and How?
- Don’t jump the gun. When springtime hits in Michigan, it’s a mad dash for the great outdoors, and for many Michiganders, that means it’s time to plant the vegetable garden.
- Know when to plant. As a rule of thumb, when the soil temperature reaches 50 degrees, you can begin seeding a variety of cool season vegetables.
- Preparation is everything. It’s important that you prepare your soil for planting. Soils that are water-logged will cause seeds to rot before they can germinate.
- Keep your investment safe. Your vegetable garden is now planted and beginning to grow… but you’re work is far from done. ...
When is the best time of year to plant vegetables?
Warm-season crops should wait until all threat of frost has passed with Memorial Day being a safe planting date. Not all vegetable crops require the same season or temperatures to grow vigorously, nor are they all equally tolerant of frost, shade, heat, or snow. Warm-season crops are those that grow best during the warmer parts of the season.
What vegetables grow well in Michigan?
It can be the difference between your vegetable garden thriving and providing a bountiful yield or producing nothing. Michigan is mostly considered Hardiness Zone 5, while some of the lower-level regions are Hardiness Zone 6. #1. Lettuce Why Grow Lettuce in Michigan? Lettuce thrives in Michigan’s cold spring and cooler fall months.
How do I start a vegetable garden?
Check out our “How to Grow” series in our Resources section for more information on growing specific vegetables. Choose a smart site for your vegetable garden. Smart fertilizer use: A vegetable garden begins with a soil management plan.
Why is it important to know when to plant your garden?
Knowing when to plant your vegetable garden ensures a healthy growth cycle and harvest no matter where you live. Different areas have much different planting times.
When should I start my vegetable garden in Michigan?
This is usually late March or early April in southern Michigan and one to three weeks later further north. Fall garden planning should be made in July through maybe September. Warm season vegetables, such as cucumbers, melons, squash, peppers and tomatoes are sensitive to cool temperatures and will be killed by frost.
What vegetables can I plant now in Michigan?
11 Best Vegetables to Grow in Detroit, MISweet Corn. Sweet corn requires full sun and should be planted two to four inches apart in rows. ... Carrots. Carrots grow great throughout the entire state of Michigan. ... Lettuce. ... Zucchini. ... Green Beans. ... Peas. ... Broccoli. ... Cucumbers.More items...
What can I plant right now in Michigan?
From seed we can now plant peas, lettuce, parsley, spinach, swiss chard, bok choy, and onion (sets), Rebecca Finneran advises. There are also transplants at your local greenhouse that are ready to go in the ground now: celery, cabbage, broccoli, and kohlrabi.
What vegetables can I plant in March in Michigan?
These include leaf lettuce, onions, parsnips, mustard greens, beets, peas, carrots, turnips, cabbage, spinach, kohlrabi, cauliflower, radish, celery, Swiss chard, kale and collards.
What's the easiest vegetable to grow in Michigan?
You want to spend your outdoor gardening time in the most productive way possible, by growing vegetables that are easy to grow in Michigan's short growing season.1) Tomatoes. A popular hometown vegetable, tomatoes are easy to grow as well as nutritious. ... 2) Peas. ... 3) Beans. ... 4) Onions. ... 5) Greens. ... 6) Sweet corn.
When should I plant tomatoes in Michigan?
Tomatoes are a warm-season crop and develop best when temperatures are between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. In Michigan, many gardeners plant tomato transplants around Memorial Day at the end of May. If you like to start your tomatoes inside from seed, it is best to start six to eight weeks before moving them outside.
What is the easiest vegetable to grow?
10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow YourselfLettuce. We've never known a garden that cannot grow lettuce. ... Green Beans. Beans grow even in fairly poor soils, because they fix the nitrogen as they go! ... Peas. ... Radishes. ... Carrots. ... Cucumbers. ... Kale. ... Swiss Chard.More items...
What gardening zone is Michigan?
In Michigan, our hardiness zones range from 4a in the western Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, to 6b in the southeast and along the Lake Michigan lakeshore.
What is the best tomato to grow in Michigan?
