Growing a vegetable and herb garden is a fun and worthwhile experience, but it takes planning and know-how to be successful. When should you plant your seeds to get the best results? How can you avoid harvesting everything at once?
The cold days of winter are behind us, but the spring chill in the air is a perfect reminder that while some vegetables enjoy the cooler temperatures, others favor the summer heat. If you haven’t finalized your garden plans yet, now is the ideal time to choose what to grow this year.
From spinach and broccoli to cucumber and peppers, having a timely strategy for when and what to plant throughout the growing season will allow you to reap the tasty rewards daily and ensure your overall gardening success.
Methodology
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Whether you’re a seasoned gardener, or brand new, springtime brings a lot of prepping questions. The timing of seeding and planting is a bit like playing Russian roulette since the weather can be unpredictable this time of year (like those years when it snows in May). Yet, gardening experts have general best practices that give them the best possible yield.
We scoured the internet and collected expert advice from The Old Farmer’s Almanac, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Idaho Extension, and Iowa State University Extension on when to start planting some favorite vegetables and herbs.
General Rules for Spring Planting
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The right time to plant your first seeds in spring depends on where you live. University of Idaho Extension educator Andy West recommends determining your local hardiness zone first. You can then reference an online chart or the back of your seed pack to figure out the exact time to start seeds indoors or directly in the ground.
Most planting should not happen until after the last spring frost. Knowing this info for your area can help determine how long your growing season is so that you can choose the best cultivars for your garden. For example, there are varieties of tomatoes that mature in 50 days, while others mature in 90 days. If your growing season is short, you may not have enough frost-free days for 90-day tomatoes to ripen. The Old Farmer’s Almanac is a great source for estimating first and last frost dates, but double-check your local weather for the most accurate dates.
To make it really easy on yourself, check out The Almanac’s free planting calendar. Just enter your zip code and it will chart out exactly when to sow each plant’s seeds outdoors, or when to start them indoors for an early start.
Cool Weather Vegetables and Herbs
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Cool weather vegetables do well before the heat of summer sets in. They prefer soil and air temps ranging from 50° to 75°F. When it gets too hot, they begin to bolt, or flower, and their quality suffers, often becoming bitter. The key is to start the seeds indoors to get a jumpstart or outdoors as soon as possible, based on your hardiness zone and last frost.
Iowa State University consumer horticulture extension specialist, Aaron Steil, shares that most cool-weather vegetables can tolerate a light frost, so all hope is not lost if you are surprised by a cold night after your garden is already growing. Leafy greens, some root vegetables, and brassicas- like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale- often prefer cool weather. You have another chance to grow these cool-weather vegetables in the fall, too!
Here are a few excellent choices to start your garden.
Peas
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There is no comparison between home-grown peas and starchy store-bought varieties. Home-grown peas are deliciously sweet, and what’s more, they’re easy to grow. You will likely be choosing between two edible pod varieties – snow peas and snap peas – and a variety that must be shelled before eating – sweet peas (garden peas). Whichever you choose, you want to start sowing the seeds surprisingly early.
Try planting peas as early as 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost. If you can stick your finger in the soil, it’s ready for peas. They can germinate in soil as cold as 40°F! When you plant, remember you will need a trellis or stakes to support vining pea plants. Bush varieties can be staked but it is not necessary.
Lettuce
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Lettuce grows quickly and is an all-around great choice for the garden. There are many types of lettuce to choose from, and one nice aspect of these plants is that you don’t have to harvest it all at once. If you grow a loose-leaf variety, just harvest what you need and leave the rest. With leaf lettuce, simply take off the outer leaves and allow the inner section to continue growing.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac recommends sowing the seeds directly into the soil when the ground is workable, at around 2 to 4 weeks before spring’s last frost. If you’re concerned about pests eating your greens, try growing chives or garlic in between rows of lettuce to deter aphids.
Chives
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Common chives and garlic chives (or Chinese chives) are two types of this herb often found in gardens. Chives are an excellent choice because they keep pests away, and they are perennials, so you only need to plant them once! Just divide them every few years in the spring, and that’s it.
Like lettuce, chives can be sown directly into the soil as soon as the soil is workable. However, they will do best if the soil temperature measures in the range of 60° to 70°F, according to The Almanac.
Spinach
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Spinach is an excellent source of vitamins A, B, and C. It grows so fast that you can be serving it with dinner in as little as 3 weeks! Plant it early because it doesn’t like the heat.
The Almanac suggests planting your seeds directly in the soil about one week after the last spring frost. For a longer harvest, plant new sections every two weeks while it’s still cool. Another way to stretch out your harvest is to take only a few larger, outer leaves from each plant and allow the inner leaves to continue growing.
Warm Weather Vegetables and Herbs
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Warm weather vegetables and herbs love the sun and the summer heat. They grow best when the temperature ranges from 65° to 95°F, according to the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. From peppers and sweet potatoes to basil and oregano, there are so many warm weather choices.
Here are a few tasty options to consider.
Beans
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If you like green beans, snap beans are a fun and rewarding addition to your garden. There are several popular types of snap beans, including bush beans and pole beans. Bush beans produce a crop all at once, while pole beans continuously produce throughout the season and ultimately yield a larger crop.
University of Idaho Extension recommends planting seeds directly in the ground 1 to 3 weeks after the last hard frost of spring. Both air and soil temperatures should be around 65°F for your best outcome. Once they’re ready to harvest, pick pole beans every day or so to encourage the plant to continue producing. Even though bush beans produce most of their crop around the same time, the plants will continue producing if you keep harvesting them.
Cucumbers
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This fresh, crunchy vegetable is a delight to grow. Most cucumber varieties climb, so you may need a trellis. Once they start producing, you want to pick the cucumbers every day or two. If not, the plant will slow down and eventually stop producing.
You will have healthier and stronger plants if you plant them directly in the ground, according to the Idaho Master Gardener Handbook. When daytime soil temps reach 70°F, at around 1 to 2 weeks after the last spring frost, you are safe to plant your seeds.
Zucchini
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Zucchini is especially exciting for new gardeners to grow because the plant grows fast and so does the fruit. It loves the summer heat. The fruit grows so rapidly that you need to make sure you check the plant regularly or you may end up with gigantic zucchinis! Bigger is not always better, and that holds true when it comes to zucchini.
Planting in May is ideal throughout most of the US, when the soil temp reaches 70°F. You may want to plant again in June, in case your May plants encounter insect problems. Make sure to leave plenty of space for each zucchini plant. They grow quite large!
Tomatoes
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Anyone who has compared home-grown tomatoes to store-bought notices a striking difference. Home-growns are far superior in flavor. It makes sense that tomatoes are one of the most popular crops in home gardens for all its versatile uses (think sauces, salsas, soups, etc.). There are tons of choices for what kind to grow- from cherry, roma, and plum to beefsteak, heirloom, and many more. Consider how you will use them. That will help narrow down your selections.
Unlike the other plants we have talked about, tomatoes are best transplanted to the outdoors. Wait at least 2 weeks following the last spring frost to transplant them. You can either buy plants to transplant or start seeds indoors 5 to 7 weeks before transplanting.
Start Planning Now for the Season Ahead
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The veggies and herbs mentioned above are all great starting plants to grow. By learning the weather they thrive in, you can skip the drama of wilting plants and have your best season yet.
By planting at the right moment, you’re setting the stage for a season filled with fresh, flavorful harvests and the satisfaction of growing your own food. It’s time to start planning, planting, and enjoying the season ahead.
Read more
The Gardening Secret to Faster, Healthier Seedlings
The Best Time to Start Seeds for a Thriving Garden, According to Experts
