Backyard Bright

Get a Head Start: Early Planting Tips for a Blooming Spring Garden  If you're like me, by February your green thumb is getting mighty itchy. After spending months scrolling through seed catalogs and dreaming of fresh tomatoes, it's finally time to get our hands dirty! As a Mid-Atlantic gardener who's made every rookie mistake in the book (and invented a few new ones), let me share what you can start planting now to get ahead of the spring rush.   Indoor Champions: Your Windowsill Warriors Let's start with what you can grow indoors while winter is still throwing its last tantrums outside: Vegetables Tomatoes (start 6-8 weeks before last frost) Peppers (need a long growing season, so start these ASAP) Eggplants (these drama queens need extra time) Broccoli (surprisingly sturdy seedlings) Cabbage (start these now for early summer heads) Herbs Basil (because store-bought just isn't the same) Parsley (the tortoise of herbs - slow to start but worth the wait) Oregano (pra...