Spring Planting Cold Weather Crops

You don’t need to wait until summer to get your garden going.  Many vegetables grow and taste better in the cooler temperatures of spring.  Some crops like lettuce and spinach will bolt when it gets too hot and can only be grown in cool temperatures.

Plants that Grow in Cold Weather

What are cool season crops?

Cool season crops germinate in cold soil and mature with cool weather and short periods of daylight, meaning they are perfect for planting in early spring.  Pea, onion, and lettuce seeds will germinate as low as 35 degrees F., so they can go in the ground as soon as it is unfrozen and workable.  These include many root vegetables and leafy greens like:

• Beets
• Carrots
• Turnips
• Radishes
• Cabbage
• Collards
• Kale
• Spinach
• Swiss chard
• Arugula
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Kohlrabi
• Potatoes

Sometimes the period between the ground becoming workable and high summer can be very short.  A great way to get a head start is to start your seeds indoors even earlier in the spring and transplant them as seedlings when the time is right.  Many cold weather crops can be started indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date.  When putting your cold weather food crops in your garden be sure to leave enough space for your hot weather plants.  Plants that grow in cold weather are often ready for harvest just about the time hot weather plants can be planted, but an especially mildsummer can mean lettuce and spinach will last much longer than planned.  You don’t want to be putting your broccoli or cabbage next to your tomatoes or peppers because it will stunt the growth of those nightshade plants.