Cabbage is a hardy, cool-season crop. Cabbage is best planted in early spring or mid-to-late summer. Cabbage thrives in temperatures between 65°F and 75°F (18-24°C) and can withstand cold temperatures down to 25°F (-4°C). Cabbage seedlings can be set in the garden 4 weeks before the last frost in spring. You can sow cabbage seeds […] More
Direct sow beans in the garden 1 to 2 weeks after the last expected frost when the soil has warmed to at least 60°F (16°C). Start beans indoors 3 to 2 weeks before transplanting to the garden. • Bush beans are usually determinate with one week or two week period of harvest; bush beans are […] More
Sweet potatoes are a warm-weather crop. They require a long, hot growing season. Sweet potatoes are grown from rooted cuttings, called “slips” or “draws”. Slips are best started indoors from sweet potato tubers. Slips stated indoors take about 12 weeks to reach transplant size. Transplant sweet potato slips into the garden after all danger of […] More
Tomatillos are a tender, warm-weather crop. Start tomatillos indoors 8 to 6 weeks before the average last frost date. Transplant seedlings into the garden two weeks after the last frost just as you would peppers and tomatoes. Tomatillos can be grown much like tomatoes, but they are more sensitive to cold and chilly temperatures much […] More
Sow spinach seeds in the garden as soon as the ground is workable in spring. If you wait, warm weather and long days will trigger seed stalk formation and the leaves will become bitter tasting. Spinach seeds will germinate in cool soil. Days at 60°F (16°C) and nights as low as 40°F (4°C) are warm […] More
Brussels sprouts are a cool-season crop; they thrive in temperatures between 60°F and 70°F (16-21°C). Mature plants can withstand temperatures as low as 25°F (-4°C). Brussels sprouts require a long growing season—90 to 120 days. Commonly Brussels sprouts are planted in late spring to mid-summer for harvest in fall. Brussels sprouts touched by frost just […] More
Seed packets and seed catalogs can help you decide which crops and varieties to grow in your garden. The front of a seed packet or a seed catalog entry will picture the plant at maturity. The back of the packet will describe the plant and where it will grow. Here are common seed packet and […] More
Sprouts are the young shoots from the germinated seeds of vegetables, beans, and grains. Many seeds can be sprouted for eating. Mung beans and alfalfa are the most common seeds for sprouts. Other common seeds for sprouts include adzuki, cabbage, chives, red clover, fenugreek, garbanzo, lentil, mustard, peas, radish, and black sunflower. See the list […] More
To get a head start on the growing season, start your vegetable seeds indoors. Cold soil and unsettled weather will challenge seeds sown directly in the garden in early spring. Cool-season crops that are the easiest to start from seed indoors are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, and lettuce. Warm-season crops to start indoors […] More
Starting seed in the garden can be challenging, especially early in the season. Garden soil either too cold or too wet are the chief obstacles to germination in late winter and early spring. The solution: start seeds indoors early in the season. Vegetables that are the easiest to start indoors from seed are broccoli, Brussels […] More
If you haven’t started already there’s no time like the first month of the year to jump-start spring. In the coldest regions, the first weeks of January are the time to begin planning the spring and summer garden. As soon as your plans are set, get seeds ordered. In low frost and frost-free regions of […] More
Stephen Albert