Spring is here, but in northern Idaho, it’s going to be several more weeks before we can even begin thinking about planting warm-season crops, such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, or beans.
But don’t despair, April is a great month to plant a variety of cool-season crops and achieve a quick harvest before that first tomato plant goes in the ground!
Cool-season crops, like peas, lettuces, kale, and many “greens,” are vegetables that prefer cooler growing conditions. Unlike their warm-season cousins, who will wilt away in temperatures below 50 degrees, cool-season crops will thrive, and many are even resistant to frost.
Another bonus of these crops is that many are very quick to mature, allowing you to get a harvest in before it’s time to plant out the warm-season crops.
Cool-season crops can be started indoors in late winter or early spring (usually about 4 to 6 weeks before the anticipated planting date) to be transplanted out into the garden in mid- to late-April; they can also be directly sown into the garden once the ground is workable.
Plant These Quick Maturing Crops Now
Perhaps the quickest growing of all spring crops is the radish. Many radish varieties are ready for harvest in under 30 days. Because these are root crops, it’s best to direct sow these into to garden. These are also a great vegetable for succession planting. By sowing a new crop every 7 days or so, you can keep harvesting into early June.
One of my favorite spring crops is lettuce – it’s so easy to grow! There are so many beautiful varieties to choose from and you can begin harvesting leaves in a little as 30 days; full heads in about 50 days. Lettuce can be started indoors and transplanted outside or direct sown into the garden. Keep in mind that lettuce seed needs light to germinate, so make sure you sow seed on top of the soil and cover very lightly with a dusting of soil.
While it does take snap peas about 60 to 65 days to mature, you can grow them for pea-shoots and get multiple harvest before letting them grow out for peas. Once the shoots are 6 to 8 inches tall, snip off the tops including one set of leaves. Continue harvesting the top 2 to 4 inches of leaves and tendrils every 3 weeks or so. Pea shoots taste just like peas and add crunch to salads or a stir-fry. Sow pea seeds into the garden once the soil temperature is about 45 degrees. I find starting peas indoors in early April gives them a bit of a jump on the growing season.
Nothing adds more zip to a dish than spring onions! Most onions are started indoors about 12 weeks before the last average frost, but many garden centers and nurseries carry bunching onion sets or seedlings. The green tops can be cut when they are about 6 inches tall and will quickly grow back. Bunching onions are usually ready for harvest with the bulb in about 60 days.
There are many other “greens” that grow extremely well in the spring, like bok choi, kale, arugula, spinach, beet greens, and chard. Most of these plants can begin to be harvested at the “baby stage” around 30 days or grown to maturity – many in as little as 60 days.
Keep an eye on the weather once you’ve planted your crops. Although these plants thrive in cooler conditions, young seedlings will still need to be protected from harsh weather until they are established. A floating row cover or frost cloth is a great option for cold nights.
Don’t let your valuable garden space sit idle in spring — put it to work by planting a few of these cool-season crops that you can harvest by the end of May!
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