Growing Your Own
Planting Guidelines
Planting a vegetable garden isn't a complicated and mysterious
process. Success depends on following directions.
The planting directions printed on the back of seed packets
include three basic principles that will improve your chances
of success.
- Plant vegetables at the right time.
Planting seeds at the recommended time will reduce the risk
of damage from frost or hot weather.
To learn how to start seeds indoors, view a video
demonstration.
- Plant vegetables at the right depth.
Seeds planted too deeply take longer to come up, if they come
up at all. Also, weeds may grow up first and crowd out vegetable
plants. Conversely, shallow seeds may wash away or dry out before
they sprout.
Plant vegetables with small seeds--such as cabbage, carrots,
radishes, and lettuce--0.5 inch deep. Plant vegetables with medium-sized
seeds--such as beets and chard--0.75 inch deep. Plant large-seeded
vegetables--such as beans, corn, and squash--1 to 1.5 inches
deep.
- Plant vegetables the right distance apart. Correct spacing
allows each plant to get its share of sunshine, water, and soil
nutrients. If you plant seedlings too close to each other, the
vegetables will not grow as large as they normally would. Excessive
tops on radishes and other root crops result from crowding.
Oregon Planting Dates for Vegetables
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- Oregon coast: cool,
long season of 190 to 250 days.
- Western valleys: 150- to 250-day season; warm days, cool
nights; length of season may vary from year to year.(See story
on gardening in the Rogue
Valley.)
- High elevations: short growing season of 90 to 120 days;
frost can occur during any month. (See story on gardening in
central and eastern Oregon.)
- Columbia and Snake
River valleys: 120 to 200-day season; hot days, warm nights;
length of season fairly well defined.
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Planting date |
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Zone
l |
Zone
2 |
Zone
3 |
Zone
4 |
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| Vegetable |
Start
plants this long before planting date for your region |
Coast,
Astoria to
Brookings |
Western
valleys,
Portland to
Roseburga |
High
elevations,
mountains, and
plateaus of
central and
eastern Oregon |
Columbia
and Snake
valleys,
Hermiston,
Pendleton, Ontario |
Amount to plant
for family
of 4b |
Distance
between rowsc |
Distance apart
in the row |
| Artichokes
(globe) |
Crown
pieces |
Aug.-Oct.
May-June |
Aug.-Nov.
April-June |
not
suitable |
not
suitable |
3-4
plants |
48-60" |
48-60" |
| Asparagus |
1
year |
March-April |
Feb.-March |
Feb.-March |
Feb.-March |
30-40
plants |
60" |
12" |
| Beans
(lima) |
not
suitable |
not
suitable |
May-June |
May-June |
April
15-June |
15-25'
of row |
12-24" |
4-6"
bush
12-24" pole |
| Beans
(snap) |
not
suitable |
May-June |
May-July |
April-June |
April
15-June |
15-25'
of row |
12-24" |
2-6"
bush
12-24" pole |
| Beets |
not
suitable |
March-June |
March-June |
April-June |
March-July |
10-15'
of row |
12" |
1-2" |
| Broccoli |
6
weeks |
May-June |
March-Aug. |
April-June |
April-July |
10-20'
of row |
12-24" |
12-24" |
| Brussels
sprouts |
6
weeks |
May-June |
May-July |
April-June |
April-July |
15-20'
of row |
24" |
24" |
| Cabbage |
6
weeks |
Jan.-April
July-Sept. |
April-June |
April-June |
April-July |
10-15
plants |
24" |
24" |
| Cantaloupes |
4
weeks |
not
suitable |
May |
not
suitable |
May |
5-10
hills |
48" |
48" |
| Carrots |
not
suitable |
Jan.-June |
March-July
15 |
April-June |
March-July |
20-30'
of row |
12" |
2" |
| Cauliflower |
6
weeks |
Jan.
& June |
April-July
15 |
April-May |
April
& July |
10-15
plants |
24" |
24" |
| Celery |
9
weeks |
March-June |
March-July |
May-June |
June-August |
20-30'
of row |
24" |
5" |
| Chard |
not
suitable |
Feb.-May |
April-July |
March-June |
Feb.-May |
3-4
plants |
24" |
12
inches |
| Chinese
cabbage |
4
weeks |
July-Aug. |
August |
April-June |
August |
10-15'
of row |
30" |
6" |
| Chives |
6
weeks |
April-May |
March-May |
April-July |
Feb.-March |
1
clump |
Needs
4 sq ft |
Scatter |
| Corn
(sweet) |
not
suitable |
April-May |
April-June |
May-June |
April
15-June |
4
rows,
20-30' long |
36" |
15" |
| Cucumbers
(slicing) |
4
weeks |
April-June |
May-June |
May-June |
April
15-June |
6
plants |
48" |
24" |
Cucumbers
(pickling) |
4
weeks |
May |
May-June |
May-June |
April
15-June |
25'
of row |
48" |
6-12" |
| Dill |
not
suitable |
May |
May |
May |
May |
25'
of row |
24" |
6-9" |
| Eggplants |
9
weeks |
not
suitable |
May |
not
suitable |
May |
4-6
plants |
24" |
24" |
| Endive |
6
weeks |
March-July |
April-Aug.
