Vegetable Seed Start Dates
Note: The dates listed on the chart for recommended transplant out dates are just a guideline. The Spring here can sometimes throw a curveball your way. Vegetables started indoors will be more tender than those started outdoors. Keep this in mind when planting out and be sure to check the weather. Many vegetables are able to be seeded directly outside, this is often the easiest way as you don't have to transplant hundreds of seedlings.
If there is a variety your considering starting but it is not listed below, follow the dates for a "like" vegetable. ie: for a type of radish not listed; follow the general radish guidelines for planting dates. Germination time may vary slightly but usually not more than a few days from variety to variety. There are always new hybrid varieties becoming available that generally will do quite well compared to their well tested counterparts.
Most plants started indoors need hardening off, even hardy ones. They are used to the controlled conditions indoors and need to be acclimatized to the conditions outdoors.
- Hardening Off:
- As the weather gets nicer start putting the plants outside during the day and bringing them in at night.
- After about 2 weeks the plants should be hardened off, start this process about 2 weeks before the plant out times, weather permitting of course.
- Some young plants are tender to frost and near frost conditions and need to be brought in at night, sometimes this weather will last into June.
Variety | Days to Harvest | Indoor Start Date | Transplant Outside | Germination Time | Outdoor Seeding* |
Beans, green bush | |||||
Blue Lake Stringless | 65 | early May | early June | 1-2 weeks | late May |
Royal Burgundy | 55 days | early May | early June | 1-2 weeks | late May |
Stringless Green Pod | 50 days | early May | early June | 1-2 weeks | late May |
Tendergreen Improved | 55 days | early May | early June | 1-2 weeks | late May |
Beans, yellow bush> | |||||
Improved Golden Wax | 55 days | early May | early June | 1-2 weeks | late May |
Kidney Wax | 50 days | early May | early June | 1-2 weeks | late May |
Yellow Yard Long | 50 days | early May | early June | 1-2 weeks | late May |
Pencil Pod Black Wax | 50 days | early May | early June | 1-2 weeks | late May |
Beans, broad | |||||
Broad Windsor | 65 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1-2 weeks | mid-late May | |
Beans, pole | |||||
Blue Lake Stringless | 65 days | early May | early June | 1-2 weeks | late May |
Kentucky Wonder | 65 days | early May | early June | 1-2 weeks | late May |
Romano | 60 days | early May | early June | 1-2 weeks | late May |
Scarlet Runner | 65 days | early May | early June | 1-2 weeks | late May |
Beets | |||||
Cylindra Formanova | 66 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | mid-late May | |
Detroit Dark Red | 63 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | mid-late May | |
Early Wonder | 65 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | mid-late May | |
Golden Detroit | 55 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | mid-late May | |
Ruby Queen | 55 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | mid-late May | |
Variety | Days to Harvest | Indoor Start Date | Transplant Outside | Germination Time | Outdoor Seeding* |
Broccoli | |||||
Green Sprouting | 60-80 days | early April | early May | 1-2 weeks | late April-early May better results from indoor transplants |
Hybrid Premium | 70 days | early April | early May | 1-2 weeks | |
Munchkin | 70 days | early April | early May | 1-2 weeks | |
Brussel Sprout | |||||
Jade Cross Hybrid | 110 days | early April | early May | 1 week | recommend indoor seeding |
Long Island Improved | 90 days | early April | early May | 1 week | recommend indoor seeding |
Bright Hybrid | 160-180 days | late February | early May | 1 week | recommend indoor seeding |
Cabbage | |||||
Early Copenhagen | 68 days | early April | early May | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
Gonzales Hybrid | 60 days | early April | early May | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
Red Acre | 68 days | early April | early May | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
Carrots | |||||
Imperator Long | 75 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | early May-early June | |
Little Finger | 50 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | early May-early June | |
Purple Haze Hybrid | 70 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | early May-early June | |
Red Cored Chantenay | 68 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | early May-early June | |
Red Cored Danvers | 65 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | early May-early June | |
