"Julia Altshuler" wrote in message
...
I'm in Massachusetts, zone 5.


In early spring (April 23), I couldn't resist getting outside to dig any
longer. I loved getting my hands dirty and prepared the vegetable garden
spot. I planted radish, pea and kale seeds as those were the ones the
seed packages said should go in early, but honestly, I wasn't as concerned
about what would come up; I just wanted to dig. The spring has been
cooler than most. The radishes and peas have sprouted. The kale has not.
There's no reason to believe there's anything wrong with the packet of
seeds I bought.


Now here it is Memorial Day and the end of a week of cold drizzle. The
urge to dig has hit again. The plan is to go to the garden center and buy
seedlings of tomato, basil and peppers and put them in the ground. I'm
planning the spacing in my mind. Should I assume that if the kale hasn't
sprouted in 5 weeks it isn't going to and put basil in that place, or
would that be giving up just before success? I'd like to eat some young
kale leaves, but I'd also like a jump on the basil.


--Lia


Lia, I planted kale indoors and outdoors in early April. Both sprouted in
under a week. These were Burpee seeds, ordered directly from the company.
You might want to do the same. Perhaps your seeds were mishandled before
they were sold. What kind were they?

Although it's getting kind of hot for growing kale right now, you can shade
them easily. Buy some dark colored window screen the suspend it over the
seedlings with sticks or whatever works. Plastic clothes pins are good for
this.