Super Sow Sunday 2017 #SuperSowSunday

I was looking at which of my blog posts were getting visits this week, and “Super Sow Sunday” was getting some hits. I glanced at the date and realized, of course! The Super Bowl is next weekend. I don’t really get into football, and a few years ago the #Gardenchat Twitter community (started by Bren Haas) started the hashtag #SuperSowSunday to talk about starting seeds and gardening on Super Bowl Sunday. I haven’t heard any chatter about it this year, but in the past there have been giveaways such as seed packets and tools during the Twitter party. Granted early February is too early to start sowing seeds for some zones, but here in central North Carolina we are just on the cusp.

Here is the USDA Zone Hardiness Map.

Seed and bulb packets will sometimes have a map showing the acceptable planting dates, or they may state how many weeks before the last frost date you should direct sow or plant indoors.

This table is adapted from http://www.rareseeds.com/resources/planting-guide/

This coming weekend (AKA #SuperSowSunday) is approximately nine weeks before average date of the last killing frost in Raleigh, NC. There are several crops I will be starting outdoors like cilantro, peas and lettuces. Some crops like onions, carrots and spinach are already growing in my garden as I let them overwinter. Indoors I will be starting a new batch of herbs, tomatoes and peppers. I no longer have a pop up greenhouse (it seems the sun is not gentle on them), so anything I start indoors will take over the window sills and the southeast corner windows in the living room. Right now, that very windowsill is owned by the crabitat. Some day I hope to build a greenhouse out of old windows, but for now, the hermit crabs may get demoted or have to share space.