Another week remains in March, but it seems like summer outside in my North Mississippi Garden. Tradition tells me that regardless of the temperature, I should postpone planting my garden for at least 3 more weeks, but since I plant in raised beds, common sense tells me that this year I can forego the limitations of traditional gardening practice.

In most cases, gardeners forego planting until after the last frost date passes.

What Is A Frost Date? How to Find Your Frost Dates – Distinguishing Between the Degrees of Freezing. & How It Affects Your Garden

1. I checked the weather forecast for the next month, and except for one day, there will be no frost. On only one night during the next month, the temperature will dip to 31 degrees, and I can cover my tender plants on that night.
2. In traditional gardens, the soil will warm later than the air outside, but the soil in raised beds warms earlier.

I Garden in Raised Beds

Jacki Kellum Garden

There is a raised bed above another 6″ of garden soil — above a cardboard base in my Water Valley, Mississippi, garden.