Colorful, crunchy and easy-to-pick, this garden is filled with kid friendly veggies they'll have fun growing -- and eating!
Planting Guide:
Carrot
- Sow seeds in garden 1/4″ deep three weeks before last spring frost.
- Spacing: Plant 30 seeds per sq. ft.; thin to 16 plants per sq. ft.
- Replant six to eight weeks before fall frost for late crop.
- Days to harvest: 55 to 70 days from seed. Frost-hardy.
- Hint: Before planting, loosen soil to 12″; remove stones and add compost.
Peas
- Plant outdoors 1″ deep as soon as soil can be worked.
- Spacing: nine to 16 per sq. ft. Provide support with string or wire trellis.
- For a fall crop, plant again six to eight weeks before frost.
- Days to harvest: 50 to 60 days from planting seeds. Very frost-hardy.
- Hint: Add legume inoculant to soil when planting to increase vigor and yield.
Corn
- Sow seeds 1″ deep directly in garden.
- Spacing: Plant four seeds per sq. ft.; thin to two plants per sq. ft.
- Plant after frost, when soil reaches 60 degrees F.
- Need to grow at least 12 to 18 plants of same variety to ensure good pollination.
- Days to harvest: 65 to 75 from planting. Not frost-hardy.
- Hints: Use garden fabric (row covers) early in spring to protect against frost and crows
Melons
- Sow 1/2″ deep in garden two to three weeks after last spring frost, or indoors at time of last frost.
- Transplant seedlings (if started indoors) when small and soil has reached 70 degrees F.
- Spacing: one or two plants per sq. ft.
- One crop per season
- Days to harvest: 75 days from transplant. Not frost-hardy.
- Hint: Cover soil surface with plastic or grow vines on trellis to keep melons off soil.
Tomato
- Plant seeds 1/4″ deep indoors, six to eight weeks before last frost
- Transplant into garden one to two weeks after last frost or when soil reaches 65 degrees F.
- Spacing: one plant per sq. ft. Grow early season crops nearby to allow more room later.
- Days to harvest: 55 to 100 days from transplanting, depending on variety. Not frost-hardy
- Hint: Remove lower leaves before planting and bury extra stem.
Beans
- Sow seeds 1″ deep directly in garden after all danger of frost.
- Spacing: four plants per sq. ft. for bush beans, six to eight plants per sq. ft. for pole beans
- Plant second crop of bush beans (if needed) two weeks after first planting
- Days to harvest: 50-80 days from seed, depending on variety. Not frost-hardy.
- Hint: Add a legume inoculant when planting to increase vigor and yield.
Calendula
- Sow seeds directly in the ground in early spring.
- Spacing: two plants per sq. ft.
- Replant any time you have a little space in the garden. Fast-growing.
- Days to bloom: 55 days from planting seeds
- Hint: Pick off spent flowers to keep plant blooming.
Celery
- Sow seeds indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost.
- Transplant into garden when soil reaches 50 degrees F. and nights stay above 40.
- Spacing: two per sq. ft.
- Days to harvest: 80 to maturity; harvest individual stalks as needed. Frost-hardy.
- Hint: Plants tolerate some shade. Ensure consistent moisture to avoid tough stalks.
Pumpkin
- Start seeds indoors three to four weeks before last frost or sow directly after soil has warmed to 60 degrees F.
- If transplanting, handle carefully to avoid disturbing roots.
- Spacing: one per sq. ft. Locate at outer edge of bed and let vines run onto lawn or up a trellis. Smaller pumpkins have shorter vines.
- Hint: For best storage, leave stems long and cut stems cleanly from vine (don't pull or tear).
Cucumber
- Plant seeds indoors 1/2″ deep three weeks before last frost, or seed in garden after frost.
- Transplant into garden after frost and when soil is 65 to 70 degrees F.
- Spacing one per sq. ft. for bush type; two per sq. ft. for vining type.
- Extend harvest with a second crop, planted two weeks later.
- Days to harvest: 50 to 60 days after transplanting. Not frost-hardy.
- Hint: Use row covers until flowering to keep off insects.