Whether you’re taking your first foray into gardening, or looking for a new way to exercise your green thumbs, cultivating vegetables is a great choice. Like any form of gardening, vegetable gardening is an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable way to spend free time.
You also have the added benefit of being able to harvest and consume – or sell – the produce. Either way, your bank account will also look a little healthier. The first step to propagating a bountiful garden is planting in the right season. With this in mind, let’s take a look at which vegetables you should plant as the year goes on.
Spring
The early days of spring serve as the perfect time to kickstart your garden. You’ll want to focus on cold-hardy plants such as those in the lettuce family. Beetroots, carrots, radishes, kale, eggplant and broccoli are also great options. Come harvesting time, you’ll have a selection of some of the most tasty and nutritious veggies nature can offer.
Don’t forget to prime other aspects of your garden for the year ahead. A bit of spring maintenance can go a long way in reducing the amount of time and effort you have to spend on keeping things in order moving forward. Remember to ensure that there’s plenty of light hitting your patch and that the soil is loaded with the right nutrients.
Summer
As things start warming up, you can plant a range of vegetables that will be ready around fall. Beans, cucumbers, corn, peppers, pumpkins and squashes are some of your best options. You can use the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to obtain more detailed information about which plants will thrive in your specific region.
Fall
It may be getting colder, but that won’t stop some cool-loving crops from thriving. Consider planting beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, collards and onions. Parsnips, spinach and peas are also suitable for this period.
You want to ensure that they’re planted a good few weeks before the first frost. Exact times will vary, so it pays to do a bit of research. Things might get a little more challenging during this period, so brushing up on your fall vegetable gardening knowledge can help you succeed.
Winter
There’s a surprising number of fully hardy vegetables that can grow in winter. Garlic, shallots, spring onions, peas, broad beans and asparagus are known to comfortably survive the winter. You can also consider planting carrots and pak choi. When hard frost threatens, a layer of fleece can provide the protection your veggies need.
Winter has its own set of challenges when it comes to vegetable gardening, but nothing a bit of know-how won’t help you overcome. For instance, using mulch can help with absorption while keeping your plants warm. Using fencing to create a wind barrier can also help regulate temperatures. Here are some more tips for winter.
The more you know, the more successful your garden will be. Coming this far already means you’re on the right track, so don’t stop learning. Stay focused and you’ll have delicious produce in no time.
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