Ultimate Guide on What to Plant in Spring Garden Jenny Graham, February 28, 2024February 27, 2024 Spring is always such a welcomed time of year. It’s like a breath of fresh air. It may have you wondering though, what to plant in spring garden? What to Plant In Spring Garden What you are planting in the spring garden of course depends on your climate. I’m growing food in Florida so many of the vegetables that I grow in my Florida winter garden are the same things that folks further north would be likely to grow in their spring garden. And can I just add that I wish I could winter and spring garden all year long. There’s less pest, disease, and weed pressure and it’s the best time to be in the garden. When & What to Plant in Spring Garden There are so many yummy, easy to grow, cool-season vegetables that can be grown when the temperatures are still pretty chilly. Most of these can be planted out into the early spring garden 2-4 weeks before the average last frost date. In my opinion, this is such a great time to garden with the low pest pressure and you aren’t fighting the summer heat. I have found that growing these cool-season crops in Florida under 55% shade cloth is extremely helpful in keeping them from bolting. Cool-Season Root Vegetables The cooler temperatures of early spring are great for growing root vegetables. Depending on your zone many of these can also be grown as a fall crop. If you are in Florida, like me, these cool-season root vegetables are often grown in the winter. Carrots- Grow carrots in full sun in light, well drained soil. Must be thinned properly for roots to develop. Can tolerate frost. Rutabaga- Grow in full sun throughout a long growing season. Best if matured in cool weather, frost tolerant. Radishes- Direct sow 4-6 weeks before the last frost date. An easy, quick grower. Beets- Direct sow as soon as the soil is workable in early spring. Fast growing. Turnips- Direct sow in early spring. Keep them watered and thin depending on the size of turnip you want. Onions- As soon as the ground is workable, plant onion sets 6 inches apart in deep, loose soil. Periodically cultivating around the bulb to encourage growth. Leeks- Most leeks have a long growing season of 120-150 days. Start inside and transplant out in early spring. Parsnips- Direct sow seeds in early spring in a sunny location in loose, well drained soil. Thin seedlings to 3 inches apart. Fennel- A short lived perennial in zones 4-9. Drought tolerant in full sun and low maintenance once established. Fennel will often reseed itself. Shallots- Aka, the Gourmet Onion. Can be direct sown in well drained, full sun once it has started to warm up a bit. Sow them thin, 1/2 deep in rows 8 inches apart. Potatoes- Around here, we plant seed potatoes about 4 weeks before our last frost date. They don’t do well in the heat but will only tolerate a light frost or two. Cool-Season Vegetables for Early Spring Not only can you grow some really great root crops in your spring garden but also some prolific, easy to grow, leafy greens. Some of theses cool season vegetables are among the most nutritious spring vegetables to eat. They are also my favorite things to grow. Leafy Greens & What to Plant in Spring Garden Mustard Greens- Packs a flavor punch, easy to grow, cut and come again throughout the season. Direct sow right in the garden. Also easy to save seeds from. Collard Greens- Very hardy leafy green. Also a cut and come again, giving multiple harvests. Direct sow into fertile soil in containers, a raised bed, or in-ground beds. Spinach- A cool-season crop that can be grown in spring, fall, and winter depending on where you are. Fast growing and will tolerate full sun or partial shade. Arugula- An easy, prolific, and tasty leafy green to grow. Can be direct sown in full sun or partial shade. Easy to collect seeds from and will self seed in my garden every year. Kale- A very hardy leafy green that grows best in the cool season with many different varieties to choose from. Extremely nutritious. Can be direct sown or transplanted. Endive- A pretty little salad green with it’s frilly leaves that offers cut and come again. Can be grown in full sun or partial shade, direct sown or transplanted into fertile soil. Bok Choy- Aka, Chinese Cabbage. A great addition to the garden if you love stir fry. Can be direct sown or transplanted and appreciates a little bit of shade. Mizuna- Another frilly leafy green addition to the garden. It can be direct sown and gives cut and come again harvests throughout the cool season. It is also slow to bolt. Lettuce- So many varieties to choose from so if you are in the south, look for slow to bolt or heat tolerant varieties. Easy to grow and can handle partial shade. Swiss Chard- Prefers a sunny spot, direct sown in to rich, well draining soil. Go with the rainbow variety if you wan to add some color to your leafy greens. Brussels Sprouts- Brussels sprouts need room and take a while from seed. Start them ahead of time indoors and transplant into the garden 18-24 inches apart in full sun. Loves cool weather and soil that is rich in organic