practices are mentioned throughout this leaflet and are available at your county Extension office. This calendar is prepared mainly as a reminder and guide for planning your garden work. Every year does not conform to the average, so you should use your own judgment about advancing or delaying the time for each job, depending on weather conditions. The following recommendations are based on long-term average dates of the last killing frost in the spring and first killing frost in the fall. In north Georgia, the spring planting dates are from 1 to 3 weeks later as you progress northward through the mountain counties fall planting dates are about 2 weeks earlier. Spring planting dates can be as much as 2 to 3 weeks earlier in extreme south Georgia, and fall planting dates also can be as much as 2 weeks later.

To use this calendar, consider middle Georgia as a belt across the state from Columbus through Macon to Augusta. Important Note: The monthly recommendations-especially the spring and fall planting dates-are for the typical day and month in middle Georgia. January and February are prime times for looking at seed catalogs, dreaming of warm spring days, preparing garden plots, and getting ready for a productive season. The spring plantings are harvested in June and July, while the fall plantings are harvested from October to December. The two major planting periods, however, are spring (March to May) and fall (mid-July to September). You can plant or harvest something from your garden almost all year. Reviewed by Bob Westerfield, Extension Horticulturist