Scarlet Nantes | 68 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | early May-early June | |
Tendersnax Hybrid | 85 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | early May-early June | |
Valor Hybrid | 80 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 10 days | early May-early June | |
Variety | Days to Harvest | Indoor Start Date | Transplant Outside | Germination Time | Outdoor Seeding* |
Cauliflower | |||||
Early Snowball | 55 days | early April | early May | 10 days | recommend indoor seeding |
Candid Charm Hybrid | 65 days | early April | early May | 10 days | recommend indoor seeding |
Corn | |||||
Canadian Early Supersweet | 70 days | late April | late May | 1-2 weeks | mid-late May |
Honey & Cream | 72 days | late April | late May | 1-2 weeks | mid-late May |
Northern Extra Sweet | 70 days | late April | late May | 1-2 weeks | mid-late May |
Cucumber | |||||
Burpless Hybrids | 75 days | late April | late May | 10 days | recommend indoor seeding |
Earliest Mincu | 50 days | late April | late May | 10 days | recommend indoor seeding |
English Telegraph | 75 days | late April | late May | 10 days | recommend indoor seeding |
Straight Eight | 60 days | late April | late May | 10 days | recommend indoor seeding |
Sweet Slice | 60 days | late April | late May | 10 days | recommend indoor seeding |
Kale | |||||
Chinese Green Lance | 60 days | early April | early May | 2 weeks | late April or late fall |
Green Curled | 65 days | early April | early May | 2 weeks | late April or late fall |
Kohlrabi | |||||
Grand Duke | 50 days | early April | early May | 2 weeks | mid May-July |
Kolibri Hybrid | 50 days | early April | early May | 2 weeks | mid May-July |
Redbor Hybrid | 55 days | early April | early May | 2 weeks | mid May-July |
Variety | Days to Harvest | Indoor Start Date | Transplant Outside | Germination Time | Outdoor Seeding* |
Lettuce | |||||
Buttercrunch | 70 days | mid April | mid May | 10 days | early May-early July |
Cos (Romaine) | 70 days | mid April | mid May | 10 days | early May-early July |
Early Curled Simpson | 50 days | mid April | mid May | 10 days | early May-early July |
Iceberg | 75 days | mid April | mid May | 10 days | early May-early July |
Prizehead Leaf | 45 days | mid April | mid May | 10 days | early May-early July |
Red Sails | 50 days | mid April | mid May | 10 days | early May-early July |
Leek | |||||
King Richard | 75 days | late April | early June | 1-2 weeks | early May |
Monstrous Carentan | 120 days | early March | early June | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding or seed outdoors in late fall before ground freeze up |
Pandora | 140 days | early March | early June | 1-2 weeks | |
Onions | |||||
Annual Bunching | 70 days | early March | mid May | 2 weeks | use onion bulb sets and plant out in early May or when soil is workable |
Early Yellow Globe | 90 days | early March | mid May | 2 weeks | |
Sweet Spanish Hybrid | 110 days | early March | mid May | 2 weeks | |
Ruby Ring Hybrid | 110 days | early March | mid May | 2 weeks | |
Sturon | 150 days | early February | mid May | 2 weeks | |
Parsnips | |||||
Hollow Crown | 130 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 3-4 weeks | late fall or early spring | |
The Student | 160 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 3-4 weeks | late fall or early spring | |
Variety | Days to Harvest | Indoor Start Date | Transplant Outside | Germination Time | Outdoor Seeding* |
Peas | |||||
Alaska | 55 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | as soon as soil is workable you are able to start seeding your peas. Two week intervals between plantings will mean continual harvests throughout the year. | |
Edible Pod Snow | 65 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | ||
Green Arrow | 62 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | ||
Lincoln Homesteader | 65 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | ||
Little Marvel | 60 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | ||
Sugarsnap | 70 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | ||
Peppers | |||||
Bell Boy | 70 days | mid February | early June | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
Habenero Magnum (hot) | 90 days | mid February | early June | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
Jalapeno (hot) | 70 days | mid February | early June | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
Superchili Hybrid (hot) | 80 days | mid February | early June | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
Potatoes | |||||
