Category Archives: Veggies

Corn is a tender vegetable that needs lots of sun and warm weather to grow well. If planting in a square foot garden, especially in windy areas, be sure to provide support because the soil is loose and the corn can blow over. Spring Planting Plant seeds directly in the garden from the week of the spring frost date until three weeks after. If you want to stagger the harvest, divide the area into several sections and plant each section every 10 days. Or, find varieties that harvest at different times. Each section should be at least 2’x2’ but preferably 3’x3’ or … Continue reading →

Celery is a tender vegetable that cannot tolerate cold temperatures, but grows best in cool, even temperatures. It can be difficult to grow for the home gardener, and is not a good choice for a beginner. It requires rich, water-retaining soil, frequent fertilizing, and plenty of water. Spring Planting Start seeds indoors 10-12 weeks before the spring frost date, or purchase transplants. Celery seeds require light to germinate, and can take a long time (up to 21 days), so buying transplants is recommended. Transplants are ready when they have 3-4 true leaves. If transplants are growing quickly and it’s still too cold to … Continue reading →

Brussels sprouts are a hardy vegetable that grows best in cool weather, when temperatures average 60-65°F (16-18°C). Spring Planting Brussels sprouts take a long time to mature, so plant in spring only if you live in a place with long, cool spring season. Start seeds indoors 12 weeks before the frost date, or purchase transplants. Fall Planting Plant seeds or transplants in the garden 12-14 weeks before the fall frost date. Provide shade if temperatures get very hot, and stake each plant if there is a lot of wind. Remove yellow leaves, leaving 2” (5cm) of the stem, to leave room … Continue reading →

  Sweet potatoes are a very-tender vegetable that grows best in warm weather. They spread on the ground as a thick groundcover, so look for bush varieties if growing in a small space or square foot garden. Spring Planting Sweet potatoes are planted from “slips”–these are small plants created by cutting a piece of sweet potato vine, or sprouted from a mature sweet potato. Plant slips in the garden 2 weeks after the spring frost date. You can make your own slips, or purchase them. To plant from a vine, cut one foot from a sweet potato vine. Remove all the leaves … Continue reading →

  Not suitable for SFG Asparagus is a hardy perennial vegetable that produces spears for 10-15 years. If you choose to grow it in a square foot or raised garden bed, you will need at least 18” (30cm) of high quality topsoil, and a location to dedicate to asparagus long-term. Spring Planting Plant asparagus crowns 2-4 weeks before the spring frost date. Dig a trench 18”(30cm) deep and 12” (25cm) wide. Combine topsoil, compost, peat moss, and fertilizer, then refill the trenches with 6” of amended soil. Place a mound of soil every 12” (25cm), and place the crown on … Continue reading →

48″ plant spacing Not suitable for SFG Artichoke is a semi-hardy perennial vegetable that grows best in areas with a warm winter and a cool summer. In harsher climates it is grown as an annual, and replanted each year. It is not well suited to growing in a square foot garden because it requires so much space for one plant (16 square feet). Spring Planting Start seeds indoors 12 weeks before the spring frost date or plant from a piece of a divided artichoke plant. Harden off and transplant into the garden 4-6 weeks before the spring frost date. This is tricky, because … Continue reading →

Peppers are a very-tender vegetable that grow best in warm weather. plant will produce two or three fruits. Spring Planting Eggplant takes a long time to grow from seed to harvest. In most areas there is not enough time to grow eggplant from seeds before the weather gets too cold in the fall. Start seeds indoors 7-8 weeks before the frost date or purchase transplants. Transplants should have 6-9 true leaves. Harden off and transplant into the garden 2-4 weeks after the spring frost date. Fall Planting Eggplant requires average night time temperatures of 60°F (16°C) to set fruit, so even in … Continue reading →

Cucumbers are very-tender vegetables that grow best in warm weather. Spring Planting Plant seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks after the spring frost date. To harvest sooner, start seeds indoors the week of the spring frost date, or purchase transplants. Transplants are ready when they have 2-3 true leaves.  Harden off and transplant into the garden 2-4 weeks after the spring frost date. Cucumbers take up a lot of space unless you use a trellis or vertical support, Remove misshapen fruit when it is small, since the shape will not improve as it gets bigger. Fall Planting Cucumbers require high temperatures and … Continue reading →

Winter squash, including pumpkins, are very-tender vegetables that grow best in warm weather. Spring Planting Plant seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks after the spring frost date. To harvest squash sooner, start seeds indoors the week of the spring frost date, or purchase transplants. Transplants are ready when they have 2-3 true leaves.  Harden off and transplant into the garden 2-4 weeks after the spring frost date. When growing pumpkins, once the fruits are large enough to touch the ground, turn them to “sit on their bottoms” (opposite the stem). This will allow them to grow evenly, without flat spots. Fall Planting … Continue reading →

Summer squash (including zucchini) is a very-tender vegetable that grows best in warm weather. Normally, summer squash grows in 9 squares. If you prune and stake it, you can reduce that to just two squares. Spring Planting Plant seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks after the spring frost date. To harvest squash sooner, start seeds indoors the week of the spring frost date, or purchase transplants. Transplants are ready when they have 2-3 true leaves.  Harden off and transplant into the garden 2-4 weeks after the spring frost date. Fall Planting Squash requires high temperatures and many hours of sunlight. They cannot be … Continue reading →