Green – it’s the color of money both in the wallet and in the freezer for those lucky enough to plant their own spring gardens.

Levon Glisson, manager of the Andalusia Farmers’ Co-Op, said now is the perfect time for farmers – both on a large scale and a small home garden scale – to pick their crops and to ready one’s soil.

“Right now, it’s all about the greens – lettuce, cabbage, collards, spinach, Brussels sprouts and broccoli,” Glisson said. “Onions, too, for those who like them. Fruit trees, definitely, and scuppernongs and grape vines, too.

“Now is the time to start planting,” he said.

However, before one grabs a few plants and a shovel, there are a few items of prep work needed, Glisson said.

“You can’t jump right in,” he said. “You need to prep a bit. You need to make sure you lime your soil. Most of the soil around here is acidic, so the lime works to neutralize the soil.

“And you need to fertilize everything you plant, too,” he said. “Water as needed, and then eight to 12 weeks later, get ready to enjoy some good eating.”

Glisson, who described the plantings as “cool crops,” said one can also plant seed potatoes, English peas, herbs and flowers such as pansies.

“When it warms up, then we can do squash, corn, peas, cucumbers, tomatoes, butterbeans and the like,” he said.