Getting a Head Start on 2019 Gardening!

In February I always start the plants that need a 10-12 week lead time.  It's been so cold and snowy up here in the north country, so playing in potting soil and starting plants has been like therapy for me!  Yes!  I can "dig in soil" even when it is 25 below zero.  I have already started leeks, Walla Walla sweet onions, geraniums, petunias, pansies, statice flowers, straw flowers, and 10 different varieties of peppers.  This year I am trying my hand at growing pepper varieties that quickly turn yellow, orange and red, and also those sweet non-bell types.  I am also growing a larger variety of Jalapenos and small Jalapenos.   And plenty of Anaheim chili peppers, as I like those for making queso sauce to go over burritos and enchiladas.   I am not a real big fan of super hot peppers, but Jalapenos and Anaheim chilis sell well at our market booth.   The statice and straw flowers I grow to make dried bouquets that I will sell this year at our booth.
     In a couple weeks, in early March, I will begin several varieties of tomatoes, herbs like oregano and lovage, and probably more sweet onions.   I April I will begin about 90-100 plants of small one lb cabbages called Gonzales cabbages.  Those little cabbages sell like hot cakes, and are perfect for making a bowl of coleslaw for 2 to 4  servings without a lot of leftovers, and they are also perfect for cooked cabbage dishes and stir fries.   I will stagger the plantings so that I always have a supply of these well loved cabbages to sell at market. 
     I already have my gardens drawn out on graph paper, keeping in mind crop rotation, and I have the greenhouse all planned out, too.  As soon as I can get into the greenhouse in April or late March, I start planting things in there that can take a little cold - like spinach and bok choy and snow peas.
     I can't wait for spring!!

Here I am pouring some water in the bottom of a tray of geraniums and pansies.   To my left is a flat of Walla Walla sweet onions.   When all of these plants are a little bigger, I will transplant them into larger trays and containers.