What can I plant early in the vegetable garden?

Swiss Chard growing in the garden.  Think out of the box, plant with your flowers.

Lettuce Endless Summer mix

Don't they look good and fresh out of the garden to eat....Radishes

Pansy with their sunny faces...

This is what the Swiss Chard looks like called Celebration.

Today I will talk about what is new to plant in the early garden when the ground is ready.  For us in Northern Iowa it isn't ready yet.  Too cold, and probably too wet. The National Gardening website said that the first week in April upper Midwest is to have a Polar Vortex which means cold, cold air.  30 degrees below normal, which this week normal daytime is 60 degrees.  So we will see if that happens.  Maybe after next week, it will warm up and then planting the early garden can happen.  But the rule of thumb with gardening is to be patient and when the soil temperature, and air temperature is right then you can plant.  But here are some ideas of new things to try in the vegetable garden.
 
Try Exciting Lettuce Varieties
Don't be tempted to stick just with old standards in lettuce varieties. Try something new like red romaine, 'Freckles' with red flecks on fresh light green leaves, baby bibb or 'French Ferns'. There are hundreds of delicious varieties available that will make amazing salads.
 
Plant Some Pansies 
You will see ours tomorrow with a picture.  I will show you how they have grown since I planted them.  Blooming and so happy faces looking at us when we go into the greenhouse.
Enjoy the pansies that are appearing. They come in countless sizes and colors and can be planted now. They enjoy cool weather and begin to languish in the heat of summer. Plant them in with other later-blooming plants so you can cut them back as they tire. They will surprise you and revive to flower again in the fall.
 
Care for Your Shamrock
Take good care of that lucky shamrock plant you got for St. Paddy's Day by giving it a bright sunny window and allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Allow the plant to go dormant in summer and move to a cool, dark spot. When new leaves begin to emerge, bring out to a sunny window again and begin watering and fertilizing.
 
Plant Radishes
Plant spring radishes as soon as the soil can be worked. Make successive sowings every ten to fourteen days until mid spring. Plant in spaces between slow maturing vegetables like broccoli or in spots that will later be used for peppers, tomatoes and eggplants.
 
Plant Onions
Plant onions in April. For premium bulbing onions, use transplants and space them three to four inches apart. For scallions, use the dime-sized sets offered in garden centers and plant them right next to each other. Plant as soon as the soil can be worked.
 
new Plant Celebration Swiss Chard
Do you love  Swiss chard, not only for its wonderful nutrition, but also for its beauty as an ornamental?  This relative of beets grows best in full sun with well-drained soil. You can start it indoors early and put it out as soon as the weather begins to warm a bit.
A new line this year is called Celebration, which has plants with stems of pink, orange and yellow. Spectacular in the flower border, the dark, glossy green leaves are also chock full of vitamins and minerals.  Food for thought about the vegetable garden Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa