Vegetable Planting Guide
Working out when to plant seeds and seedlings can be one of the most difficult tasks when planning the home vegetable garden. Timing is very important and is one of the main factors that will impact on the final outcome.
Even the biggest and strongest seedling will succumb to the elements if planted at the wrong time.
With the help of the cool season vegetables and the warm season vegetables lists it should become a little clearer on the order and right season seeds and seedling can be planted in the garden.
Once it is understood that there is a right and wrong time to plant certain vegetables then the rest will fall into place easily and growing better vegetables becomes a breeze.
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. This will help you to plan your vegetable garden plantings
So, when is the right time to plant vegetables? Check out the table below.
The vegetable planting guide sets out in planting order the 4 groups allowing you to see at a glance what and when to plant in the garden.
Follow this link for a printer friendly pdf version of this vegetable planting guide to help you find the best sowing and transplanting dates.
Soil temperature need to be 40 F (4 C) or above and rising. As a rough guide you can plan to plant these vegetables as soon as 2-4 weeks before the average date of the last 32 F (0 C) freeze in the spring in your area but use soil temperature as your actual planting time.
Planting Order Guide - Cool Season Hardy | |||
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Vegetable | Best Method | Vegetable | Best Method |
Brussel Sprouts | Seedling | Onions | Sets |
Cabbage | Seedling | Parsnips | Direct sow |
Collard | Seedling | Peas | Direct sow |
Garlic | Cloves | Radicchio | Seedling |
Horseradish | Root cuttings | Radish | Direct sow |
Kale | Seedling | Rutabaga | Direct sow |
Kohlrabi | Seedling | Spinach | Direct sow |
Leek | Seedling | Swiss Chard | Seedling |
Mustard Greens | Direct sow | Turnips | Direct sow |
Soil temperature need to be 50 F (10 C) or above and rising. As a rough guide you can plan to plant these vegetables as early as 1-2 weeks before the average date of the last 32 F (0 C) freeze in the spring in your area but use soil temperature as your actual planting time.
Planting Order Guide - Cool Season Semi Hardy | |||
---|---|---|---|
Vegetable | Best Method | Vegetable | Best Method |
Arugula | Direct sow | Celeriac | Seedling |
Asparagus | Crowns | Celery | Seedling |
Beets | Direct sow | Endive | Direct sow |
Broccoli | Seedling | Jerusalem Artichoke | Tubers |
Cabbage Chinese | Seed and Seedling | Lettuce | Seedling |
Carrots | Direct sow | Potatoes | Tuber |
Cauliflower | Seedling |
Soil temperature need to be 60 F (16 C) or above and rising. 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 but use soil temperature as your actual planting time.
Planting Order Guide - Warm Season Tender | |||
---|---|---|---|
Vegetable | Best Method | Vegetable | Best Method |
Beans | Direct sow | Spinach NZ | Seedling |
Okra | Direct sow | Squash Winter | Direct sow |
Peppers | Seedling | Sweet Corn | Direct sow |
Pumpkin | Direct sow | Tomatoes | Seedling |
Southern Pea | Direct sow |
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 but use soil temperature as your actual planting time.
Planting Order Guide - Warm Season Very Tender | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Vegetable | Best Method | Vegetable | Best Method | |
Cucumber | Direct sow | Squash Summer | Direct sow | |
Eggplant | Seedling | Sweet Potato | Slips | |
Melons | Direct sow |
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