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. !

My daughter (4 yrs.) and I sowed seeds a couple of weeks ago and obliously went overboard. We have hundreds of sprouts coming up in every foot of each row. When and to what extent do I thin these for, turnips, radishes, turnip greens, chard, carrots, spinach? Everything else we used starters so it is not a problem. Please help, everything looks happy and I do not want to overdo it or do it to soon. (Louisiana)

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I never thin my turnips, chard or spinach. let them grow and the healthy ones will overtake the weaker. If you decide to thin, use something to cut the seedlings and not pull them out as this may damage the roots of the ones you want to keep. The carrots need to be about 3" apart, spinach needs to be about 4" apart, Turnips 3", chard 4". I eat only the greens not the turnips.

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Bell Pepper question:
The fall cold mornings are settiing in, 40F and below. I have a great crop of bell peppers, but they are not quite ready to pick... maybe another 10 days. Should I pick or leave them out there?

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Could have a blight

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I have used compost in my soil used water twice a week. My tomatoes are turning brown. I never scene nothimg like it before.

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Could be sunscald or any number of bacterial or fungal blights. Try http://luv2garden.com/tomato_diseases.html

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What kind of compost did you use and how much? Certain compost must be used sparingly and some must be used heavily. Depending on what you used it could have been to much.

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They most likely have a fungus. Buy some fungicide made for veggies and follow the directions. The same thing happen my tomatoes and as long as I sprayed once weekly it was kept under control. Hope this helps.

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