Very Tender

These types of plants cannot tolerate any frost or cold temperatures at all. They need to be planted when the weather is warm, after all danger of frost has passed.

All of these Very Tender plants have long growing seasons (they take a long time to go from seed to harvest), so you want to wait until the weather is warm enough for them, but you can’t wait too long or you will not have a chance to harvest before hot or cold temperatures set in. They tend to love warmer temperatures, and thrive in the heat.

Almost all of these plants must be transplanted outside. Unless you live in an area that is temperate (no extremely hot or cold temperatures), there is not enough time for them to grow outdoors from seed to harvest. You must either purchase transplants, or grow them yourself indoors, under lights.

• Cantaloupe and Melons
• Eggplant
• Lima Beans
• Okra
• Peppers
• Pumpkins and Winter Squash
• Tomatoes

Tender

These types of plants can tolerate some cooler temperatures, but frost will kill them. They are generally planted in the ground on the date of the average last spring frost.  They grow best in when it’s warm, but not extremely hot.

• Celery
• Cucumber
• Dry Beans
• Snap Beans
• Summer Squash and Zucchini
• Sweet Corn

Semi-Hardy

These plants thrive in cool temperatures. Some of them can tolerate heat, but many will bolt or go to seed when temperatures rise. These plants are particularly great to grow in temperate areas, or in the spring and fall.

• Beets
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Endive
• Lettuce
• Mustard
• Parsley
• Parsnip
• Potatoes
• Swiss Chard
• Spinach

Hardy

These plants thrive in cool weather, and will die, bolt, or go to seed when things get hot. They grow well in the spring and fall, and in warmer climates, they can be grown all winter long! In the spring, they can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked (with soil temperatures of 40°F).

• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Leeks
• Onions
• Peas
• Radish
• Rhubarb
• Spinach
• Turnip

Happy gardening!

I have not grown raspberries myself. My only experience hearkens back to my childhood when I was forced to pick them for what felt like hours on end, coming out scratched and tired. To add insult to injury, we then had to make raspberry jam. I mostly remember having a sink full of raspberries with bugs floating to the top, and being hot, very hot, as we canned it in little jars. My love of raspberries has not yet grown strong enough to overshadow these memories!

(Random side note: near my house there used to be a u-pick raspberry patch. When my mom visited from New York she would get all excited and say “Oh, we should go pick raspberries. I can’t believe you live so close and never go pick them!” I just rolled my eyes and smiled.)

However, I have found some resources that I hope will be helpful. First, a guide to growing raspberries put out by the Utah extension service.

Second, a comment from one my readers. Rebekah says:
“I have grown raspberries for years. I haven’t been able to contain them in square foot gardening boxes because their suckers go a little wild underground and take over EVERYTHING. I live in the NW and have clay soil that I dump mulched leaves and coffee grounds from Starbucks on each fall. The raspberries grow fabulously with that treatment and each year I have to dig out and give away canes. The best are Mammoth red because they are thorn-less and big, but Heritage are very reliable too!”

If you’ve grown raspberries, please share your comments below!

Happy gardening!

Leeks are in the onion family,and grow best in cool weather. It’s best to start seeds indoors 12 weeks before the frost date, and then transplant them outside 6 weeks before.

Leeks grow best in a rich soil, so add lots of compost and fertilize (either chemically or organically) once or twice during the season.

Most leeks take 3 to 4 months to grow to maturity. Harvest when the stalks are about 1″ diameter.

More Leeks Resource:

• Leek Reference Sheet (Utah Extension Service)
• Leek Reference Sheet (Minnesota Extension Service)

After 8 months of growing, I was finally able to harvest my garlic! Isn’t it beautiful?

As the tips of the garlic got yellow and brown, I decided it was time to start harvesting. First, I tipped over all the stalks and left them for a week or so:

They got even more yellow as they sat. I dug them up with my hands, but I would recommend a small trowel. The trick is to get under them and carefully lift up. You really don’t want to damage the bulbs or skin if you can avoid it. Honestly, this is my first time harvesting, so I didn’t do a great job.

