Ideal Temperature Ranges
Growing vegetables is both an art and a science․ A number of factors influence vegetable growth and the season in which they are grown․ The preference of a vegetable can make it more suitable for a given season․ Planting at the right time is an important part of getting the most out of your garden‚ as well as making things easier and more enjoyable‚ especially for the beginner gardener․ Providing the proper warmth‚ water‚ sun and other conditions is the key to encouraging your plants to grow and flourish․
Other vegetables have ranges of preferred temperatures for different stages of growth․ Cold weather crops such as lettuce‚ spinach and peas grow best in cool mild temperatures of spring and fall between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit․ These vegetables cannot really survive temperatures higher than 75 degrees Fahrenheit․ The warm-season vegetables including tomatoes‚ peppers‚ corn‚ and cucumbers are more accustomed to a warmer climate‚ around 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit․ Finally‚ the optimum temperatures for growing these vegetables are between the minimum and maximum temperatures‚ below and above which poor fruiting or death may occur․ Knowing this can be helpful in determining when to plant each vegetable for optimal harvesting․
Watering Needs During Growth
Different types of vegetables require different amounts of water and this may vary across the seasons․ Young vegetables must be kept moist to develop strong roots․ Corn‚ squash or other summer vegetables may need daily watering during the summer․ Plants will wilt if they go too long without water․ Plants transpire (release water vapor) quickly in the high summer temperatures․ Cool weather crops need less watering as evaporation is slower․ If the gardener can adequately monitor moisture levels (e․g․ mulching with matter to hold moisture‚ implementing drip watering‚ etc․) they can conserve water‚ and create an ideal growth environment regardless of season․
Similar to temperature and the availability of water‚ an environment's light conditions can affect which vegetables can be planted and can affect where the vegetables can be planted․ Most vegetables do best in six to eight hours of sun per day․ Leafy vegetables such as kale and Swiss chard grow well in partial shade‚ whereas other vegetables such as tomatoes and bell peppers are sun-loving plants that will produce fruit only in full sun․ However‚ the direction of the plot of land and nearby trees and buildings need to be taken into account to determine whether the plot would be shaded during certain times of the day and year which would affect what vegetables could be grown in it․
Companion planting is a very enticing concept‚ and there is a great deal of evidence that some plants will support and strengthen each other's growth if they are planted together in the garden․ For example‚ tomatoes planted with basil can produce tastier tomatoes‚ and deter tomato pests․ Carrots and onions are often planted in association to confuse carrot pests that target one or the other crop․ Another aspect of companion planting is planting crops with each other according to the seasons so as to have greater harvests and fewer problems with pests‚ without relying on chemical pesticides․
Harvest Timing Considerations
The stage at which to harvest the crop depends on the time it takes to grow․ Radishes‚ lettuce‚ and a few other crops mature quickly‚ being ready for harvest only a few weeks after sowing․ Others‚ such as pumpkins or winter squash‚ need a long growing season to reach maturity‚ and are not ready to be harvested until the end of summer or fall․ When you know how long it takes a fruit or vegetable to be ready to harvest‚ you know when to put it in without risking frost damage․ Another key to success for the beginner gardener is a knowledge of the seasonal growth stages‚ and an understanding of the proper time for harvesting․
In conclusion‚ the most ideal times of the year to plant vegetables mainly depend on temperature‚ watering and light conditions‚ compatibility with other plants‚ and appropriate harvesting time․ When gardeners find out more about a particular vegetable's needs‚ they can create the ideal conditions for vegetables to thrive and yield good produce all year long․ The whole chemistry of planting and growing vegetables is not simply a matter of putting a few seeds in the ground and going away; there is a communion with Nature‚ there is a rhythm of the season between the summer heat and the spring breezes‚ in which anyone can connect himself with the earth and produce food․ With a little knowledge and a lot of loving care any gardener can transform his vegetable garden into a veritable cornucopia of fresh vegetables‚ harvested in season․
