Hi PC2, I don't knock myself out getting cole transplants out in my gardens early. It really depends on your climate. With cloudy, cool Springs - even cool-season crops won't grow much here until late May. Leggy root-bound broccoli and such, isn't so great to set out. They grow quickly indoors so with an April 21st last frost date and not much sun and warmth for a month after that, I'm starting them today. Something quick in the genre is dwarf bok choy. I've even moved transplants into the garden under plastic by now but that hasn't worked very well (plastic collapsed under snow and/or heavy frost damaged the plants thru the plastic). Bok choy will give us nice "cabbage" greens by the 1st of May with putting transplants under plastic in early April. My garden soil is so wet right now, I can't cultivate for another couple of weeks. That will certainly be early enuf to plant some spinach & lettuce. I'll let my soil thermometer be my guide. Heck, it takes more than 3 weeks for spinach to germinate at 41°F and more than a week longer for them to emerge. I may as well wait 3 weeks when it will take them only a week to pop up. Peas will go in about that time, or later. The seed from those nice sweet varieties I like to grow, has rotted in the ground rather than germinate with soil temps below 45°. . . . . just depends on your Spring climate & soil temperatures. Steve

I think it would be a great time at least here in Texas. This is the time for a lot of cool weather seeds going into the ground. You don't have too much to lose to find out and that for me is the fun of gardening to find out just when you can plant your seeds in the ground and get good results, just keep a journal for all you successes and failures then try try again. Your soil as well as where you live have a lot to do with what goes well what doesn't so you will be your best teacher in the long run, but tips sure don't hurt. Gardening is an adventure all the time. Paul

Welcome to Michigan. I've attached a link to the MSU extension that might be helpful. Find out when your area usually has the first frost then count backward from there the days to maturity to find out the LAST planting date for various veggies. Have fun with your garden and if I may be so bold, start conservatively and increase the size once you get a handle on what it'll take for you to succeed. Check with your county or township to see if there is a public source for compost. It's usually pretty reasonable. Just make sure it's properly cooked so you don't get any unhappy surprises. Wish I was close enough to be of more help. Good gardening to you! Here is a link that might be useful: Michigan State Univ planting chart

The weather this year has given us "slow starters" a window of opportunity. Everything you mentioned, with the exception of the tomatoes, can and should be direct seeded in the garden. I fear you will have to buy tomato plants, unless you know someone with too many seedlings. Perhaps you could work a trade, seeds for tomato starts. If it were my plot, I'd lift the landscaping cloth, spread the compost, plant, and then use the leaflitter and mulch to keep weeds down as much as possible. It is going to be very difficult to judge how big a hole to cut in the cloth for a mature plant. Your tomato seeds can be started in late June for a fall garden. Your county's agricultural extension agent has a list of vegetable varieties suitable for your area. This free list will have the best Texas-friendly tomatoes on it.