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Warm Season Vegetables - The Last
Vegetables To Plant In Spring

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Variety Of Warm Season Vegetables

Warm Season Vegetables

The vegetables that fall into this category love warmth and the sun, require growing temperatures, above 60 F (16 C) preferring consistent temperatures of 70-95 F (21-35 C). Some vegetables in this category are very drought resistant and can endure much higher temperatures.

All these vegetables are intolerant of frost and some classified as very tender are even sensitive to cool spring and fall winds.

Having said that however, the mature plants of many in this group will endure and keep producing in the cooler temperatures of fall, so don’t be to quick to rip them out.


 A valuable piece of information for gardeners to know is the date of the last frost in the spring and the first killing frost in the fall.  to help plan your planting. 

Frost-Tender

Photo of purple-hull-pea

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The 3rd group of vegetables to plant in the spring are frost-tender vegetables.

Looking like an alien from elsewhere these young purple hull peas like it hot and dry with no sign of cool weather.

Plants in this category are frost tender; not only will they not survive the lightest frost but are often severely injured at a low temperature even though a frost does not occur.

These should not be planted until all danger of frost is past. Wait until mid spring when the soil is properly warmed before planting vegetables in this group. Soil temperature need to be 60° F (16° C) or above and rising without any chance of a cold snap.

As a rough guide don't plan to plant these vegetables until at least 1-2 weeks after the last average 32 F (0 C) freeze in your area.

In the list below are the vegetables in the 3rd group to plant - frost tender vegetables.


Warm Season Frost Tender Vegetables
ArtichokeBeansOkra
PeppersPumpkinSouthern Peas
Spinach NZSquash WinterSweet Corn
Tomatoes



Very Frost Tender

Photo of summer-squash

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The 4th group of vegetables to plant in the spring are very frost-tender vegetables.

Mmmmm that crook neck squash in front was gone seconds after this pic was taken.

This group of vegetables is the last group to plant and as the name implies are very frost tender. They will not thrive until the soil has become properly warm and in fact the seed of this group will rot in the ground in a heartbeat if cold, wet conditions prevail.

These vegetables are not only intolerant of frost, but also cool spring winds. You need to wait until any chance of a cold snap has passed and the chilling winds of early spring have long gone. A week of daytime temperatures below 55 F (13 C) may severely retard plant growth.

Soil temperature need to be 70 F (21 C) or above and rising. As a rough guide don't plan to plant these vegetables until at least 2-3 weeks after the last average 32 F (0 C) freeze in your area.

In the list below are the vegetables in the 4th group to plant - very frost tender vegetables.


Warm Season Very Frost Tender Vegetables
CucumberEggplantMelons
Squash SummerSweet Potatoes


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