Growing Peas: Cool-Season Legumes for Early Harvests

Peas are a cool-season crop in three varieties: Pisum sativum (garden peas/sweet peas—inedible pod; snow peas—edible flat pod), and Pisum macrocarpon (snap peas—edible pod with full peas). Easy to grow, but limited seas

Growing Parsnips: Sweet Roots Best Harvested After Frost

Parsnips, favored by ancient Greeks and Romans, came to the Americas with colonists. Biennials grown as annuals. Hardy, cool-season crop best harvested after hard frost. Delicious in soups, stews, or alone. Planting Par

Growing Onions: Cold-Season Crop for Big, Flavorful Bulbs

Buy exclusive Burpee Onion Seeds and Sets Onions are a cold-season crop, easy to grow due to hardiness. Onion sets recommended—plant without frost worry, higher success than seeds/transplants. Grow well on raised beds/r

Growing Okra: Heat-Loving Southern Favorite with Beautiful Flowers

Okra thrives in warm weather, traditionally a southern U.S. plant. Easy to grow, beautiful flowers, rich in Vitamin A, low in calories. Planting Okra Start indoors in peat pots under full light 3–4 weeks before last fr

Growing Lettuce: Cool-Season Crops for Continuous Salad Harvests

Lettuce is a cool-season crop thriving in spring and fall. Seedlings tolerate light frost. Ideal temps: 45–65°F. Garden lettuce surpasses supermarket in taste and Vitamin A. Because lettuce grows fast, plant small amoun

Growing Kale: Hardy Cool-Season Greens for Extended Harvest

Kale is a hardy, cool-season green in the cabbage family. Grows best spring and fall, tolerates all fall frosts. Use in salads or as garnish; rich in minerals, Vitamins A and C. Planting Kale Plant anytime early spring

Growing Garlic: Fall Planting for Big, Flavorful Bulbs

Garlic is easy to grow, produces many bulbs after a long season, and is frost-tolerant. Beyond culinary uses, “the stinking rose” repels insects and has centuries of home remedy history. Planting Garlic Spring planting

Growing Eggplant: Heat-Loving Annuals for Flavorful Fruit

Eggplants (aubergines) are short-lived perennials grown as annuals. Vary in fruit size, shape, color. Tropical/subtropical—need high temperatures. Related to tomatoes, potatoes, peppers. Planting Eggplant Start indoors

Growing Cucumbers: Vigorous Vines for Abundant Harvests

Cucumbers are warm-season vegetables planted outdoors no earlier than 2 weeks after last frost. Most varieties climb, fitting any space. Common slicing types grow on vigorous vines with large leaves; growth is fast, yie

Growing Sweet Corn: Wind-Pollinated Blocks for Maximum Yield

Sweet corn is an annual with yellow, white, or bi-colored ears. Requires a long, frost-free season. Wind-pollinated—plant in blocks, not single rows. Early, mid, and late varieties extend harvest. Miss optimal harvest a

Growing Chard: Versatile Greens for Cool and Warm Weather

Chard, a beet-family member, thrives in both cool and warm temperatures. Edible raw or cooked, high in Vitamins A and C. Planting Chard Sow 2–3 weeks before last spring frost. Continue at 10-day intervals for a month.

Growing Celery: A Long-Season Crop for Crunchy Stalks

Celery is a long-season crop, often considered the trickiest to grow. It demands fertile soil, cool temperatures, and constant moisture. It won’t tolerate heat and is hard to transplant. Summer crops in the north, winte

Growing Cauliflower: A Cool-Season Challenge Worth the Effort

Cauliflower is a cool-season crop, more difficult than its cabbage relatives because it tolerates neither heat nor cold well. It requires consistently cool temperatures (60s°F) to form a single large white head instead

Growing Carrots: Easy Root Vegetables for Sandy Soil

Carrots are popular, easy-to-grow root vegetables that thrive in sandy soil, resist most pests/diseases, and tolerate frost as a late-season crop. Colors range from purple to white—not just orange. Planting Carrots Sow

Growing Cabbage: Tips for Two Successful Crops Per Year

Cabbage is a hardy, vitamin-rich leafy vegetable that prefers cool temperatures. With planning and care, you can harvest both spring and fall crops. Planting Cabbage Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before last spring fro

Growing Brussels Sprouts: A Long-Season Crop Sweetened by Frost

Brussels sprouts, a cabbage-family member, are protein- and vitamin-rich. They have a long growing season and are most successful as a fall crop—flavor improves after light frosts. Planting Brussels Sprouts Start seeds

Growing Broccoli: Cool-Season Crop for Spring and Fall Harvests

Broccoli is a cool-season crop, growable in spring or fall, with potential for continual harvest if timed right. A cabbage-family member, it’s rich in vitamins. Planting Broccoli Germinates in soil as cool as 40°F. Nee

Growing Bell Peppers: Sweet, Colorful, and Pest-Resistant

Bell peppers are a tender, warm-season crop that resists most pests and offers sweet, colorful fruit in various shapes and sizes. Planting Bell Peppers Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before last spring frost. Germinati

Growing Beets: A Cool-Season Root Crop for Northern Gardens

Beets are a fast-growing, cool-season root vegetable with varieties in deep red, yellow, or white. They survive frost and near-freezing temps, making them ideal for northern gardeners and long-season cultivation. Planti

Growing Beans: Pole and Bush Varieties for a Bountiful Harvest

Pole and bush beans (commonly called green beans) are tender, productive, and perfect for fresh eating or recipes. Bush beans need less maintenance; pole beans yield more over a longer season. Planting Beans Pole beans