Have you ever competed in a foot race?

I have competed in several, trying hard to be the first one across the finish line. Many of us garden the same way, myself included. We try to be the first to put seeds in the ground and the first to produce vegetables and fruit. Who cares if what we produce isn't the best. It's the first out of the garden.

Perhaps we are in the wrong race.

Wiser people than I say it isn't the speed in which plants produce, but the quality of what they produce. If the fruits or the vegetables are not of the best quality we ran the race for naught. It took me a long time to come around to their thinking, but now I think they are right.

We work hard to prepare the ground for planting. We set out our method of watering. We make rows and furrows and carefully follow the suggested interval for planting. Then, with a big wide grin, we set out planting the seeds. We forget that Jack Frost might have one more freezing cold night in his mind. We also forget that the soil we are planting into has not reached the right temperature for germination. If it has, then Jack's killing frost will soon take care of our lovely little sprouts.

Volumes have been written about this and that concerning the wonders of gardening, but all of them essentially say the same thing: Wait until after the last frost before planting and make sure the soil you are planting in is warm enough to sprout seeds. Now, if you followed directions and you have a green house or a reasonable facsimile, you are straining to find a way to plant them. Did you take the time to take the plants out of doors during the day and return them inside in the evening? This is called hardening-off. The little plants are prepared for the rigors of outdoor life and can be planted if the afore mentioned conditions have been met.

Going back to the race-there really isn't one, however the quality of the product determines whether you have a good crop or not. You don't have to be first, but you do want to be one of the best and you can be. Again, follow directions, read books, ask questions, and add your own special gardening expertise.