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Vegetable Gardening Growing Guide | The Old Farmer's Almanac

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Vegetable Growing Guide

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How to Grow Vegetables

Catherine Boeckmann
November 12, 2021
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In one handy chart, the Almanac Vegetables Growing Guide summarizes when start seeds indoor 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. Check out the amazing online Almanac Garden Planner tool!

Read Next

Gardening Help
Planting a Garden
Vegetables

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Comments

fekry effat (not verified)

2 years 11 months ago

I am a 75 years old retiree. I hope to get starting growing some vegetables in the backyard or indoors. I have little information of doing that and hope your guidance could help me do so. Thanks again.

Fikre Yifru (not verified)

5 years 9 months ago

Dear Sirs,

We are an NGO trying to help poor farmers grow vegetables at high altitude in Ethiopia. WE are to use solar pumps to get water and irrigate the peasant fields (2-5) at different places.

We need high valued vegetables,
We need cold resisting plants
We need short sprouting days.

Please suggest the vegetables and the possible yields/ha.

Any other advice?

Fikre

It depends on where you are (what the altitude is and the lowest temperature you get). I built my own greenhouse with scraps of wood and old wondows. I was able to harvest spinach up until very very late in the season (January, temp: 1° F).
I grow tomatoes and I am able to can them (put them in a sterile sealed container). I'm still eating tomatoes from 2 years ago since I'm able to freeze them. I have given tomatoes, lettuce, thyme, rosemary, onions, garlic (planted the fall before) to 4 of my neighbors. I think Spinach is a great way to start. It is rich in vitamins and minerals.
I hope this helps and I wish you success. By the way, there are free plans for a green house online.

Mariana Du Toit (not verified)

7 years ago

Stay in die western cape. but my garden are covered with shade net
please help me this is the first time ever I started with a garden a pensioner now
Thank you

Carrie (not verified)

7 years 2 months ago

I live in WV when can I start planting

Gina Lamannis (not verified)

7 years 4 months ago

Approx. when is the last Spring d=freeze for tomatoes? Also, when I have tomatoes growing, they have been getting rotten on the bottoms of the fruit. I cover the dirt with plastic, but I still get it! Any tips?

Hi Gina, We hope we can help. We don’t know where you live, but you can check our Frost Dates Calendar which is customized to your zip code here: http://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates

Also, the tomato problem is most likely Blossom End Rot. We have a page about how to manage this common issue here: http://www.almanac.com/content/blossom-end-rot

Alex (not verified)

7 years 4 months ago

Sounds like "blossom end rot" i believe it is a calcium deficiency can be fixed with fertilizer
just give it a google.