Caribe | early season | always start potatoes outside from seed potatoes | 1-2 weeks to sprout, mound potatoes with soil as they grow | to see more about seed potatoes click here | |
Kennebec | mid season | ||||
Pontiac Red | mid season | ||||
Yukon Gold | mid season | ||||
Pumpkins | |||||
Atlantic Giant | 125 days | early-mid February | early-mid June | 2-3 weeks | always start indoors, transplant into bigger pots indoors as necessary, until moving outside |
Small Sugar | 110 days | early-mid February | early-mid June | 2-3 weeks | |
Variety | Days to Harvest | Indoor Start Date | Transplant Outside | Germination Time | Outdoor Seeding* |
Radish | |||||
Crimson Giant | 30 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | late April-early June | |
Cherry Belle | 24 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | late April-early June | |
French Breakfast | 25 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | late April-early June | |
White Icicle | 30 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | late April-early June | |
Rutabaga & Turnip | |||||
Early Snowball | 40 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1-2 weeks | as soon as soil is workable | |
Manchester Market | 70 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1-2 weeks | ||
Purple Top | 55 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1-2 weeks | ||
Sweet Laurentian | 90 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1-2 weeks | ||
Golden Globe | 50 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1-2 weeks | ||
Spinach | |||||
Longstanding Bloomsdale | 45 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1-3 weeks | early May or late Fall | |
Matador | 45 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1-3 weeks | early May or late Fall | |
King Of Denmark | 58 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1-3 weeks | early May or late Fall | |
Regal | 30 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1-3 weeks | early May or late Fall | |
Squash (summer) | |||||
Gold Rush (yellow zucchini) | 55 days | late April | late May-early June | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
Super Select (green zucchini) | 48 days | late April | late May-early June | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
White Scallop | 50 days | late April | late May-early June | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
Squash (winter) | |||||
Buttercup | 100 days | late April | late May-early June | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
Butternut | 90 days | late April | late May-early June | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
Sugar Pie Pumpkin | 110 days | late April | late May-early June | 1-2 weeks | recommend indoor seeding |
Variety | Days to Harvest | Indoor Start Date | Transplant Outside | Germination Time | Outdoor Seeding* |
Swiss Chard | |||||
Bright Lights | 60 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | earty-mid May | |
Fordhook Giant | 55 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | earty-mid May | |
Rhubarb | 65 days | recommend outdoor seeding | 1 week | earty-mid May | |
Tomatoes | |||||
Beefsteak | 80 days | mid February-early March | After last frost | 1-2 weeks | Always start indoors, will need to be transplanted into larger pots indoors as needed until they can be put outside. Recommend always growing tomatoes in containers or raised beds instead of directly in the garden. |
Black Cherry | 80 days | mid February-early March | After last frost | 1-2 weeks | |
Cherry Roma | 80 days | mid February-early March | After last frost | 1-2 weeks | |
Early Girl | 52 days | mid February-early March | After last frost | 1-2 weeks | |
Manitoba | 60 days | mid February-early March | After last frost | 1-2 weeks | |
Pomodoro | 75 days | mid February-early March | After last frost | 1-2 weeks | Always start indoors, will need to be transplanted into larger pots indoors as needed until they can be put outside. Recommend always growing tomatoes in containers or raised beds instead of directly in the garden. |
Sub Arctic Plenty | 50 days | mid February-early March | After last frost | 1-2 weeks | |
Sungold | 90 days | mid February-early March | After last frost | 1-2 weeks | |
Sweet 100 | 70 days | mid February-early March | After last frost | 1-2 weeks | |
Tiny Tim | 55 days | mid February-early March | After last frost | 1-2 weeks | |
Tumbler | 55 days | mid February-early March | After last frost | 1-2 weeks |
Remember this is just a guidline, seeds may take longer to germinate or grow and this can vary based on what kind of conditions each seed is grown in. See us in store and we will do our best to answer all of your questions.
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