15 |
April-July |
August |
10-15'
of row |
12" |
10" |
| Garlic |
not
suitable |
Sept.-Oct. |
Sept.-Feb. |
Aug.-Sept. |
Nov.-Feb. |
10-20'
of row |
18" |
3" |
| Kale |
not
suitable |
May-July |
May-July |
May-July |
May-July |
20-30'
of row |
24" |
24" |
| Kohlrabi |
not
suitable |
July-Aug. |
April-Aug.
15 |
May |
April-Aug. |
10-15' of row |
24" |
3" |
| Leeks |
not
suitable |
Feb.-April |
March-May |
April-June |
Jan.-April |
10'
of row |
24" |
2" |
| Lettuce
(head) |
5
weeks |
Feb.-July |
April-July |
April-Aug. |
Feb.-April |
10-15'
of row |
12" |
12" |
| Lettuce
(leaf) |
5
weeks |
Feb.-Aug. |
April-Aug. |
April-Aug. |
Feb.-April |
10-15'
of row |
12" |
6" |
| Okra |
8
weeks |
not
suitable |
not
suitable |
not
suitable |
May |
10-20'
of row |
24" |
18" |
| Onions |
10
weeks |
Jan.-May |
Mar.-May |
May-June |
Feb.-April |
30-40'
of row |
12" |
3" |
| Parsley |
10
weeks |
Dec.-May |
Mar.-June |
May-July |
Feb.-May |
1-2
plants |
12" |
8" |
| Parsnips |
not
suitable |
May-June |
April-May |
May |
Mar.-June |
10-15'
of row |
24" |
3" |
| Peas |
not
suitable |
Jan.-Aug. |
Feb.-May |
April-June |
Mar.-April |
30-40'
of row |
36"
bush
48" vine |
2" |
| Peppers |
10
weeks |
May |
May-June |
May-June |
May |
5-10
plants |
24" |
12-18" |
| Potatoes
(sweet) |
6
weeks |
not
suitable |
not
suitable |
not
suitable |
May |
50-100'
of row |
48" |
12" |
| Potatoes
(white) |
not
suitable |
Feb.-May |
April-June |
May-June |
Mar.-June |
50-100'
of row |
30" |
12" |
| Pumpkins |
4
weeks |
May |
May |
June |
April
15-June |
1-3
plants |
72" |
48" |
| Radish |
not
suitable |
All
year |
March-Sept. |
April-July |
Mar.-Sept. |
4'
of row |
12" |
1" |
| Rhubarb |
Crown
pieces |
Dec.-Jan. |
March-April |
April |
Feb.-March |
2-3
plants |
48" |
36" |
| Rutabagas |
not
suitable |
June-July |
June-July |
April-May |
Mar.-July |
10-15'
of row |
24" |
3" |
| Spinach |
not
suitable |
Aug.-Feb. |
April
& Sept. |
April
& July |
Sept.-Jan. |
10-20'
of row |
12" |
3" |
| Squash
(summer) |
4
weeks |
May |
May-June |
May-June |
April
15-June |
2-4
plants |
48" |
24" |
| Squash
(winter) |
4
weeks |
May |
May |
May |
April
15-May |
2-4
plants |
72" |
48" |
| Tomatoes |
8
weeks |
May-June |
May |
May |
May |
10-15
plants |
36-48",
closer if
supported |
24-36" |
| Turnips |
not
suitable |
Jan.
& Aug. |
Apr.-Sept. |
April-May |
Feb.
& Aug. |
10-15'
of row |
24" |
2" |
| Watermelons |
4
weeks |
not
suitable |
May |
not
suitable |
May |
6
plants |
72" |
60" |
| |
|
Zone l |
Zone 2 |
Zone 3 |
Zone 4 |
|
|
|
| Vegetable |
Start
plants this long before planting date for your region |
Coast,
Astoria to
Brookings |
Western
valleys,
Portland to
Roseburga |
High
elevations,
mountains, and
plateaus of
central and
eastern Oregon |
Columbia
and Snake
valleys,
Hermiston,
Pendleton, Ontario |
Amount to plant
for family
of 4b |
Distance
between rowsc |
Distance apart
in the row |
aMedford area
planting dates may be 7-10 days earlier and extend 7-10 days
later than dates indicated for western valleys.
bFor many
of the crops, the amount to plant should be divided into several
plantings, 1 or 2 weeks apart.
cUse narrower
spacings for small gardens.
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