Now is the best time to get out in your garden and plant cool-season vegetable crops. A cool-season crop is defined as a vegetable that grows best with temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees F. Cool-season crops can tolerate light to moderate frosts, but are intolerant of high summer temperatures. Listed below are common cool-season crops and their recommended spacing between plants and rows. Direct seeding of most cool-season crops can be done with the exceptions of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Chinese cabbage which would be better started by transplants.
| Vegetable | Inches Between Plants | Inches Between Rows |
|---|---|---|
| Broccoli | 18-24 | 24-30 |
| Cabbage | 18-24 | 20-28 |
| Cauliflower | 18-24 | 24-30 |
| Chinese Cabbage | 12-18 | 20-24 |
| Kale | 4 | 12-18 |
| Kohlrabi | 4-6 | 15-24 |
| Lettuce | -- | 6-15 |
| Mustard Greens | 4 | 12-18 |
| Peas | 1-2 | 6-12 |
| Radish | 1-1.5 | 6-12 |
| Rutabagas | 8-10 | 18-24 |
| Spinach | 3 | 12-18 |
| Turnips | 2-3 | 18-24 |
Other vegetables that handle warmer temperatures, but can be planted at this time are:
| Vegetable | Inches Between Plants | Inches Between Rows |
|---|---|---|
| Beets | 2-3 | 12-18 |
| Carrots | 2-3 | 12-18 |
| Chard | 6-8 | 15-18 |
| Parsley | 4 | 12-18 |
| Parsnips | 3 | 18-24 |
Some of the crops listed above, can be planted again later in the season to obtain an additional harvest. Those vegetables and the time of planting include the following.
| Cabbage | late June - early July |
| Cauliflower | mid to late July |
| Kale | mid-July |
| Kohlrabi | early to mid-July |
| Lettuce | August |
| Radish | mid-August - September |
This article originally appeared in the April 23, 1999 issue, p. 47.
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