The Right Time to Plant

One of the most popular sections of the Farmers’ Almanac is the planting calendar. We aren’t exclusive to farmers, but we do help countless thousands of people plan their gardens and do it on the right day.

Last October, I received a delightful letter from a grandmother, almanac fan, and gardener in Louisiana. She was helping her 11-year-old grandson learn to grow his own food. They had two options for planting mustard greens. He first tried planting on a day that said seeds with tend to rot. You guessed it, they quickly rotted. So, then he planted mustard greens on the day we identified as being excellent for above ground crops. Long story short – they were able to give away a bunch of mustard greens to family and friends.

As we start thinking about growing our own food this spring and summer, be sure to consult our Gardening by the Moon Calendar in the 2013 Farmers’ Almanac and on our website for that extra advantage. Then, let me know how you fared.

And if you decide to grow mustard greens this year, here’s a recipe you can try:

Sautéed Mustard Greens
Ingredients:
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 lb mustard greens
1/2 cup water

Directions:
Remove and discard the stems and center ribs from the mustard green leaves. Mash garlic into a paste with a teaspoon of salt. Heat oil in a 5-quart pot over moderately high heat until hot and sauté the garlic paste until fragrant. Add half of greens. Toss until until the greens begin to wilt, then add the remaining half. Add water and cook, covered, for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Continue to cook, uncovered, until greens are tender. Add salt to taste.