Seasonal Vegetable Planting Guide: Sowing Vegetables According to the Calendar
For a thriving vegetable garden that yields produce throughout the year, it's crucial to select the appropriate vegetables for each season and follow expert gardening advice. Here's a season-by-season guide with top vegetables to plant and key cultivation tips:
---
### **Spring Planting**
Spring is the perfect time to grow cool-season vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots, and peas. Plant seeds or seedlings as soon as the soil can be worked. Use well-amended, loose soil to support root growth. Protect young plants from late frosts using row covers or cloches, and water consistently to keep soil moist but not waterlogged.
---
### **Summer Planting**
Summer is the ideal season for fruit-bearing vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, as well as root vegetables such as carrots, radishes, onions, and potatoes. These crops thrive in warm temperatures and full sun (at least 6–8 hours). Use stakes or cages to support growth, and keep soil consistently moist to prevent bitter fruits (especially for cucumbers).
Zucchini and summer squash are also great summer crops. Plant them in July for a bountiful harvest. Provide plenty of space, use compost-enriched soil for better drainage and moisture retention, and monitor for pests like squash bugs and vine borers; cover young plants if needed. Harvest zucchini when fruits reach 6-10 inches for best taste.
---
### **Fall Planting**
Fall is the perfect time to grow cold-tolerant vegetables like cabbage, parsnips, beets, turnips, kohlrabi, and broccoli. Prepare beds with compost for nutrient-rich soil, protect seedlings from early cold snaps with row covers, and water moderately; reduce watering frequency as cooler weather approaches. Monitor for pests like cabbage worms, which can affect brassicas.
---
### **Winter Planting**
While winter may not be the first season that comes to mind for vegetable gardening, it's still possible to grow a variety of crops. Carrots, leaf lettuce, onions, chard, salsify, and collard greens can be planted in April for a winter harvest. In August, radishes, lettuce, kale, spinach, turnips, and beets can be replanted for a fall crop.
In addition to these, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, baby spinach, cabbages, kale, leeks, and parsnips can be planted during the winter season. Add a water-soluble organic fertilizer every two weeks to keep winter vegetables strong and healthy.
---
(Information synthesized from [1], [2], [3])
By following this seasonal guide and applying proper gardening techniques, you'll be on your way to a bountiful vegetable yield all year round. Happy gardening!
[1]
In spring, grow cool-season vegetables like lettuce, spinach, and radishes in your home-and-garden, aiming for a thriving lifestyle with a year-round produce supply. By autumn, expand your home-and-garden lifestyle by sowing cold-tolerant vegetables such as broccoli and kale, ensuring a bountiful harvest before winter sets in.
