Master Gardener Ed Buyarski encourages local gardeners to start their cucumber and zucchini plants in this week’s edition of Gardentalk. The popular gourd and squash should be started indoors now before they are planted outdoors in about two to three weeks.
Buyarski advises waiting until the spouts develop one or two true leaves before hardening them, or moving them outside for a few hours each day so they can acclimate to the weather before planting.
New and tender cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower plants should also be hardened off for a few hours each day. Buyarski also recommends using the same technique for plants purchased from local retailers that may have just arrived in Juneau in a darkened, refrigerated van.
Gardentalk is a weekly feature that airs every Thursday morning on KTOO’s Morning Edition. You can listen to earlier segments or subscribe to the podcast be going to the Gardentalk archive page.
