Vegetables & Seasons: When To Plant?
Spring Vegetables
The early spring is one of the best times to jump-start your garden, especially for plants that can withstand chilly night temperatures. Certain hardy vegetables can withstand a few touches of frost, allowing you to start the seeds either indoors or outdoors depending on your location. These are some of the more popular plants that you can grow in the spring.
Different types of lettuces. This is one of the staples in most supermarkets — and they can be a staple in your spring garden. Lettuce is hardy, with the plant being easy to grow, come in different colors and flavors. For most lettuces, they will not germinate in soil that is 80°F or higher, with the springtime being ideal temperatures for lettuce to grow and thrive.
Carrots. The cooler spring months are perfect for carrots. They are root vegetables, and with proper sun and water, they can be picked as baby carrots for a sweet treat or allowed to grow for more crunch.
Radishes. Radishes grow particularly cold in the cool, compost-rich soil. They are very robust, with radishes being naturally pest-free. They are ideal for beginners who want a plant that they can grow and water regularly and be guaranteed a crop.
Winter Vegetables
Several vegetables can withstand or even prosper during the initial winter months. Keep in mind that most will not be able to survive a hard frost for an extended time.
Shallots and onions. Onions are very hardy and can prosper when they are set to grow during the winter months. They have a very long growing season and won’t be ready for harvest until the following summer. Their long growing season has deemed these vegetables as “first early” vegetables. They are the first to be planted in one of the first to be harvested the following year.
Garlic. Garlic has several varieties for you to choose from. Just like onions, they have a very long and extensive growing season and won’t be ready to harvest into the next summer. It is worth the wait — harvesting garlic usually renders a fruitful crop.
Peas. Enjoy an early crop of peas next spring, with hardy varieties of the plant like the Pea Meteor; which will give you a head start next season.
Asparagus. If you have space, then consider growing some asparagus during the winter season. Although asparagus take several years to establish, each crown can produce up to 25 spears per year and will crop for several years once established. The crop requires a lot of patience since asparagus will take about 24-26 months before you can harvest them properly.
Fall Vegetables
While the spring and summer months are associated with the gardening hobby, certain vegetables can thrive when planted during the fall season. The cooler temperatures allow for fewer pests and issues when it comes to outside contaminants.
Broccoli. Late summer and the beginning of fall is one of the best times to grow broccoli. Sowing early will allow plenty of time for broccoli to create small heads – alternatively, you can transplant when available if you don’t want them all ready at once, staggering your broccoli so you will have a steady supply of it. One of the sweetest broccoli’s come from your own garden when you allow light frost to develop on it right before you harvest.
Brussels sprouts. This is one of the more hardiest plants that will survive the winter season. Seeds germinate best when the soil is still slightly warm at around 75°F.
Cauliflower. Similar to broccoli, cauliflower can be planted early in the fall season since they can be a bit sensitive to frost.
Summer Vegetables
Some vegetables will not survive the very harsh summer months. However, some will drive in the heat, outshining others.
Sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes grow very well in ventilated, warm soil, creating an abundance of vegetables in as little as three months. For the best results, plant them in the height of the summer, around June and August.
Hot peppers. Hot peppers grow and produce well from early summer into the fall months. While some larger varieties are slow to grow and produce any crop, much smaller types will produce more readily.
Okra. Okra is highly self-sufficient, and a favorite summer vegetable. They thrive in high heat areas and are adaptable to dry conditions. Once they start creating mature vegetables, harvest them regularly to keep quality and production at an appropriate level.
Zucchini squash. There are some varieties of the vegetable that are best grown in the heat. Unfortunately, they can be susceptible to certain bugs. For the best success rate, you can start your squash seedlings indoors and transplant them outdoors around late June.