Hi Heather,

Thank you for reaching out to the Master Gardener Helpline. You came to the right place, we have lots of resources for you!

The first thing I would do is think about your garden design and location. You will want to decide where you will be planting your orchard vs garden area. Note what areas get the most sun and if certain placements of the trees will shade out your garden area over time. Will you be creating raised beds or planting directly in the ground? 

Once you have figured out general planting locations, it is recommended you do a soil test in those areas. This is important for understanding your current soil conditions and what nutrients you will need for a successful growing season. Check out this link from UVM's Agricultural and Environmental Testing Lab: 

Soil Testing - Here you will find some great information on how to do a soil test, as well as recommendations on managing nutrients for specific crop groups. 

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map was updated in 2023, so you may want to take a look to verify which zone you are in. (there's a little bit of a range here in Vermont) This could be helpful in establishing varieties for your orchard and/or any perennial crops. I found an interesting episode from the UNH Extension program that has some helpful conversation on things like site selection, soil conditions, crop varieties, etc when considering a home orchard. You can listen or view the transcript here: Planning & Planting Podcast

The next step would be to spend time amending your soil based on your soil test results and nutrient needs. If you have any questions on understanding your soil report, don't hesitate to reach out. We have a great team here to help!

I'm also including a couple links that have some helpful tips on the vegetable growing season here in Vermont with info on soil temps and when to plant.

Getting Started with Vegetable Gardening

Planting the Garden

I hope you find this helpful and not too overwhelming. Please feel free to reach out any time if you specific questions. 

Welcome to Vermont!!

Hi Heather,

Ah yes...mud season. It is the time that brings joy as we enter an exciting new growing season, but it is patience we need at this time as we wait for ground to dry up enough to be able to get in the gardens. As you plan for the season ahead, you will definitely want to wait until the soil is dry enough to be workable. Once you receive your soil test results, (and actually see your soil) you may decide that tilling once or twice is your best bet if you have compacted soil or need to remove any vegetation. Too much tillage can negatively effect your soil over time by breaking it down too much or by bringing weed seeds to the surface. Here's a good article on that:

Reducing Tillage in your Garden

You will want to make sure your prep your soil really well before planting any perennial crops to ensure they have a good start. This may take a season or two to do.  As for your short season crops, if you have the space, starting seeds indoors can help you get a head start on the growing season. Here are a couple links to help you get an idea on when to plant in the ground in this climate and you can work backwards from there:

Zone 3-4 Planting Schedule

Zone 5-6 Planting Schedule

As for seed distributors, there are a few great ones here but I don't believe I am allowed to name them (we are not supposed to promote businesses). You could do a search and find the major one's here in Vermont and Maine.  

I hope I helped answer everything you asked. Keep sending questions...we love to talk gardening too!!

Hi Heather,

Just when you think spring is here to stay, mother nature throws a curve ball. (you get used to that here in Vermont) 

As we talked about previously, starting seeds is a great way to get ahead of the game. For those early spring crops like peas and spinach you can sow directly in the ground when the soil is thawed and workable. These vegetables can germinate in soil temps as low as 40 degrees. (50-60 degrees being ideal) Generally, this would be around mid-April in most of Vermont. Keep in mind that the lower temps will just take them a little longer to germinate. Spinach and young pea plants can both tolerate frost, but once the peas have blossomed you would want to cover with a sheet or row cover if frost is expected as it can damage the flowers. Here's some more info on these topics:

Zones 3-4 Planting Schedule

Info on Peas

Memorial Day is usually when most Vermont gardeners feel like we are in the clear of frosts in the garden, but last year we had a late May frost that surprised everyone and did a lot of damage. So, you just never know. Having a few row cover sheets or cloches on hand and keeping an eye on spring weather can be really helpful. Also, check out the link below on the benefits of using cold frames to extend your season:

Cold Frames

Hope this helps!

You’re Welcome. Those seed calculators are very handy. I Hope that snow melts quick!

Hello Heather,

It sounds like you are off to a great start with your gardening plans.

