Planting Warm-Season Crops: What They Need and When to Plant

Vegetables are classified as warm- or cool-season based on their temperature requirements. Warm-season crops need warm soil and high temperatures (with slight night cooling) for steady growth and production.

They include traditional summer crops: snap beans, corn, cucumbers, melons, peppers, tomatoes, squash. "Winter" squashes (acorn, hubbard, banana) are actually warm-season—the name refers to storage for winter eating. The edible part is usually the fruit. These crops are killed by frost; plant after the last spring frost unless provided cold protection.

Warm-Season Crops

• Beans, Celery (cold climates), Corn, Cucumbers, Edamame, Eggplant, Muskmelons, Okra, Peppers, Pumpkins, Squash, Sweet potato (needs long, hot, frost-free season), Tomatillo, Tomato, Watermelon, Zucchini, Annual herbs (Basil)

Biennial and Perennial Crops

These don't fit neatly into cool/warm categories:

• Artichoke: Perennial in zones 8,9,14–24; annual in 11–13. Plant fall for spring harvest.
• Asparagus: Plant seedlings/roots fall/winter; early spring in cold areas. First spears year two; full production in ~3 years.
• Cardoon (Zones 4–9, 12–24): Plant fall for spring stalks.
• Chive: Plant fall or spring.
• Garlic: Mild winters: plant fall; cold winters: early spring.
• Leek: Cold: transplants early spring or seed late summer for next year. Mild: transplants fall.
• Parsley: Cold: spring after frost. Mild: fall/early spring. Low desert: early fall.
• Parsnip: Cold: seed late spring, harvest fall. Mild: seed fall for spring harvest.
• Shallot: Mild: plant fall for winter/spring greens, late spring/summer bulbs. Cold: early spring for summer greens, autumn bulbs.
• Sorrel: Sow fall; transplant anytime.
• Turnip: Winter crop in mild areas. Cold: early spring for summer harvest.