A Guide to the Best Vegetables to Plant in Spring for Zone 7
With the last winter days lingering, signs of spring are popping up around the homestead!
The days are getting warmer (just slightly!), trees are starting to bud, birds are chirping earlier than usual, and the ground is thawing!
It is finally time to get some seeds into beds, indoors and outdoors!
Scroll down for the best vegetables to plant in spring!
(We are in zone 7b, so for this blog post, I will focus on what to plant in spring for zone 7)
Spring Gardening for Zone 7
Zone 7 has a medium-length growing season and is relatively long compared to more northern climates.
With the last frost date around 15 April and the first frost date in fall around 15 November, you have 7 months of gardening time!
Depending on the weather and your exact location, it may vary by a few weeks. Still, it gives you enough time to really grow and harvest some lovely veggies during the year.
Yeah for year-round gardening! Ok, more like half, but still ;-)
The still relatively cooler weather in March is ideal for many crops, such as your cool-weather crops, as this gives them time to really settle before the heat arrives.
These plants can germinate in cold soil, tolerate the cooler air temperatures, and will grow well in shorter days with less sunlight.
Crops like spinach and cabbage must also be grown in the cooler weather; otherwise, they will bolt to seed too quickly.
This means the plant sends up a flower stalk and goes to seed. Not such a bad thing, but with veggies, bolting will cause a bitter flavor and make the leaves smaller and tougher to eat
The Best Vegetables to Plant in Spring
If you want to get the most out of your vegetable garden, you need to do a bit of planning and plant at the right time.
Knowing when to start your seeds and transplanting outside will help to maximize your harvest and prevent potential frost damage if transplanted too early in spring.
Cool-weather crops such as beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach, turnips, kale, and collards can generally be direct sowed or transplanted in March and April.
Warm-season crops such as beans, cucumbers, eggplants, okra, peppers, squash, and tomatoes can be started indoors in March and direct sown or transplanted outside in April and May.
Here’s a general guideline on when you can start seeds indoors, and direct sow or transplant outdoors:
These are the crops we generally plant in early spring:
Arugula
Arugula prefers the cooler weather of early spring. You can start planting as soon as the soil is workable. Arugula prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Your arugula will be ready to harvest in 4-7 weeks depending on the variety.
Beets
Beets are great to plant in early spring as they don't grow as well if it's too hot. They will grow well after the last frost when the ground is cold but not frozen. Best of all, beets don't require much space, so they can be grown in pots too. You can expect to harvest 7-8 weeks after planting.
Broccoli
Sow broccoli directly in the garden 4 weeks before the last frost. Their ideal growing daytime temperature is between 65 and 80 degrees. Use a low nitrogen fertilizer. Broccoli will be ready to harvest 10-14 weeks when planted from seeds.
Carrots
Sow carrots about 2 weeks before your last frost date. Carrots need deep, loose soil to form a healthy root. When the seedlings are 2-inches tall, thin them, so there are about 1 to 4-inches between them. Your carrots will be ready to harvest around 10 weeks.
Cabbage
Start seeds indoors in March, 6 to 8 weeks, or direct sow in the garden 2 weeks before that date, in April. Cabbage plants are heavy feeders that need fertile soil and consistent moisture. You can harvest cabbage from 11-25 (depending on variety) weeks after planting the seeds.
Lettuce
Lettuce can be sown any time in spring if the soil allows and is workable. It is more sensitive to cold than other cool-season crops, and I advise covering them during cold snaps. The ideal daytime temperature to plant lettuce is between 60 and 70 degrees. Lettuce prefers growing in partial shade and will appreciate it in late spring. Lettuce could be harvested as soon as 4 weeks.
Onions
Onions require a long growing season, that is why it’s better to start these indoors in February, early March, and only direct sow or transplant them outside when all risk of frost has passed in April or May. This will allow their bulbs to reach a good size before the temperatures get too warm. Expect to harvest within 14-25 weeks.
(learn more here on How to grow Onions)
Spinach and Kale
Spinach and kale seeds are quite hardy and can be sown in late March, beginning of April over frozen ground to germinate as the soil thaws. They prefer very fertile soil to encourage rapid growth and tender leaves. Spinach will be ready to harvest within 6 weeks, and kale within 8 weeks when planted from seeds.
Radish
Radish can be direct sown in the garden in March, about 4 weeks before the last frost date. They require fertile and well-drained soil. They will mature quickly, so check them regularly. Radishes can take 3-8 weeks to mature, depending on the variety.
Spring Gardening Tips
Besides planting, get your garden ready for spring by doing these tasks around the garden:
Fertilize your beds with organic fertilizer, compost, or well-rotted manure when the soil is workable. Read more here on How to fertilize your garden.
Weed vegetable seedbeds before adding the fertilizer and planting.
Prepare for an unexpected cold snap (sometimes they sneak up on you!). Have something ready like frost blankets or burlap ready to protect your plants.
Towards the middle of March, remove winter protection from any perennials you had in place, and remove mulch from your strawberry and asparagus beds so they can push through easily.
Side-dress your asparagus with a gentle, natural nitrogen fertilizer.
Fertilize grapes, raspberries, and blueberries before they start growing again.
Now is a great time to trim your fruit trees if you haven't done so in winter. You should also trim your berry bushes now.
Cut back dead stems and foliage from perennials, trees, and shrubs.
The longer days and shorter nights will stimulate your houseplants to start growing again. Refertilize and consider repotting them if needed
Zone 6 & 8 gardeners can follow the same planting schedule as described above for zone 7, but can plant two to three weeks earlier (zone 8) or two to three weeks later (zone 6) in the spring.
Remember that these timelines are guidelines and what has worked for us over the years. Many factors like your climate, weather, soil, and seed varieties will have an impact on growing and harvesting times.
But, I know they will get you on off to a great start for the new growing season!
Love, Annette xx
If you want to learn more about starting seeds and planning your garden for the new season, these posts will help you a lot:
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