Stephen Albert is a horticulturist, master gardener, and certified nurseryman who has taught at the University of California for more than 25 years. He holds graduate degrees from the University of California and the University of Iowa. His books include Vegetable Garden Grower’s Guide, Vegetable Garden Almanac & Planner, Tomato Grower’s Answer Book, and Kitchen Garden Grower’s Guide. His Vegetable Garden Grower’s Masterclass is available online. Harvesttotable.com has more than 10 million visitors each year.
Collards are a hardy cool-weather crop. Collards can be grown in early spring and in mid to late autumn. Collards thrive in temperatures between 65°F and 75°F (18-24°C) and can withstand frost down to 25°F (-4°C). If summers are warm in your region, start collards in late winter or early spring for a late spring […] More
April is a time of transition in the vegetable garden. Weather extremes from snow flurries to hot weather can occur in the Northern Hemisphere. In cold-winter regions, spring weather may be weeks away. In warm-winter regions, the last frost may already have passed. April is named for Aprilis, the Latin word meaning to open. This […] More
Kale is a hardy cool-weather crop. It can be grown in early spring and in mid to late autumn. Kale tastes especially good after it has been touched by frost. Sow kale seeds in the garden 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost. Start transplants 6 to 8 weeks before setting out in the […] More
Garlic is grown from cloves formed in bulbs. Cloves used to start new plants are called “seed cloves”. Seed clove size is important to yield. The yield of a large clove is usually greater than a medium-sized clove, which, in turn, is usually greater than a small-size clove. The largest cloves commonly produce the largest […] More
Carrots are a cool-season crop; they are best grown in spring and fall. Carrots are commonly grown in spring, fall, and winter in warm-winter regions. Carrots can be grown through the summer in mild to cool summer regions and a surplus can be stored for winter. Carrots may be seeded as early in spring as […] More
Beets are commonly grown in spring, summer, and autumn. Beets may be seeded as early in spring as the ground can be worked. Make successive sowings at intervals of about 3 weeks in order to have a continuous supply of young, tender beets throughout the season. Beets are well adapted to grow in many regions. […] More
Arugula is a cool-season crop. It can be grown in early spring and in fall. Sow arugula seeds directly in the garden 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost in spring or as soon as the soil is workable. To set out transplants start seeds indoors 4 to 5 weeks before transplanting. Set transplants […] More
Chard—Swiss chard—is a cool and warm-season crop. It will tolerate frost and keep growing in summer. The optimum soil temperature for germination is 50° to 8°5F (10°-29°C). Direct—seeding is the most common way to start chard. Sow seed in the garden 2 to 4 weeks before the last average frost date in spring. To get […] More
Peas are easy to grow. And, there are many kinds of peas to choose from. Garden peas–or English peas as they are sometimes called–are available in both bush and climbing varieties. They are eaten after being shelled. Snap and snow peas have edible pods. Snap peas are full, sweet, and crunchy–and can be eaten pod […] More
Most vegetables include cultivars or varieties that are quicker maturing than others. Quick-growing vegetable crops come to harvest in as little as 4 to 10 weeks. They are “short stayers” not “long stayers” in the garden. Below is a list of specific crop varieties that grow to maturity the most quickly. Quick-Growing Vegetable Varieties Choose […] More
Here are seed starting tips–both indoors and outdoors–and the schedule for April zone-by-zone. If you are unfamiliar with the USDA zone where you live, look at the minimum annual temperature guideline following each zone. Soil and Seed Starting Mix Getting seed started indoors is essentially the same as sowing seed outdoors directly in the garden. […] More
Floating row covers are made of lightweight spun poly fabric and are laid loosely over plants. A floating row cover will protect plants from frost damage to 28°F. Row covers transmit up to 85 percent of available sunlight and are permeable to air and water. Sunlight and weather will weaken the fibers in spun poly […] More
