Vegetable Growing Guide

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How to Grow Vegetables

November 30, 2023

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In one handy chart, the �� Vegetables Growing Guide summarizes when to start seeds indoors and outdoors, the soil temperature needed to germinate, the plant’s hardiness level, when to fertilize, and when to water.

Of course, see the master Planting Calendar for more specific dates by YOUR zip code for all your common vegetables.

Vegetables Growing Guide

Note: Each of the vegetables listed below links to an individual vegetable plant guide that covers sowing to growing to harvest!

Vegetable	Start Seeds Indoors (weeks before last spring frost)	Start Seeds Outdoors (weeks before or after last spring frost)	Minimum Soil Temp. to Germinate (°F)	Cold Hardiness	When to Fertilize	When to Water
Beans	—	Anytime after	48–50	Tender	After heavy bloom and set of pods	Regularly, from start of pod to set
Beets	—	3 before to 3 after	39–41	Half-hardy	At time of planting	Only during drought conditions
Broccoli	6–8	2–3 before	55–75	Hardy	Three weeks after transplanting	Only during drought conditions
Brussels sprouts	6–8	—	55–75	Hardy	Three weeks after transplanting	At transplanting
Cabbage	6–8	1 before to 1 after	38–40	Hardy	Three weeks after transplanting	Two to three weeks before harvest
Carrots	—	3–5 before	39–41	Half-hardy	Preferably in the fall for the following spring	Only during drought conditions
Cauliflower	6–8	1 before to 1after	65–75	Half-hardy	Three weeks after transplanting	Once, three weeks before harvest
Celery	6–8	—	60–70	Tender	At time of transplanting	Once a week
Corn	—	2 after	46–50	Tender	When eight to ten inches tall, and again when first silk appears	When tassels appear and cobs start to swell
Cucumbers	2–4	1–2 after	65–70	Very tender	One week after bloom, and again three weeks later	Frequently, especially when fruits form
Lettuce	4–6	1 before to 2 after	40–75	Half-hardy	Two to three weeks after transplanting	Once a week
Melons	2–4	2 after	55–60	Very tender	One week after bloom, and again three weeks later	Once a week
Onion sets	—	4 before	34–36	Hardy	When bulbs begin to swell, and again when plants are one foot tall	Only during drought conditions
Parsnips	—	0–3 before	55–70	Hardy	One year before planting	Only during drought conditions
Peas	—	4–6 before	34–36	Hardy	After heavy bloom and set of pods	Regularly, from start of pod to set
Peppers	8–10	—	70–80	Very tender	After first fruit-set	Once a week
Potato tubers	—	0–2 after	55–70	Half-hardy	At bloom time or time of second hilling	Regularly, when tubers start to form
Pumpkins	2–4	1 after	55–60	Tender	Just before vines start to run, when plants are about one foot tall	Only during drought conditions
Radishes	—	1 before to 1 after	39–41	Hardy	Before spring planting	Once a week
Spinach	—	4–6 before	55–65	Hardy	When plants are one-third grown	Once a week
Squash, summer	2–4	1 after	55–60	Very tender	Just before vines start to run, when plants are about one foot tall	Only during drought conditions
Squash, winter	2–4	1 after	55–60	Tender	Just before vines start to run, when plants are about one foot tall	Only during drought conditions
Tomatoes	6–8	—	50–55	Tender	Two weeks before, and after first picking	Twice a week

Ready to plan an amazing vegetable garden? Let’s get to the drawing board. !

I just planted my tomato plants outside on 5/30. They are staked, mulched, and have been watered at the roots 3 times. They looked great when I put them out, then wilted a bit the first day or so. Now they seem to have some new growth, but also have leaves that are light green with white splotches. What might be going on? Too much/too little water? Not hardened off enough? Please help, I'm a bit worried...

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You said they were mulched.What were they mulched with? If it is a heavy mulch such as bark or garden rock you will need to water for a longer period of time to get water into the roots of the plant.
The"splotches",you could try a spray mist or wash of 1 teaspoon dishsoap in a gallon of water and spray for bugs,slugs,cutworms-those green catipillars.

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It sounds like your plants have a bacterial disease that is causing the wilting. Often times this is due to over watering, but the disease also could have started in the seed. Unfortunately, you may have lost your plants for the season. Consult your local Cooperative Extension to get their opinion, they are the experts in your Zone, and may know if other plants have been affected in your area. Next year, practice crop rotation, and do not plant in the same spot. Good Luck! http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-services

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Good suggestions.

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Last year I planted 6 tomatoes and the plants did great . they grew higher then my head. However, they had very few tomatoes on them and the ones they had were very small. I have raised a few tomatoes every year since I can remember and never has this happened before. Any help or clues as to what I did wrong will be most helpful this year??? Thank-you

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Try adding phosphorus and less nitrogen to the soil. I added it last year to my flowering plants and I had the best yield I have ever had. I read that the phosphorus strengthens the blooms. A seasoned farmer friend call phosphorus the "mother's milk" of gardening.

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Lime soil before planting and add 1 tablespoon of epsom salts per plant location to add yield. It works great for me here in the Florida panhandle. Epsom salt is a plant nutrient. When the tomato blooms open, spray them with bloom set to allow more pollination time.

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Sometimes "Leaf Curl" disease will stunt the growth of your tomatoes. It will invade eggplant, cucumbers, almost any fruit-bearing vine. It is a monster. Before planting may I suggest you "study" the plant, the threats (insects and pests) and decide what type of control you will use? It beats being so very disappointed. This has happened to me a few times.
Read: http://pep.wsu.edu/hortsense/scripts/query/displayProblem.asp?problemID=501&tableName=plant and also http://pep.wsu.edu/Home_Garden/H_G_Pesticide_Info/? about pesticides. Take a deep breath and prepare for next season. One good thing is that you planted them "well" since they grew so tall! Best wishes!

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Hi Pinky, Try regulating the amount of fertilizer you use, or change the make-up. Too much nitrogen causes excessive foliage but little fruit. Also--it may just be the variety you are growing that produces small tomatoes. Talk with someone at your local nursery to get the variety you want. See our tomatoes page here for more tips and advice: http://www.almanac.com/plant/tomatoes

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It says to water tomatoes twice a week and I heard that they need 2 inches a week. If using a regular spraying hose how do you know when it is enough?

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