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Slide 1: THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AGRICUL TURAL EXTENSION SER VICE SP 291-O Guide to Spring-Planted, Cool-Season Vegetables David W. Sams, Professor Plant and Soil Science Some of these vegetable varieties and planting dates are not the same as those grown by commercial growers. Commercial growers should be sure to consult the appropriate literature for commercial varieties and planting dates. Garden vegetables can be divided into warmseason and cool-season vegetables. Cool-season vegetables require cool soil and air temperatures if they are to germinate, grow and mature with maximum yield and quality. They are shallow-rooted and thus are susceptible to drought. They are usually grown for their leaves or roots and respond well to nitrogen sidedressings. Cool-season vegetables may be grown as a spring or a fall crop. Extension factsheet SP291G, “Fall Vegetable Gardens,” contains information on cool-season vegetables as a fall crop. The following table lists commonly grown coolseason vegetables and specific recommendations for their culture in the spring garden. Plant cool-season vegetables near the early end of the recommended planting interval in West Tennessee. Plant later in Central and Eastern Tennessee. Gardens at high elevations will need to be planted near the very end of the recommended planting interval. Use the closer recommended row spacings only in compact gardens to be worked by hand. The recommended spacing between plants within rows should not be reduced. Remember that estimated days to first harvest, length of the harvest season and yield all are subject to considerable variation. The exact figures will depend on the varieties grown, the cultural procedure utilized, the weather and many other factors. More detailed gardening information is available in the other factsheets in this series and in PB 902, “Growing Vegetables in the Home Gardens” PB 1391, “Organic Vegetable Gardening” and PB 1228, “Gardening for Nutrition.” These may be obtained by Tennessee residents at no charge at local Extension offices.
Slide 2: Vegetable Variety Planting Interval Beets Broccoli Cabbage Detroit Dark Red, Cylindra Emperor, Green, Comet, Premium Crop, Arcadia Round Green types, Red Rookie, Stonehead, Gourmet, Savoy King Snow Crown Danvers, Nantes, Little Finger Georgia, Vates, Blue Max Vates, Dwarf Blue, Curled Grand Duke Buttercrunch, Iceburg Salad Bowl, Black Seeded Simpson, Red Sails, Oakleaf Savannah, Tender green, Southern Giant Curled Evergreen bunching Sweet Sandwich, Sweet Spanish, Granex types Mar. 1 to Mar. 10 Mar. 1 to Apr. 1 Feb. 20 to Apr. 1 Mar. 1 to Apr. 1 Mar. 1 to Apr. 1 March February Feb. or March Feb. or March Feb. to Apr. February Feb. or Mar. Seed or Plants per 100 foot row 1/2 oz. seed 80 plants 80 plants Inches between rows Inches Days to between first plants harvest Length Yields of per 100 harvest foot season row 4 weeks 75 to 150 lbs. 4 weeks 3 weeks 50 to 100 lbs. 125 to 200 lbs. 50 to 100 lbs. 50 to 100 lbs. 100 to 150 lbs. 100 to 150 lbs. 50 to 75 lbs. 50 to 100 lbs. 50 to 75 lbs. 75 to 100 lbs. 30 to 50 lbs. 50 to 100 lbs. 14 to 36 24 to 36 24 to 36 2 to 3 15 15 55 to 60 60 to 70 60 to 75 Cauliflower Carrots Collards Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce, Head Lettuce, Leaf Mustard Onions, Bunch Onions, Storage 80 plants 1/4 oz. seed 1/4 oz. seed 1/4 oz. seed 1/4 oz. seed 1/4 oz seed 1/2 oz. seed 1/4 oz. seed 24 to 36 14 to 36 18 to 36 18 to 36 14 to 36 14 to 36 14 to 36 15 2 to 3 15 12 to 15 6 12 to 15 6 55 to 65 75 to 85 65 to 75 55 to 65 40 to 50 65 to 80 40 to 50 2 weeks 4 to 6 weeks 4 to 30 weeks 4 to 20 weeks 4 weeks 2 to 3 weeks 4 to 6 weeks 3 to 6 weeks 3 weeks 2 weeks 14 to 36 14 to 36 14 to 36 5 to 10 2 to 3 3 to 6 35 to 45 30 to 60 100 to 120 400 to 600 sets Feb. or Mar. 200 to 400 sets
