Plant It & Forget It
No time to garden? These easy-care crops require very little attention during the growing season. Plant your garden in late spring and start harvesting by mid-summer.
Planting Guide:
Cucumber
- Plant seeds indoors 1/2″ deep three weeks before last frost, or seed in garden after frost.
- Transplant into garden after frost and when soil is 65 to 70 degrees F.
- Spacing one per sq. ft. for bush type; two per sq. ft. for vining type.
- Extend harvest with a second crop, planted two weeks later.
- Days to harvest: 50 to 60 days after transplanting. Not frost-hardy.
- Hint: Use row covers until flowering to keep off insects.
Learn more about Cucumber in our Vegetable Encyclopedia
Onions
- Start seeds 1/4″ deep indoors 12 weeks before last frost
- Transplant plants into garden a month before last frost. If planting sets, plant them 1″ deep.
- Spacing: nine plants per sq. ft., or plant more densely and then thin and eat small onions
- Days to harvest: 100 to 120 days. Frost-hardy.
- Hint: Onions will not tolerate weeds and require consistent moisture.
Hot peppers
- Start seeds indoors 1/4" deep 10 to 12 weeks before last frost.
- Transplant into garden three weeks after last frost or when soil reaches 70 degrees F.
- Fruits are edible from early green to full-color maturity. Heat increases with maturity.
- Spacing: one plant per sq. ft.
- Days to harvest: 50 to 65 days green, 80 to 85 days to full color. Not frost-hardy.
Beans
- Sow seeds 1″ deep directly in garden after all danger of frost.
- Spacing: four plants per sq. ft. for bush beans, six to eight plants per sq. ft. for pole beans
- Plant second crop of bush beans (if needed) two weeks after first planting
- Days to harvest: 50-80 days from seed, depending on variety. Not frost-hardy.
- Hint: Add a legume inoculant when planting to increase vigor and yield.
- Buy organic bean seeds
Summer squash
- Plant seeds 3/4″ deep indoors or outdoors three weeks after last frost, or when soil is 70 degrees F.
- Transplant three weeks after last frost, or when soil is 70 degrees F.
- When picked frequently, plants will produce continuously until frost.
- Spacing: one plant per sq. ft. for bush varieties; two plants per sq. ft. for vining types growing on trellis.
- Days to harvest: 30 to 40 days from transplant; 40 to 50 from seed. Not frost-hardy.
- Hint: Start under garden fabric (row covers) to protect from insects.
Learn more about Summer squash in our Vegetable Encyclopedia
Peppers
- Start seeds indoors 1/4″ deep 10 to 12 weeks before last frost.
- Transplant into garden three weeks after last frost or when soil reaches 70 degrees F.
- Fruits are edible from early green to full-color maturity.
- Spacing: one plant per sq. ft.
- Days to harvest: 50 to 65 days green, 80 to 85 days to full color. Not frost-hardy.
Tomato
- Plant seeds 1/4″ deep indoors, six to eight weeks before last frost
- Transplant into garden one to two weeks after last frost or when soil reaches 65 degrees F.
- Spacing: one plant per sq. ft. Grow early season crops nearby to allow more room later.
- Days to harvest: 55 to 100 days from transplanting, depending on variety. Not frost-hardy
- Hint: Remove lower leaves before planting and bury extra stem.
Winter squash
- There are many types, including butternut, acorn, sweet dumpling, hubbard and spaghetti squash.
- Plant seeds 3/4″ deep indoors or outdoors, three weeks after last frost, when soil is 70 degrees F.
- Transplant: three weeks after last frost, or when soil is 70 degrees F.
- Spacing: one plant per sq. ft. Grow on trellis or allow vines to run out of the garden
- Days to harvest: 85 to 100 from planting seeds, depending on variety. Pick before first frost.
- Hint: Prune growing tips to keep under control. Leave stems attached when harvesting.
Learn more about Winter squash in our Vegetable Encyclopedia
Beet
- Sow seeds 1/2″ deep directly in garden five to six weeks before last frost.
- Spacing: Plant seeds 18 per sq. ft., thin to nine plants
- Plant more in midsummer for a fall harvest
- Days to harvest: 45 to 60. Frost-hardy.
- Hint: The longer you wait to harvest, the bigger the beets. Tops and thinnings are flavorful. Beet greens also make a great "wrap" for grilled proteins and veggies.
Carrot
- Sow seeds in garden 1/4″ deep three weeks before last spring frost.
- Spacing: Plant 30 seeds per sq. ft.; thin to 16 plants per sq. ft.
- Replant six to eight weeks before fall frost for late crop.
- Days to harvest: 55 to 70 days from seed. Frost-hardy.
- Hint: Before planting, loosen soil to 12″; remove stones and add compost.
Basil
- Plant seeds 1/4″ deep indoors six weeks before last frost; outdoors two weeks after last frost.
- Transplant seedlings two to three weeks after last frost or when soil reaches 70 degrees F.
- Replant if you have space and want more.
- Spacing: two plants per sq. ft.
- Days to harvest: 40-55 days from transplant. Harvest leaves as desired. Not frost-hardy.
- Hint: Pinch stems early and often to stimulate branching and bushy growth.