Leave the garlic outside in a dry, shady spot. This “cures” them–it takes about a week. Now brush off the extra dirt and they are ready for storage. You can either braid the leaves, or cut them off about an inch above the bulb.

Store in a cool, dry location. The ideal temperature is about 40F.

Basil

Basil is one of the most popular herbs to grow-there is nothing better than cooking with fresh basil! For earliest basil production, start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date. Harden off, then transplant the week of the last frost date. If you’re not in a big hurry, just wait until the week of the frost date to plant outside. Harvest leaves as you need them, leaving about 4 per stem. Be sure to pinch off the growing tips, since this promotes more bushy side-growth.

One of the biggest benefits of basil that I have experienced–aphids don’t like it. So, I plant one in every square foot of lettuce and next to my tomatoes.  If you’re growing them as “helpers”, squeeze them in anywhere (like the middle of 4 lettuce plants, or the edges of tomatoes). If you want to dedicate an entire square to basil just plant 1 per square.

Chives

I’ve personally never grown chives, but here is what I researched. Start seeds indoors 10 weeks before the last frost date. Harden off, then transplant the week of the frost date.  Or, plant outside the week of the frost date. Warning–chives take about 3 weeks to germinate, so it will be a while until you can harvest them if you start outside. You can also buy chive transplants. Plant 9 per square.

Harvest by cutting up to 1/3 off the ends after they reach 6″ tall.  Chives are a perennial plant, and will multiply. You’ll need to divide them every 2-3 years.

Cilantro

Personally, I think there is nothing better than fresh salsa with cilantro! I’ve gotten mixed reviews about starting cilantro indoors, but since some sources say you can, I say go for it! Start seeds indoors in peat pots 6 weeks before the last frost date. Harden off, then transplant the week of the last frost date–be careful not to disturb the roots. You can also plant them outside the week of the frost date. Plant 4 or 9 per square.

Harvest leaves anytime after they reach 6″ tall. My experience is that cilantro will bolt (flower and go to seed) when it gets hot. So if you can, choose a partially shaded spot for this herb.

Dill

I developed a love for dill when I lived for a short time in Eastern Europe. I know it’s not such a popular American herb (with the exception of using it for pickling), but I love to cook with dill! Again, my sources do not suggest starting dill inside. But I have for two years, and it’s been very successful!

Start indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date.  Harden off, then transplant the week of the last frost date. Or, plant outside the week of the last frost date. Plant 1 per square.

Harvest leaves before the flowers appear, and store them in the fridge in a cup with a little water. Or, you can freeze it. If you want to use the seeds, wait until the lower part of a seed cluster is ripe. Dill can grow rather tall, so you may need to support it if your garden is subject to a lot of wind.

Garlic

Plant garlic bulbs in the fall, during October and November. You can purchase garlic through a catalog, or just use some from the grocery store.  Plant the largest bulbs pointy side up, 1-3 inches below the surface. Plant 4-9 per square.

Harvest in the summer after tops have fallen over, but before they have dried out.

Mint

Mint is a weed. Okay, not technically but it spreads and grows like a weed. For this reason, I do not suggest planting mint in the garden. Either keep it in a pot, or in a contained section of a flower bed. Buy a transplant, or get a little start from a friend or neighbor. Plant it, and away it will go! It will send out runners and spread relatively quickly.

To harvest, cut back a stem to 2 leaves.

Oregano

Start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date. Harden off, then transplant the week of the last frost date. If you’re not in a big hurry, just wait until the week of the frost date to plant outside.  Plant 1 per square. Harvest leaves as you need them, leaving about 2 per stem.

Rosemary

Start seeds indoors 10 weeks before the last frost date. Harden off, then transplant the week of the frost date.   Plant 1 per square.

Thyme

Start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date. Harden off, then transplant the week of the last frost date.  Plant 1 per square.

Onion sets can be purchased at many garden stores, nurseries, and online. They look like a bag of mini-onions. Try to get sets that are small and not already sprouting. Warning–this is counter-intuitive: plant the smallest onion sets 3-4″ apart (about 9 per square) to grow into mature onions. Plant the larger sets very close together (16 or more per square) for green onions to be harvested throughout the season.

