Some of us gather toilet paper rolls to make our own biodegradable planters*
Put rolls on cookie sheet. Mark the roll with a sharpie as to what will be planted in it. Fill the roll with soil. Plant seed. When seedling is ready to plant, dig a hole the size and depth of the cardboard roll and plant. Make sure to thoroughly moisten the cardboard before planting. Note: Any small cardboard container can be used.
*Permaculture Design Principle 6: Produce no waste: By valuing and making use of all the resources that are available to us, nothing goes to waste.
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January, like December, is a fairly dead month for most gardeners. Of course one can start seeds in containers and prepare outdoor beds and gaze starry-eyed at all the great seed catalogues.
Seeds to be planted outdoors in February in North Texas
But the outdoor planting of vegetables in North Texas, according to guides provided by Texas A&M, begins in February. Following is a list of vegetables that can be planted in February:
Onion plants - 02/01 to 02/20
Radishes 02/05 to 4/15 (Radishes grow like weeds in our area. It only takes them 21-26 days from seed to radish.)
Onion seeds, English peas - 02/10 to 03/01
Asparagus, Cauliflower - 02/03 to 02/17
Cabbage, Collards, Swiss Chard, Lettuce - 02/10- 03/10
Parsley 02/10 to 02/25
Potatoes 02/10 to 02/25 (I'm going to try growing potatoes in a tower in my plot in the Garland Community Garden.)
Spinach 02/10 to 03/15
Turnip 02/10 to 02/10
For Kale, plant seeds at least a month before the last frost date. For those who live in North Texas, this would be around the first of February.
Vegetables to start from seed indoors
For Okra: I'm starting mine from seed indoors February 14 and transplanting to the garden around April 8. May 11 is last spring planting recommended here in North Texas for okra.
For Pepper plants: I'm starting mine from seed indoors in March and transplanting to the garden in late April.
For Tomatoes: I'm starting mine from seed indoors in mid-March and transplanting to the garden in early May.
For Eggplant: I'm starting mine from seed indoors mid-February and transplanting to the garden