Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Planting Crops by Temperature
Cool Season: Spring and
Fall
Hot Season: Sum-
mer
Required soil temperature for seed germin-
ation
45-55 degrees F
55-65 degrees F
Required air temperature for plant growth
40-60 degrees F
60 degrees F or above
Recommended crops
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chives
Kohlrabi
Lavender
Leafy greens
Onions
Parsley
Parsnips
Peas
Potatoes
Radishes
Turnips
Basil
Beans
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Melons
Okra
Peppers
Summer squash
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Winter squash
Zucchini
How deep to plant seeds
Teaching your gardeners how deeply to plant seeds is essential. If I've seen it once, I've seen it a hun-
dred times: given no instruction, brand-new gardeners will jam seeds into the ground as far as their
fingers will reach. Then they'll be really sad when nothing comes up. Trust me on this. So be sure to
emphasize this critical information: seeds need to be planted at the
proper
depth. In general, plant 2 to 4
times as deep as the seed's thickness. For large seeds, like peas, poke holes in the soil with your finger
to the proper depth, insert the seeds, and cover them lightly with soil. Smaller seeds are planted closer
to the soil's surface, taking care not to push them in too deep or they won't germinate.
LABELING CROPS
An unmarked plant isn't the end of the world; your gardeners will probably figure out what it is eventu-
ally (although this can create an unfortunate situation with unidentified hot peppers). But since we want
to create an army of well-trained gardeners, it is very important to share the following with your new-
bies. Especially the part about permanent markers!
As plants begin to sprout, they can look very similar to one another—especially if multiple varieties
of a certain vegetable are planted (“I think that's leaf lettuce. Wait … no, it's romaine!”). So you'll
