It’s spring again! If you’re wondering what plants you can grow in your garden this spring, this article is just for you. Spring is a wonderful time for gardeners and gardening, as the weather starts to warm up and the days become longer.
Gardening does bring great benefits that go beyond producing healthy, fresh foods. To learn more, read our previous post “Top 5 Benefits of Gardening You Must Know.”
Whether you’re an active gardener or just starting out, there are a plethora of plants that are just perfect to grow in spring. In this blog post, we’ll cover some of the best crops to grow in spring that will get your garden off to a great start.
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Nine Best Crops to Grow in Spring
Below you will find our list of nine best crops to grow in spring, with reasons. Some of the listed crops have a link to detailed crop information by the United States Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), including environmental requirements for growing.
1. Tomatoes
Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is a rapid-growing crop with a growing period of 90 to 150 days. It is a daylength neutral plant. The optimum average daily temperature for tomato growth is 18 to 25ºC with night temperatures between 10 and 20ºC. The crop is best planted during late spring and early summer after all danger of frost is past (it is highly sensitive to frost). Early spring is a good time to start sprouting your seeds.
Tomatoes are a popular choice for spring planting, as they love warm weather and plenty of sunshine. Many find them as one of the best crops to grow in spring. They are also relatively easy to grow and require minimal maintenance. If you sow the seeds between April and May, your tomatoes should be ready for harvesting from August to October.
There are also many different tomato varieties to choose from, so be sure to do your research and chose the ones that are best suited to your climate and soil type. Some popular tomato varieties include cherry, grape, beefsteak, Roma, and heirloom tomatoes.
2. Peppers
According to The United States Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Pepper (Capsicum annum and Capsicum frutescens) thrives in climates with growing season temperatures in the range of 18 to 27°C during the day and 15 to 18° C during the night. It is another example of the best crops to grow in spring especially if you’re looking to grow them faster and harvest them soon. However, you should not set pepper plants out too early in spring; wait until later in the period when things get warmer. Early spring is the time to start sprouting your seeds.
They come in a variety of colors and flavors, ranging from sweet to spicy. Since bell peppers are more sensitive to heat, it’s better to plant them early in spring. Other peppers, however, like sweet peppers and hot peppers are more heat tolerant.
Whether you’re looking to add some hotness to your meals or just want to enjoy the sweet flavor of a bell pepper, there’s a pepper variety for everyone. Some popular pepper varieties include jalapeno, habanero, and scotch bonnet peppers.
3. Lettuce
Lettuce is a third example of the best crops to grow in spring. If you’re looking for something a little easier to grow, lettuce is a great choice. It’s a cool-season crop that thrives well both in spring and fall, whether in full sun or light shade. It can also be harvested relatively quickly.
Lettuce is also very versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to sandwiches. There are many different varieties of lettuce to choose from, including leaf, romaine, butterhead, and iceberg lettuce.
4. Spinach
Another cool-season plant that does well in the spring is spinach. It is a popular example of the best crops to grow in spring, but can also do well in fall and even winter in some areas. Spinach is packed with nutrients and can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to smoothies.
Spinach also grows relatively quickly, so you can enjoy your harvest in just a few weeks. If you plant very early in spring, you should harvest them by mid to late spring. Some popular varieties of spinach include baby spinach, savoy spinach, and flat-leaf spinach.
5. Strawberries
Who doesn’t love fresh strawberries? If you’re looking for a sweet treat to grow in the spring, strawberries are a great choice. They are one of the best crops to grow in spring, as soon as the soil is dry and easy to work on. Your strawberries need to be well-established before temperatures rise in the summer months.
Strawberries are a great choice for beginning gardeners because they are resilient, easy to grow in most soil types, and require minimal maintenance. Some popular strawberry varieties include June-bearing, everbearing, and day-neutral strawberries.
6. Carrots
Carrots are root vegetable plants that require well-drained soil and are relatively easy to grow. Carrots are a popular example of the best crops to grow in spring. Seeding can be done from early spring right through late summer. Plus, you can harvest your carrots almost year-round, anytime they reach your preferred size.
Carrots come in a variety of colors, including orange, red, purple, yellow, and white. Orange carrots, however, have the highest concentrations of alpha- and beta-carotene that promote and support the body’s production of Vitamin A. Some popular carrot varieties include Chantenay, Nantes, and Danvers carrots.
7. Radishes
Spring radishes are also another cool-season crop and one of the best crops to grow in spring. Radishes come in a variety of shapes such as spherical and carrot shaped. You should plant radish seeds from early April through early May for a spring crop. Radishes have a rainbow of color varieties such as red, purple, green, white, yellow, and pink. Their sizes also range from small and round to long and slender.
Radishes are easy to grow and mature quickly, making them an excellent choice for impatient gardeners. Some popular varieties of radishes include cherry belle, French breakfast, Daikon, and radish red round.
8. Beets
Beets are another root vegetable that are included in the best crops to grow in spring. Beets do well in the spring and can be planted from March to mid-May. They grow best in light, well-drained soil.
Beets are packed with nutrients and can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to roasted vegetables. They come in a variety of colors, including red, purple, yellow, golden, and striped. Some popular varieties include Detroit dark red, Early Wonder, and Chioggia beets.
9. Herbs
Herbs are one of the best crops to grow in spring. They can be grown in small containers or in your garden, and there are many different varieties to choose from.
Whether you intend to use them for your pasta dishes or to add some flavor to your cocktails, there are many different herb varieties to choose from. Some popular varieties to grow in the spring include basil, coriander, sage, thyme, and parsley.
The Bottom Line
There are many different plants that can be included in the best crops to grow in spring. From tomatoes and peppers and lettuce and strawberries, there’s a plant for every type of gardener. This article has covered some of the most spring-friendly plants you can grow yourself.
Just take a little time to do some research and choose the right plants for your climate and soil type, and you’ll be rewarded with a bountiful harvest in no time. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start planting already, and make sure to try our picks of the best crops to grow in spring. Happy spring planting!
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