matter. Cabbage- Depending on where you are, cabbage can be started indoors anywhere from 2-8 weeks before last frost. Transplant out at 12-18 inches apart and rows 2-3 feet apart. Cauliflower- Loves the sun but is a cool season vegetable. Requires consistent watering, well drained, rich soil, and regular fertilizer up to the point of heading. Kohlrabi- Grows best in cool damp weather. Prefers rich soil amended with a really good compost. Fun to grow and tasty, like a cross between cabbage and a turnip Rhubarb- A perennial that grows best in an area where the ground freezes so no rhubarb for me. Grows best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. A colorful addition to the leafy greens. Snow Peas- Such an easy grower and loves to climb a trellis. Snow peas don’t like the heat though. Be sure to direct sow them early in the spring in full sun. Herbs to Plant in the Spring Vegetable Garden Don’t forget to look at herbs when deciding what to plant in spring garden. Many of them are perennials and will thrive in cool temperatures with little maintenance. They can be started from seed or you can easily find starts at your local nursery or garden center. Cilantro Dill Chives Oregano Parsley Rosemary Mint Lemon Balm Sage Tarragon Thyme Warm-Season Spring Vegetables Once the early spring weather and soil temperature has started to warm up a bit, it’s time to start thinking about all those warm-season vegetables that can’t tolerate frost. As your early spring leafy greens and root vegetables start to wind down you can make room in the garden for some veggies that will carry you into the late spring and summer months. Bring on the tomatoes and cucumbers! When thinking about what to plant in spring garden, some of these warm season vegetables need to be started ahead of time. A good time is well before that last danger of frost. This will ensure they are ready to transplant out in the late spring when mother nature warms the soil temperature a bit. A good time to transplant these young plants is after your last expected frost date. What to Plant in Spring Garden After Last Frost Beans- Direct sow green, black, rattle snake and even yard long beans. There are bush and climbing varieties of beans so be sure you know what you are getting. Southern Peas- These are my favorite, with so many varieties, such as Zipper, Purple Hull, Black Eyed, Limas, and so many more. These can sprawl out but do appreciate a little support, which makes harvesting a little easier. Basil- Great to plant with tomatoes as a companion plant. You can also make basil iced tea (so good on a hot day) Lots of varieties to choose from and a fast grower. Corn- When I say corn, I mean a field of corn, or at least 8-10 rows at a minimum. It is wind pollinated so the more you have the better the pollination, theoretically. Squash- All the squashes, like patty pan (my favorite), butternut, and spaghetti squash to name a few. Direct sow and be prepared to fight off those pickle worms and vine borers. Melons- Love to grow in the heat and can be direct sown. They do appreciate a good trellis, which helps to keep the fruit off the ground. Cucumbers- Pickling or slicer cucumbers, with lots of varieties to choose from. They don’t tolerate frost but struggle in the heat as well. Direct sow cucumbers on a trellis as soon as frost has passed. Tomatoes- All the tomatoes, I love them all. From colorful cherries, salad tomatoes, sauce tomatoes, to big slicer tomatoes. Find a variety you love and start seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. Just be sure to have your beds prepped so you are ready to go as soon has your last frost date has passed. Peppers- These need to be started indoors at least 10-12 weeks before your last frost date. Peppers are very slow growing but will produce into the summer heat. Eggplant- Another vegetable that takes a while to start. A heavy producer so don’t go over board, unless you love eggplant. Zucchini- Direct sow in the garden and be prepared to fight off the late spring garden pests, like vine borers and pickle worms. You can succession sow them in different places around your garden to make to bugs work harder to find them. Roselle- These take a while to get started but are a no maintenance crop that will grow until the late fall or first frost in your area. You can grow it for the calyxes and for the greens. A must have in my Florida garden, as I love to make Roselle tea. Okra- Another crop that will go well into the summer. Direct sow them into your garden soil and don’t over do it. Okra is a pretty prolific crop and needs to be harvested on a regular basis. Find Your Growing Zone The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is what gardeners and growers use to determine which perennial plants are most likely to thrive at a location. The map is based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperatures. You can find which zone you are in by entering your zip code into the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. What to Plant in Spring Garden & Last Frost Date Knowing your last frost date as well as your first