Q. I am a newcomer to the Sierra Vista area and would like to know when to plant my vegetable garden.

A. Seeds of cool-season crops such as lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, onions, beets, peas, spinach, carrot, potato, radish, and turnip may be started indoors now (early March). Sow seeds thinly in rows in flats, boxes, pans, or flower pots filled with a sterile seed-starting mix. Cover lightly with a layer of sand or moss. Sprinkle with a fine mist of water, and cover with a sheet of clear plastic film. Place in a reasonably warm room where the flats can get at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. The flat should require no further attention until after the seedlings have developed their first true leaves. They are then ready to transplant to other containers. For more information, stop by the Sierra Vista Cooperative Extension office and pick up a copy of Ten Steps to a Successful Vegetable Garden pamphlet.