SPRING vegetable garden guide
time to get growing!
Happy (almost) spring!
I know it’s not *technically* spring until March 20th, and depending on where you live you may have a lot more winter ahead, but it’s definitely time to get planning for spring! And for folks in warmer climates (like here in central NC, zone 8a) it’s already time to get planting.
But do you need help knowing what to plant, when to plant it, and all the nuances of how to plant each crop this spring? I’ve got you covered
This Spring Vegetable Garden Guide is a download of all the growing information and lessons stored in my head after 15+ years of growing vegetables, and it’s jam-packed with practical, crop-specific information that will help you have a thriving garden this spring.
This Spring Vegetable Garden Guide will teach you:
Which crops are best to plant in the spring (and whether they should be direct seeded or transplanted)
When to plant each crop (based on the last frost date in your area)
Ideal spacing for each plant (with some new handy photo guides and pro tips)
For larger growers who use a Jang seeder, I include my specific Jang seeding calibrations for each crop (ie which roller I use and the sprocket spacing)
My favorite varieties for each crop (including links to purchase seeds for the specific varieties... not sponsored!)
Additional pro tips that I’ve gained from over a decade of gardening and farming
A few important notes about the guide:
This guide is very crop specific! If you’re still working on getting your garden established, start with my 4-Part Guide to Start a Garden, and then come back to this post when you are ready to dig into the nuances of each spring crop.
Knowing *when* to plant your spring veggies revolves around your estimated last spring frost date. If you don’t know the last frost date i1n your area, here’s a handy frost date calculator, customized by your zip code.
Regarding plant spacing and # of rows per bed – in this guide, I share spacing recommendations based on a standard 30” bed. If your beds are a different width and you need help figuring out spacing, just leave a comment and I’ll respond quickly with the best spacing for your beds.
Okay, one last thing. The detailed information in this guide comes from over 15 years of experience gardening and farming, and because I believe this knowledge has tangible value, the majority of this post is available for paid subscribers. My hope is that if you find this post useful, that you will invest in your gardening endeavors and consider joining as a paid subscriber.
Alright, let’s dig into the Spring Vegetable Garden Guide.
Keep reading for a comprehensive, crop-by-crop (organized alphabetically) run-down of ALL the details you need to grow an abundant spring garden.
Also! If you’re more of a spreadsheet person, I’ve also compiled this information on a spreadsheet, which paid subscribers can find linked at the very end of this post.
NOTES ABOUT PLANT SPACING
One of the best ways to maximize production in a small space is to be intentional and consistent with your plant spacing. In the crop-specific guide below, I give very detailed spacing recommendations to maximize production for each crop, and here are two particularly helpful tips when it comes to plant spacing.
PRO TIP #1: Use your hands to standardize spacing!
Over the years, I’ve developed a guide for spacing using just my hands. It’s so nice to use my hands to confirm that I have the correct spacing, rather than needing an extra tool or measuring tape.
Here’s what you need to know (and see photo for reference):
FIST = 4” spacing
THUMBS UP = 6” spacing
“SHAKA” = 9” spacing
PRO TIP #2: Stagger your plants!
If you are transplanting 3 rows of veggies in one bed (like for kale, swiss chard, lettuce, etc), I recommend staggering the plants to allow for maximum room to grow and airflow.
How to stagger: Line up the seedlings in the two outer rows so they are in line with each other, and set the seedlings in the middle row so they are in-between where the outer row plants are set. (It’s kind of hard to explain, but see photo below for a photo that makes more sense).
SPRING VEGETABLE CROP GUIDE
ARUGULA
Direct seed vs transplant: Direct seed
When to plant: Direct seed outside 4 weeks before last spring frost
# rows (per 30” bed): 4
In-row spacing: Broadcast (ie generously sprinkle) seeds by hand (or if using Jang seeder, use Y-24 roller with sprockets set at 9-14)
Favorite variety: Astro
Pro tip: For continuous harvests, seed a new succession every 2 weeks until mid May (arugula doesn’t grow well in the heat of the summer). Arugula is typically ready to harvest about 5 weeks after planting.
BEETS
Direct seed vs transplant: Direct seed OR transplant seedlings (both will work, though beets don’t love to be transplanted, so direct seeding is recommended)
When to plant: Direct seed outside 4-6 weeks before last spring frost, or transplant seedlings outside 3-4 weeks before last spring frost
# rows (per 30” bed): 4
In-row spacing: Directly plant seeds 2” apart, transplant seedlings 3-4” apart
Favorite variety: Red Ace
Pro tip: To aid with germination, soak beet seeds for 4-6 hours before direct seeding. Don’t forget that beet tops are edible and delicious! (Beets are in the same family as swiss chard, so treat the greens like you would chard).
BROCCOLI
Direct seed vs transplant: Transplant seedling
When to plant: Transplant seedling outside 4-6 weeks before last spring frost
# rows (per 30” bed): 2
In-row spacing: 12”-18” apart
Favorite varieties: Green Magic and Gypsy
Pro tip: After harvesting the central broccoli crown, there will often be lots of broccoli side-shoots that you can continue to harvest (cook them like broccolini).
CABBAGE
Direct seed vs transplant: Transplant seedling
When to plant: Transplant seedling outside 4-6 weeks before last spring frost
# rows (per 30” bed): 2
In-row spacing: 18”-24” apart
Favorite varieties: Farao (classic green cabbage) and Minuet (“mini” Napa cabbage)
Pro tip: Cabbage takes a long time (and a lot of space) to grow, so if you have very limited space in your garden, I honestly don’t recommend growing cabbage. That said, the Minuet variety is very compact, so if you love cabbage, Minuet is a great candidate for growing it on a smaller scale.
CARROTS