To answer your last question about seeding wildflowers into a grassed meadow, take a look at this publication by the Xerces Society: https://xerces.org/sites/default/files/2018-05/16-027_02_XercesSoc_Organic-Site-Preparation-for-Wildflower-Establishment_web.pdf

There is also this pub: https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/Restoration-Guide-Woody-Invaded-to-Conservation-Meadow.pdf and this one: https://extension.unh.edu/resource/planting-pollinators-establishing-wildflower-meadow-seed-fact-sheet

As you will see, all recommend removing or killing sod/grass in preparation of seeding wildflower plantings and then really paying attention to weed-free maintenance for the three years following planting. If you wanted to try to overseed wildflowers into existing sod, I would recommend a small test strip where you scalp the meadow grass and establish good seed-to-soil contact with some seed. You will likely not see a high germination rate but this approach will allow you to determine wildflower varieties that are likely to survive well in your meadow under your growing conditions.

You are welcome! Good luck with the season and please do reach back out to us if questions come up along the way. 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Dear Heather, here's the response to your question:

Hello Heather:

In Zone 4a/b, which is part of the cold climate zone, you can start
planting seed potatoes as soon as the soil can be worked, which is typically in late April to early May.  If you're open to eating small potatoes, you can plant them even a bit later, but keep in mind that the potatoes will be smaller due to the shorter growing season.

Here is a link to information on growing potatoes, for your review - https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-potatoes#planting-seed-pieces-293261

Need to reply to the expert? Click the link below, or simply reply to this email.

Click here to view #0127211

Happy Gardening!

Lisa, UVM Extension Master Gardener
https://www.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardener 
We do not intend to endorse any products that we mention or to criticize products that we do not mention. When we include a link to a resource that recommends a chemical, it is only for informational purposes; the chemicals may not be registered for use in Vermont.  

---

We hope this response has sufficiently answered your questions. If not, please do not send another email. Instead, reply to this email or login to your account for a complete archive of all your support requests and responses.

Mac's Field Guide: Bad Garden Bugs of the Northeast/Good Garden Bugs of the Northeast (Mac's Guides (Charts)) [Pamphlet] Chrt Ed. Craig MacGowan

• Annuals - Sweet Allysum, Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Brassicas
• Perennials - Queen Anne's Lace, Yarrow, Self-Heal (Prunella)

Hi Heather,

I'm glad you are finding our Helpline to be useful! Can I ask a favor? If you have future questions, would you mind starting a new Helpline question (the system keeps saying we are overdue since your first Q was in January). That would be great, thanks! https://www.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardener/helpline

Okay, for J. and Asiatic beetles, yes, they are in full force now. Hand picking and row covers are the way to go as well as adjusting lawn mowing schedule (keep grass clipped to 3" or higher). Nematodes and milky spore have had limited efficacy in Vermont, but with climate change, it is thought that milky spore might be more effective. Here's some guidance on timing: https://www.uvm.edu/~entlab/Landscape%20IPM/WhitegrubsinsoilJune2023.pdf.

We see straw mulch used in veggie gardens and wood mulch in ornamentals. Some folks also mulch with dried leaves. Yes, both do harbor slugs, earwigs, etc. It is a matter of weighing costs and benefits, i.e. pest pressure vs moisture retention. The slug population seems to be super high this year, attributed to last year's soggy season. Diatomaceous earth and trapping helps.

Building tilth--sure try cover crops. UMinn has some great suggestions: https://extension.umn.edu/managing-soil-and-nutrients/cover-crops-and-green-manures. Winter rye seems to be a popular choice among farmers as a winter cover crop. Here's a nice cover crop article for vegetable growers based on research conducted in Vermont: https://www.uvm.edu/sites/default/files/Northwest-Crops-and-Soils-Program/Articles_and_Factsheets/Integrated_Pest_Management_Guide_to_Adopting_Cover_Crops_on_Vegetable_Farms_in_the_Northeast_RM_HD_2_SB.pdf

It sounds like you'd be the perfect candidate for our Extension Master Gardener course which you can take with or without a volunteer commitment. Check it out at: https://www.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardener/extension-master-gardener-program