Here are a few of the best varieties to try:Beefsteak: This super common hybrid tomato grows well in Michigan. ... Roma: Roma tomatoes are about the size of your fist and look oval. ... Grape and Cherry: These small tomatoes are shaped like the fruits they're named after and can be tangy or sweet.More items...•
What vegetables can I plant in April in Michigan?
What to Plant in April in MichiganBeets.Broccoli.Brussels sprouts.Cabbage.Carrots.Cauliflower.Kale.Lettuces.More items...•
When can you plant carrots in Michigan?
Propagation: Carrots can be sown from early spring through mid-summer. Fork and rake meticulously to obtain a smooth surface for planting. Plant ½ - ¾" deep, sowing seeds thinly into rows 6-15" apart. Press soil firmly over seeds, Carrot seeds must be kept moist to germinate.
When should I start my vegetable garden?
Generally March and April, when the soil begins to warm, are the best months to begin sowing many hardy annual vegetable seeds outdoors including broccoli, cabbage, chard, carrots, peas and parsnips.
What vegetables can I grow in fall in Michigan?
Veggie tips:VegetableDays to harvestBrussels Sprouts100Cabbage (head)80Cabbage (Chinese)80Carrots605 more rows•Jan 23, 2015
When can you plant carrots in Michigan?
Propagation: Carrots can be sown from early spring through mid-summer. Fork and rake meticulously to obtain a smooth surface for planting. Plant ½ - ¾" deep, sowing seeds thinly into rows 6-15" apart. Press soil firmly over seeds, Carrot seeds must be kept moist to germinate.
What planting zone is Michigan?
In Michigan, our hardiness zones range from 4a in the western Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, to 6b in the southeast and along the Lake Michigan lakeshore.
When should I start planting vegetables?
Generally March and April, when the soil begins to warm, are the best months to begin sowing many hardy annual vegetable seeds outdoors including broccoli, cabbage, chard, carrots, peas and parsnips.
What vegetables are in season?
These include sweet corn ( Zea mays var. saccharata ), cucumbers ( Cucumis sativa ), tomatoes ( Solanum lycopersicum ), peppers ( Capsicum spp.) and melons ( Cucumis melo ); all of these are tender crops that are susceptible to frost damage or even death by frost. Cool-season vegetables, on the other hand, prefer the cooler temperatures of fall and spring. Many are frost-tolerant, some to temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Onions ( Allium sepa ), peas ( Pisum sativum ), spinach ( Spinacia oleracea ), leafy lettuces ( Lactuca sativa) and cole crops ( Brassica oleracea) are all cool-season vegetables. Cole crops include kale, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi and cabbage. Cool-season vegetables tend to bolt, become tough or woody or have otherwise adverse flavors or textures when grown in summer.
How to determine when to plant seeds?
For fall planting, knowing the days to harvest, sometimes called days to maturity, of each crop will help you determine when to plant the seeds. The days to harvest is listed on each seed packet and determines how many days a seed takes to mature and produce harvest-ready fruit. For warm-season crops with short growing times, you can often plant twice during the summer. Subtract the days to harvest from your last average fall frost date to give you a planting date for frost-tender vegetables.
What vegetables are frost tolerant?
Many are frost-tolerant, some to temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Onions ( Allium sepa ), peas ( Pisum sativum ), spinach ( Spinacia oleracea ), leafy lettuces ( Lactuca sativa) and cole crops ...
What vegetables are susceptible to frost?
These include sweet corn ( Zea mays var. saccharata ), cucumbers ( Cucumis sativa ), tomatoes ( Sola num lycopersicum ), peppers ( Capsicum s pp.) and melons ( Cu cumis melo ); all of these are tender crops that are susceptible to frost damage or even death by frost. Cool-season vegetables, on the other hand, prefer the cooler temperatures ...
What are some vegetables that are considered Cole crops?
Cole crops include kale, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi and cabbage. Cool-season vegetables tend to bolt, become tough or woody or have otherwise adverse flavors or textures when grown in summer. Advertisement.
Does Michigan have a cold winter?
