- 1). Choose a location in your yard that is warm and gets at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day. Pick areas that are not susceptible to extreme drops in temperature, like the bottom of hills where frost can develop.
- 2). Prepare your soil by adding an organic compost with a shovel or rototiller if the soil is hard and compacted, as this will help with drainage. Make raised garden beds because getting the plants off the ground will help prevent flooding or ponding of water in the beds during the wet season. Add fertilizer with a high nitrogen content to add nutrients to the soil at least a week or two before you plant.
- 3). Plant vegetables at the appropriate times. Vegetables to plant in January include lettuce and spinach. In February plant asparagus, artichokes and peas; in March plant scallions, tomatoes, potatoes and carrots. In April plant lettuce, radishes, eggplant, peas and spinach. In May plant cucumbers and squash. Sow cabbage or pepper seeds in June; kale or leeks in July; raddichio, escarole or endive in August; radishes, arugula or Walla Walla onions in September and garlic in October. Plant nothing in November or December as it is too cold.
- 4). Pick your vegetables when they become ripe, because if you allow them to remain in the garden bed too long, you run the risk of exposing them to the extreme Seattle climate that includes frosts and rain.
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