danger of frost date is valuable information you need to have when deciding what to plant in spring garden. You can find your frost dates by entering your zip code into the Old Farmers Almanac Frost Date Finder. Order Your Seeds, Plants, and Draw Out a Garden Space Once you know your growing zone and your frost dates it’s time for the fun part, ordering new seeds, plants, and designing your garden space. Before you decide what to plant in spring garden, ask your family what they will eat. Get kids involved by letting them pick out different varieties of their favorite vegetables they would actually eat. You can always try different types of vegetables that are new one at a time. Then, do a little research on companion planting vegetables to see what you can plant with what. Don’t forget the herbs and flowers when planning what to plant in spring garden. They make great companion plants. Where I Get My Seeds Hoss Seeds for Generations Seed the Stars (a great choice for my Florida people) My local hardware store carries bulk seeds suited for my area. Start Prepping Your Spring Garden Your new seeds are ordered, you know when and what to plant in spring garden, and you have a spring garden plan loosely laid out. Now what? What to Plant in Spring Garden Tasks & Tips First thing, a little forethought and planning must go into the garden before you are ready to plant. A couple of months before my gardening season starts, the first thing I like to do is tarp my garden. It’s the easy way to kill any grass or weeds, making them easier to pull when you are ready to clean up the garden. This is also an excellent way to start a garden. Test Your Soil Test don’t just guess. Knowing the pH and the NPK, at a minimum, of your garden soil is important. You could have acidic soil or soil that is too alkaline. Doing a soil test is the easy way to know exactly what amendments to add to your soil for a successful spring garden. You can use an at home garden soil test kit or do a more thorough one, like the Soil Test Kit from Redmond. Their results even come with an action plan on what and how to add amendments to your soil. Amend & Clean Up Beds Once you have your soil test results you can dig in and start cleaning and adding amendments to your garden beds. You can get all this done while you are waiting on that seed order you made. Luckily, it’s spring time so the preparations shouldn’t be too bad. Pull those weeds that managed to sprout or that grass that crept into your garden soil then add your chosen amendments. At the very least, add some compost. It will help build soil structure, giving you well-drained soil full of decomposed organic matter. Start a Compost Pile Yes you, start a compost pile. Finished compost is a valuable amendment to have in the garden and with how high prices are right now you should learn to make your own. Having it on hand is so convenient, free, and cuts down on waste. Essential Gardening Tools Nothing fancy required. Truth be told, you can start a garden with a shovel and maintain it with a scuffle hoe and a pitch fork. The shovel you can use to shape your in-ground beds. The scuffle hoe is for knocking out those tiny weeds that sprout, without having to pull them by hand. My personal preference in my own garden is to use a pitch fork in place of a broad fork. Only because of the cost. I’m sure a broad fork is nice but for my homestead garden a pitch fork serves the purpose well. Hoss has some really great gardening tools. I’m seriously considering one of their wheel hoes. How to Plant Your Spring Garden Let’s face it, certain plants like to be direct sown into the spring garden. Where as some like to be started ahead of time and transplanted as young plants. Your tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, to name a few. Be sure to read the back of your seed packet to see if they can be a direct sow or if starting them indoors ahead of time is the better option. The back of your seed packet has lots of valuable information on it. Always be sure to reed the seed packet. What to Plant in Spring Garden When it comes to planting the spring garden there are so many options on what to plant for those cool-season vegetables. Gather your family and get to asking what they would enjoy seeing come out of the garden. Find and grow those things that bring you and your family joy. You may also enjoy reading How Often to Water Cucumber Plants Happy Homestead & Gardening, Jenny @ The GrahamStead Family Farm Jenny and her family have been homesteading for over 20 years. They are currently farming on their 10 acre Florida farm, that they built from the ground up, 8 years ago, growing 100% of their meat and a lot of their vegetables. From their small herd of Aberdeen Angus Cattle, Pastured Poultry, Sheep, and seasonal pigs, they are able to raise enough meat for the family while selling extra to the community. All the while, striving to butcher at home, as much as possible, and use the bits and pieces of their harvest by preserving food, making bone broth, and (Jenny’s favorite) tanning all kinds of hides! Gardening Homesteading