Shelby is an adult programming librarian at the New Orleans Public Library, based at Main Library.
April is National Garden Month. In many parts of the country, spring is just beginning, but here in New Orleans we can already see summer on the horizon. The impending summer heat can make spring gardening a challenge in New Orleans, but with a little planning and preparation, it’s still possible to have a thriving garden that will help feed your family.
Starting April 15, seed libraries at five Library locations will offer a selection of fruits, vegetables, and herbs that grow well in our region. Seed packets include instructions for planting and harvesting. But, if you’re unfamiliar with the lingo, they can take a little work to decipher. Since seeds can be grown in a variety of regions, the packets often give instructions that refer to the date of average last frost.
The typical date of last frost in New Orleans is February 4, so if you live in the city, this is a good date to plug in when deciding when to plant your spring gardens.
All seed libraries will be equipped with a Seed Library Reference Binder packed with information on what to grow in our area and when to start planting. Reference binders include the LSU Ag Center’s Louisiana Vegetable Planting Guide, which provides information on recommended planting dates, depth and spacing of seeds, and the average number of days before you can harvest. As the guide promises, here in south Louisiana, we can grow and harvest all year round. It’s just a matter of determining the best crops for your space and how to rotate crops for successful gardening throughout the year.
Reference binders also include monthly planting guides specific to New Orleans.
In April, there are several crops ready for direct sowing (coded DS), which simply means to plant the seeds directly in your garden bed. These include some of our favorite vegetables in Louisiana –– collard greens, beans, and okra, just to name a few. It’s also a great time to plant melons like watermelon and cantaloupe.
If your garden isn’t quite ready for direct sowing yet, check the monthly planting guides for crops that can be seeded in trays before transplanting into a garden bed (look for the codes SI and ST). In April, these include a wide variety of flavorful herbs such as basil, dill, fennel, marjoram, parsley, sage, and thyme — all of which are available for checkout from our seed libraries. If you don’t have seed trays on hand, egg cartons are a great free option for starting your seedlings before they’re ready to plant in your garden.
The event kicks off at 1 p.m., when master gardener Usha Ramadhyani will explain how you can help bees, butterflies, and other insect pollinators in your garden by protecting them from pesticide use and providing an appropriate habitat.
Did you know the Library offers free professional notary services? Veteran attorney Dara Baird is one of the certified Notary publics makes this resource possible.
Learn how to use NoveList Plus to find your next favorite book with e-Resources librarian Nancy Burvant.
The New Orleans Public Library’s City Archives & Special Collections houses hundreds of manuscripts that you can explore this summer.
