When to plant Vegetables

How to know when to plant Vegetables?

Growing times can be a tricky thing to get down with so many things to consider. Luckily there is a quick list.

9 Degree day

What are the Considerations

Differing growing zones

                I’m a Zone 3 so my growing season can be limiting however most zones are more forgiving with warmer temperatures. You will want to figure out your frost dates in order to know where your window of time will be. Once you Know your frost times, you will need to know the times you would like to harvest. With those two things in mind when your considering varieties of seeds to plant.

Varieties

The varieties you plant should fit with your needs, type, time frame, pest resistance, disease resistance and even weather allowing.  Different types of vegetables require different temperatures and hours of sun.  Some pest come out at specific times of the year and you can arrange you planting around the nuisance.

Calendar

The seemingly endless options for varieties can be overwhelming when you are not sure what it is you want. The trick is to get a blank calendar and mark the off the dates for frost, and pest first.  Then put in your desired harvest times in a different color. Remember some plants can be harvested more then once a season. Then look at the varieties you have chosen and see how many days to harvest they are. Keep in mind transplanting can stunt the days to harvest. You may also want to plan around weather patterns.

Companion planting may help in avoiding pest if your windows of time don’t work to your advantage there is usually a work around.  

Calendars should be saved and used through out the growing season to mark any advantages gained or future things to considered to try to improve in your next season. Then in future years look back at the calendars to make decisions. You can make a master calendar to collaborate all the years in order to make the most of you growing whimsy.  

Greenhouse starts

If you don’t have time or just don’t want to grow your own starts, you can always go to a local green house or nursery to purchase pre started plants. You will then have to consider your soil temperatures to know when its safe to plant.

Transplants

In the event that you do want to prestart your own transplants. You will want to go back six to eight weeks from your last frost date for the winter.  Unless you have a seed that need to be cold stratified. In which case you will want to go back an additional four to six weeks.

So When do you plant?

Now you have your own personal time frame, and all you have to do is find the glimpse of a moment and make it your own. Its different for everyone have fun with it.