Your Guide to Planting Cool Weather Crops

Start your spring garden with cool-weather crops! Learn about planting times, growing tips, and popular varieties for a thriving harvest.

April marks an exciting time to start your garden! Cool-weather crops thrive now and can even handle frost, ensuring a robust early harvest. Popular choices include lettuce, spinach, and radishes. With the right soil and watering practices, you can enjoy fresh vegetables well into the summer. Start planting and celebrate nature’s bounty!Yay!

Whilst warmer summer loving veggies still have another month or so until they can be planted out, cool weather crops can go into the ground now!

What Are Cool Weather Crops?

Cool-weather crops thrive in temperatures between 50°F (10°C) and 65°F (18°C). These crops are frost-tolerant and do best when planted early in the spring or late in the summer for a fall harvest.

Popular Cool-Weather Crops & When to Plant

Crop	Ideal Planting Time	Days to Harvest	Varieties to Try	Planting Tips
Lettuce	4–6 weeks before last frost (spring)	30–60 days	Butterhead, Romaine, Leaf varieties	Plant in partial shade to avoid heat stress. Keep soil moist.
Spinach	6 weeks before the last frost or 6 weeks before the first fall frost	40–50 days	Bloomsdale, Tyee, Space Savoy	Prefers slightly alkaline soil, ensure good drainage.
Radishes	4 weeks before last frost or 4 weeks before first fall frost	25–30 days	Cherry Belle, French Breakfast	Quick-growing, ideal for early spring or fall gardens.
Peas	4–6 weeks before last frost or 8–10 weeks before first fall frost	50–70 days	Sugar Snap, Snow Peas, Early Frost	Plant in well-drained soil and provide vertical support.
Kale	4–6 weeks before last frost or 8–10 weeks before first fall frost	50–70 days	Curly, Lacinato, Red Russian	Prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade.
Broccoli	6–8 weeks before last frost	60–100 days	Calabrese, DiCicco	Keep well-watered, especially during flowering.
Cabbage	4–6 weeks before last frost	60–100 days	Savoy, Green, Red, Napa	Well-drained soil, rich in organic matter, is ideal.
Carrots	2–4 weeks before the last frost (early spring) or late summer for fall	60–80 days	Nantes, Danvers, Imperator	Loose, well-drained soil is key to growing straight, healthy carrots.
Beets	4–6 weeks before last frost or late summer for fall	50–60 days	Detroit Dark Red, Golden, Chioggia	Plant in deep, well-drained soil for best results.
Turnips	4–6 weeks before last frost or late summer for fall	30–60 days	Purple Top, White Globe, Golden Ball	Tolerates light frost; plant in full sun for best root growth.

Tips for Growing Cool Weather Crops:

1. Soil:
   Cool-season crops prefer rich, well-drained soil. Add organic compost to improve soil texture and fertility.
2. Watering:
   Keep soil consistently moist, but avoid over-watering. Well-drained soil is essential to prevent root rot.
3. Companion Planting:
   • Peas, carrots, and radishes make excellent companions.
   • Avoid planting cabbage and broccoli near potatoes, as they can compete for nutrients.
4. Mulch:
   Mulching helps maintain moisture and regulate soil temperature.

Extending Your Cool-Weather Harvest

1. Succession Planting:
   For a continuous harvest, try planting smaller crops like radishes or lettuce every 2–3 weeks during the cool season.

Here’s a more complete list of cool-weather crops that thrive in mild temperatures and can be planted in early spring or fall:

1. Lettuce (e.g., Romaine, Butterhead)
2. Spinach
3. Kale
4. Broccoli
5. Cabbage
6. Cauliflower
7. Carrots
8. Beets
9. Radishes
10. Peas (e.g., Sugar snap, Snow peas)
11. Brussels Sprouts
12. Swiss Chard
13. Arugula
14. Turnips
15. Collard Greens
16. Mustard Greens
17. Leeks
18. Onions (particularly spring onions or green onions)
19. Potatoes (early varieties)
20. Parsley

Which ones will you be growing this year? Get started now to embrace the gardening season!

XO, Carly

Get outside and garden