Slide 3: Vegetable Variety Planting Interval Seed or Plants per 100 foot row 1/2 to 1 lb. seed 1/2 to 1 lb. seed 14 lbs. seed 1/2 oz. seed 1 oz. seed 1/2 oz. seed 1/2 oz. seed 1/4 oz. seed Inches between rows Inches Days to between first plants harvest Length Yields of per 100 harvest foot season row 2 to 3 weeks 2 to 3 weeks 20 to 30 lbs. 30 to 50 lbs. Peas, English Wanda, Little Marvel, Green Arrow Peas, Snap Potatoes, Irish Radish Spinach Swiss Chard Turnip, Greens Turnip, Roots Sugar Snap, Sugar Daddy, Sugar Mel Cobbler, Kennebec, Yukon Gold, Red Pontiac White Icicle, Cherry Bell, Champion Longstanding Bloomsdale, Tyee, Melody Fordhook Giant, Lucullus, Rhubarb Seven Top, All Top Purple Top, White Globe, Tokyo Hybrid, Just Right, White Lady Feb. 1 to March 20 Feb. 1 to March 20 March Feb. 15 to April 15 February March March March 12 to 36 12 to 36 30 to 36 14 to 36 14 to 36 18 to 36 18 to 36 18 to 36 2 to 4 2 to 4 12 1 to 2 3 to 4 6 to 8 2 to 4 3 65 to 70 65 to 75 90 to 110 4 months 100 to stored 120 lbs. 25 to 30 40 to 50 50 to 60 30 to 40 3 weeks 3 weeks 4 to 30 weeks Several weeks 50 bunches 10 to 30 lbs. 50 to 150 lbs. 50 to 100 lbs. 100 to 150 lbs. 40 to 65 6 months
Slide 4: The following tips will increase the chance of a highly productive spring garden. Since cool-season vegetables need to be planted early, soil preparation can be a problem. One way to minimize this problem is to work up some ridges in the late fall for spring planting. Ridges dry out and warm faster than level soil and can be planted earlier. Insects are a problem on several of the coolseason crops. Aphids and worms are especially bad. Watch for them and control them as they appear. Specific control recommendations are found in PB 595, “You Can Control Garden Insects.” Plant most cool-season vegetable seed at a depth equal to approximately three times the seed diameter. Plant lettuce seed very shallowly, as it needs light to germinate. Planted seed must be kept moist if it is to germinate well. Making multiple plantings of many of the more rapidly maturing cool-season vegetables will considerably extend the harvest season. Be sure to harden transplants of cool-season vegetables before they are planted in the garden. Lower the temperature at which they are growing about 10 degrees for 10 days or two weeks prior to transplanting. Support “Sugar Snap” peas on a tall trellis, as they frequently grow 6 feet tall. Blanch cauliflower by tying the leaves over the barely visible heads, to keep them white, tender and mild-flavored. Cut potato seed pieces several days before planting them and fewer will rot. Harvest mature onions before it rains on them and dry them thoroughly to reduce rotting in storage. Store them as close to 40 degrees as possible. Arcadia broccoli is resistant to soft rot. It is slow to head and requires high fertility to develop good quality heads. The following Tennessee Agriculture Extension Service publications also contain information useful to home gardeners. PB 595 PB 819 PB 901 PB 902 PB 903 PB 1155 PB 1215 PB 1228 PB 1391 SP 291-A SP 291-B SP 291-C SP 291-D SP 291-E SP 291-G SP 291-H SP 291-I SP 291-K SP 291-L SP 291-M SP 291-N SP 291-P You Can Control Garden Insects Vegetable Transplant Production Growing Vegetables in Home Gardens Growing Small Fruits in Home Gardens Growing Vegetables in Minigardens Honey Bees & Pesticides Disease Control in the Home Vegetable Garden Gardening for Nutrition Organic Vegetable Gardening Growing Vegetable Transplants for Home Gardens Growing Vegetables from Seed Soil Preparation for Vegetable Gardens Care of the Vegetable Garden Growing Sweetcorn in Home Gardens Fall Vegetable Gardens Mulching Vegetable Gardens Weed Control in Home Gardens Tomatoes for the Home Garden Fresh Vegetable Storage for the Homeowner Planning the Vegetable Garden Raised Bed Gardening Guide to Warm-Season Garden Vegetables SP291O-15M-2/96 (Rev) E12-2015-00-46-96 A State Partner in the Cooperative Extension System The Agricultural Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex or disability and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and county governments cooperating in furtherance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Agricultural Extension Service Billy G. Hicks, Dean