The results of an experiment to see correlations between the number of days it takes for various vegetable seeds to sprout and the temperature at which they are kept.
| Crop | Minimum | Optimum Range | Optimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | 50 | 60–85 | 75 | 95 |
| Bean | 60 | 60–85 | 80 | 95 |
| Beet | 40 | 50–85 | 85 | 95 |
| Cabbage | 40 | 45–5 | 85 | 100 |
| Carrot | 40 | 45–85 | 80 | 95 |
| Cauliflower | 40 | 45–85 | 80 | 100 |
| Chard, Swiss | 40 | 50–85 | 85 | 95 |
| Corn | 50 | 60–95 | 95 | 105 |
| Cucumber | 60 | 60–95 | 95 | 105 |
| Eggplant | 60 | 75–90 | 85 | 95 |
| Lettuce | 35 | 40–80 | 75 | 95 |
| Muskmelon | 60 | 75–95 | 90 | 100 |
| Onion | 35 | 50–95 | 75 | 95 |
| Parsley | 40 | 50–85 | 75 | 90 |
| Parsnip | 35 | 50–70 | 65 | 85 |
| Pea | 40 | 40–75 | 75 | 85 |
| Pepper | 60 | 65–95 | 85 | 95 |
| Pumpkin | 60 | 70–90 | 95 | 100 |
| Radish | 40 | 45–90 | 85 | 95 |
| Spinach | 35 | 45–75 | 70 | 85 |
| Squash | 60 | 70–95 | 95 | 100 |
| Tomato | 50 | 60–85 | 85 | 95 |
| Turnip | 40 | 60–105 | 85 | 105 |
| Watermelon | 60 | 70–95 | 95 | 105 |
| Crop | 32 | 41 | 50 | 59 | 68 | 77 | 86 | 95 | 104 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | Little or no germination | Little or no germination | 53 | 24 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 19 | 28 |
| Bean | Little or no germination | Little or no germination | Little or no germination | 16 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 6 | Little or no germination |
| Beet | Not tested | 42 | 17 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | Not tested |
| Cabbage | Not tested | Not tested | 15 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 3 | Not tested | Not tested |
| Carrot | Little or no germination | 51 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | Little or no germination |
| Cauliflower | Not tested | Not tested | 19 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 | Not tested | Not tested |
| Corn | Little or no germination | Little or no germination | 22 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | Little or no germination |
| Cucumber | Little or no germination | Little or no germination | Little or no germination | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | Not tested |
| Eggplant | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested | 13 | 8 | 5 | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
| Lettuce | 49 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | Little or no germination | Little or no germination |
| Muskmelon | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested | 8 | 4 | 3 | Not tested | Not tested |
| Onion | 135 | 31 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 12 | Little or no germination |
| Parsley | Not tested | Not tested | 29 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 12 | Not tested | Not tested |
| Parsnip | 171 | 57 | 27 | 19 | 14 | 15 | 32 | Little or no germination | Little or no germination |
| Pea | Not tested | 36 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | Not tested | Not tested |
| Pepper | Little or no germination | Little or no germination | Little or no germination | 25 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 9 | Little or no germination |
| Radish | Not tested | 29 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | Not tested | Not tested |
| Spinach | 62 | 22 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | Little or no germination | Little or no germination |
| Tomato | Little or no germination | Little or no germination | 43 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 9 | Little or no germination |
| Turnip | Little or no germination | Little or no germination | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Watermelon | Not tested | Little or no germination | Not tested | Not tested | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | Not tested |
- 1Daily fluctuation to 60F or lower at night is essential.
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Central Oregon Vegetable Gardening, Central Oregon garden publications