Plant sets early, as soon as you can work the earth. Some “word of mouth” sources say as early as 10 weeks before the frost date. Mel’s Book says to plant them 5 weeks before. To be safe, I am recommending planting 8 weeks before, at the very earliest.

Finally, you can start onions from seed indoors about 10 weeks before the last frost date, then transplant them outside after 6-8 weeks of indoor growth, about 4 weeks before.

Harvest green onions anytime after they reach 6″. For mature and storage onions wait until about half the tops turn brown and fall over, then carefully bend the rest over and let them sit for a few more days. Pull them out and let them “cure” so the outer skins will dry out. Store in a very cool (but not freezing), dry place.

More Onion Resources:

• Onions Reference Sheet (Utah Extension Service)

Since I don’t have a thermometer for my soil, and I had NO IDEA when this would be, I called my local extension office (that’s what I love about the state extension–free advice!). They said: “As soon as you can work the soil.”  With raised garden beds and Mel’s Mix, it is easy to work the soil as long as the snow is melted!

My group is GREEN, and is on week -9. I wasn’t planning to plant my peas for 4 more weeks, but I am excited to get started now.  I am going to update the newsletters and charts to reflect this new information, but I wanted any feedback about when to start peas in your area. I was thinking week -9 to week -5. Does this seem too early or late to any of you?

Spring planting dates

For a spring planting, start indoors from seed 12 weeks before the last spring frost date. When the plants have 4-6 true leaves, harden them off , and transplant outside.^a This will be about 4-6 weeks before the last frost date.^b It is a hardy vegetable, and can tolerate frost, but it will bolt quickly if the weather gets too hot.

If you live in a mild climate (with a long spring and summers that don’t get very hot), it’s possible to plant seeds directly in the garden 2-3 weeks before the frost date.

Fall planting dates

To grow in the fall, start seeds indoors 14 weeks before the first fall frost date, and transplant them into the garden when they have at least 2-4 true leaves, usually about 9 weeks before the frost date. The plants will mature more slowly in the fall because the days are shorter, but since they can tolerate freezing temperatures, you can continue harvesting after the first fall frost.

If you live in a mild climate with a late or no fall frost date (after Nov 1), you might be able to plant broccoli from seed, and even grow it all during the winter!

If you live in a climate with hot summers and/or a short fall, choose varieties that mature quickly.

SFG Spacing

In the All New Square Foot Gardening book, Bartholemew recommends 1 per square. I have found that my broccoli gets really crowded with this spacing. Instead, I give each plant 18″, which is the same as planting 4 plants in 9 squares.

Fertilizing

Before planting, add lots of good compost to these squares, and possibly some all purpose (10-10-10) fertilizer. Broccoli loves thrives if it has plenty of nitrogen, so fertilize again 4 weeks after transplanting, when heads are 1 1/2″ in diameter, and after harvesting the main head.^a

Harvesting

Harvest before the flower buds open, when the buds are still tight. Cut off the head with 4-5 inches of stem. You’re better off harvesting a little too early than a little too late–flowers can appear overnight! The head may be small, so don’t expect grocery-store-sized broccoli. After the first harvest, don’t pull the plant out! Side-shoots will appear and produce several smaller heads.

My experience is that, here in the Mountain West, the broccoli yield is not as large and plentiful as it would be in cooler climates–but the flavor is UNBELIEVABLE! Definitely worth growing!

A Note About Timing

Many seed packets indicate that broccoli takes from 55 to 75 days to harvest. Generally, this means from TRANSPLANT to harvest, not from seed to harvest. It takes an additional 4-6 weeks to grow broccoli from seed to transplant.

More Broccoli Resources

• Broccoli Reference Sheet (Utah Extension Service)
• Growing Broccoli in the Fall

Happy gardening!

Sources:
a. Broccoli in the Garden, Dan Drost and Michael Johnson,
USU Extension, February 2007.
b. All New Square Foot Gardening, Mel Bartholemew,
Cool Springs Press, 2005.