Michigan gardeners, for example, have cold winters and sometimes late springs, depending on which part of the state they live in. Timing for warm-season, cool-season and tender crops varies greatly and relies heavily on soil temperature and frost dates. Advertisement.
Know when to plant
As a rule of thumb, when the soil temperature reaches 50 degrees, you can begin seeding a variety of cool season vegetables. Cool season vegetables prefer and sometimes require the cooler soil temperatures to germinate.
Preparation is everything
It’s important that you prepare your soil for planting. Soils that are water-logged will cause seeds to rot before they can germinate. Be sure that your soil is not too moist before planting. Also, any cultivation or disturbance of the soil when it is too wet will destroy the soil structure.
Keep your investment safe
Your vegetable garden is now planted and beginning to grow… but you’re work is far from done. Now it’s time for the watering, staking, weeding and overall general garden care to begin.
When to plant?
Many people plant after the 50 percent probability date. If you plant before this date, there is a greater chance your transplants will freeze or seeds rot and will need to be replaced.
What to think about when planting a vegetable garden?
Thinking about planting your own vegetable garden may bring to mind images of bountiful fresh and healthy produce. Advance planning will be the key to your successful garden. Considering which vegetables you like, how much space you have for them and how you’ll meet each crop’s growing requirements before planting will help ensure you reap ...
How to grow tomatoes and lettuce?
Lettuce is shallowly rooted and will grow as living mulch atop root crops such as beets and carrots. Plant carrots around developing tomato transplants or lettuce around developing root crops such as onions or radish. You can also increase your garden’s yield by growing vining crops such as tomatoes, melons, pole beans and cucumbers on trellises or any vertical structure. Harvesting is also easier, as there’s no stooping or hunching over!
What temperature do beets germinate?
Beets, carrots and radishes will germinate at a minimum of 40 F. Planting seeds before reaching this soil temperature will result in little to no seed sprouting. See a condensed table of soil temperatures required for seed germination by University of California at Davis below.
How to keep a plant from weeding?
Apply a 1- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch around the plant’s base and not against the stem. Mulch will help maintain an even soil temperature, conserve water and help reduce competition from weeds. If transplants are tall, provide staking as necessary.
What vegetables grow best in the early season?
Cool-season vegetables such as lettuce, peas and spinach will thrive early in the season. Tomatoes, peppers and melons will perform best when air and soil temperatures are much warmer. Warm-season crops are more sensitive to late-season frosts, and may show signs of stunted growth if set out too early.
How to acclimate transplants to a greenhouse?
Start by placing transplants outside in a shaded and protected area for a few hours a day and keep them thoroughly watered.
What vegetables can be grown vertically in Michigan?
Great for Vertical Gardening: Peas are one of the few vegetables that are perfect for vertical gardening. Vertical Gardening is popular in the cities of Michigan and even in the suburbs where land for horizontal growing is scarce.
How many types of eggplant are there in Michigan?
This may be one of the most underrated factors for growing eggplants in Michigan. There are almost 20 types of eggplants that can be grown. This means you can pick your type for your specific need and climate.
What pests eat peas in Michigan?
Pests: Deer, Rabbits, & Squirrels LOVE start to come out and become hungry in spring. One of the first plants they eat is peas. Whether protected or unprotected pests pose a risk to growing peas in Michigan.
When to expect slugs on lettuce?
You’ll most likely find slugs on your lettuce in spring or fall when the weather is cool or wet. If you plant it in the shade where the soil is damp you should expect slugs too.
Can you grow radishes in Michigan?
The biggest tip I have when growing Radishes in Michigan is to give your vegetable enough space . Most gardeners plant radishes or radish seeds too close to one another, inhibiting the size and flavor of your vegetable.
Is kale hard to grow in Michigan?
Kale is the hardiest vegetable when it comes to cold in Michigan. Unlike any other vegetable on this list, Kale can be grown throughout the entire year.
Is it easy to grow vegetables in Michigan?
Finding the best vegetables to grow in Michigan was not as easy as I thought. Some require extensive care, others are prone to pests, and lots are just not simple & quick enough to grow.
