Planting, harvesting times

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| Friday, May 02, 2008 |

QUAD-CITY TIMES

This guide from the Iowa State University Extension Service will help you plan your vegetable garden.

If you are looking for good varieties, consider those recommended by ISU in its free publication PM 607, available at county extension service offices or online. Go to extension.iastate.edu/store/ and then type in PM 607.

Radishes: Plant early with several plantings, 7 to 10 days apart. Radishes pass peak quality quickly, so several plantings are needed to provide high quality radishes throughout the spring and early summer. Radishes become spongy and make seed heads readily with the onset of hot weather. Several fall plantings can be made in August.

Lettuce: Sow seeds in early spring. Lettuce forms seed heads and becomes bitter with the onset of hot weather. Fall plantings can be made in August.

Onions: Transplant from sets or plants any time. Mature onions from seed, which keep well, need a full season of growth.

Peas: Seed early in the spring, as soon as the soil can be worked. They stop bearing when hot weather arrives. A fall planting may be made about Aug. 1-10.

Spinach: Best planted early since it becomes bitter and makes seed heads with the onset of hot weather. A fall crop may be planted about Aug. 10.

Cabbage: Transplanted early or at any time during the season. Early varieties may be transplanted as late as Aug. 10.

Broccoli and cauliflower: Set out transplants in early to mid-April. Both are sensitive to hot weather so need to be encouraged to head as early as possible.

Collards and kale: Seed at the same time as lettuce and other early spring crops. Direct-seed in early July for a fall crop.

Carrots: Seed early or any time during spring and summer. Carrots seeded as late as Aug. 1 may produce full sized roots for a fall crop.

Beets and Swiss chard: Plant any time during the growing season. Last practical planting date for a fall crop is Aug. 1.

Potatoes: Best planted in early to mid-April; a long growing season is needed to produce full-sized tubers.

Turnips: Seed in April, and August or September for a fall crop.

Snap beans: Plant any time after May 5. Most varieties will keep producing if they are kept picked. Last practical date for planting a fall crop is Aug. 1.

Sweet corn: Plant when soil temperature reaches 60 or any time thereafter. Last practical date for planting an early variety is July 1.

Lima beans: Plant from May 20 to June 30 to produce a crop by average frost date.

Tomatoes: Transplant starting in mid-May. Last practical date for transplanting tomatoes is about June 20.

Peppers and eggplants: Transplant starting mid-May. Last practical date for transplanting peppers and eggplants is June 20.

Summer squash: Seed mid-May. If harvested every other day, plants will keep producing until frost. Last practical date for seeding is July 20.

Cucumbers: Seed mid-May. The long harvest period reflects the variation between early and late varieties. Latest practical date to see early varieties is June 20.

Muskmelon: Seed mid-May. The long harvest period reflects the variation between early and late varieties. Latest practical date to seed early varieties is June 20.

Winter squash and pumpkins: Seed mid-May. A full season is needed to produce fruit that will keep well into winter.

Watermelon: Seed mid-May. The long harvest period reflects the variation between early and late maturing varieties. Last practical date for seeding an early variety is June 20.