Vegetable Garden: Basics and Plant Selections
Site/Location
Full sun equals 6 to 8 hours of sun per day. Close enough that you will want to go it. Water/hose will reach it. Start small, 10’ by 10’ will provide vegetables while still being manageable to weed, water, plant and harvest.
What to grow
Vegetables that you like and will eat and that are suited to the location. The recommended plants are suggestions only. Visit our fact sheet Seed Companies for more ideas.
Soil
A soil test from the UConn Soil and Nutrient Analysis Laboratory is recommended. Add amendments as recommended. Compost or aged manure worked well into soil. Plotting area, single rows, wide rows or blocks. They all work. Tall crops on the north. Track shadows so all plants get sun.
Timing
Plants that reach harvest in under 120 days are considered short season crops and those that take longer are long season crops. Subtract the days to harvest (on seed packets) from the first fall frost date to find the last planting date.
- Last spring frost date in CT is May 15th.
- First fall frost date in CT is Sept. 15th.
Cool Season Crops
Seed packet will say “Plant as early as soil can be worked”. A good test to tell if the soil is workable is to make a ball of soil in your hand and poke it with a finger, if it falls apart like chocolate cake crumbles, it is ready. If the soil is too wet, the ball stays together leaving only an indent from finger. Working the soil when it is too wet will ruin the structure of the soil and cause compaction.
Warm Season Crops
Seed or transplant info will say “Plant after all danger of frost has past”. This varies from year to year. May 15th is only an average. Watch daily weather reports for frost warnings and dropping overnight temperatures. Warm season crops will be killed by freezing temperatures and frost. Planting warm season crop transplants in cold soil will stunt the roots. Warm season seeds placed in cold soil will not germinate until a higher soil temp is reached.
Water
Vegetables need one to two inches of water per week by rain or hose. Feel the soil down where the roots are located. If it is dry, water it. Soaker or trickle hoses are best. They provide a slow, deep watering. Shallow watering keeps the roots up near the surface where it is hotter and dries out quicker. Deep roots make better plants. Keep foliage dry; apply water in the morning, never in the evening. Wet foliage invites fungal disease.
Feed
Fertilize when transplanting or when seeds grow into plants with two sets of leaves. Use manure or packaged vegetable fertilizers with balance nutrients such as 10-10-10. Side dress when plants begin to flower and set fruit by again applying fertilizer lightly a few inches away from plants. Follow label directions. Do not over-fertilize as this can harm plants and add to polluted waterways.
Weeds
Get weeds out. They compete with and steal nutrients and water away from vegetable plants. Hand pull weeds while still small. Cultivate weekly or more often, by hoeing or scratching the surface to one inch deep of garden soil discouraging weed growth around vegetable plants. Apply mulch around plants, but not touching plants, to block light to weed seeds in soil. This stops their germination. Straw, grass clippings, chopped leaves and pine needles are all good mulches.
Insects
If you find an insect in the garden, identify it. It may be a good guy providing pollination or predation on the bad guys. Look it up in a book or contact the UConn Home and Garden Education Center for correct ID. You can call or email us Ladybug@uconn.edu.
Harvest
Pick produce when ripe. Not picking tells the plant its job in life is done. It has produced a fruit containing a seed and then it will die. Leaf crops will send up a seed stalk. Continuing to remove fruits and leaves will keep the plant trying to make more seed, therefore providing more produce.
Plant Selections –
Resistant varieties are marked with the following codes:
AL-Alternaria (Early blight) DM-Downy Mildew F-Fusarium Wilt M-Mosaic Virus N-Nematodes PM-Powdery Mildew V-Verticillium Wilt
Plant | Variety (2020) | Cool/Warm Weather Seed Germination Temp (F) |
Short/Long Season (Days to Harvest) |
Insect pests (SAA= Same As Above) |
Light/Heavy Feeder | Early Frost Resistance (EFR)/ Tolerates Lite/ Heavy Frost (TLF) (THF) |
Common Diseases (SAA= Same As Above) |
Artichoke Globe |
Imperial Star Violetto |
Cool 70-80 |
Long (100-150) |
Aphids | Heavy | THF | |
Artichoke Jerusalem (actually a sunflower) Plant as tubers |
Stampede Red Fuseau Waldspinel - All are very aggressive |
Cool At least 44 |
Long (130) |
Snails, slugs | Light | THF | Sclerotina (PM) |
Arugula | Roquette Runway Garden |
Cool 40-55 |
Short (21-40) |
Flea beetle | Light | EFR | rare |
Asparagus | Jersey Series (F) Jersey Giant- good var. for cool areas Millenium |
Cool 70-77 |
First harvest 2 y after planting | Asparagus beetle (hand pick) |
Light | TLF | F, Crown rot Rust |
Beans | Bush Green: Provider, (M), (PM) Desperado, (M) Derby (M,PM) Strike (M) |
Warm 70-80 Poor under 60 |
Short (45-70) |
Bean beetles, aphids leaf hoppers |
Light | Bacterial blight Bean mosaic virus White mold |
|
Bush Yellow: Rocdor (M) Gold Mine Goldilocks |
Warm 70-80 |
Short (45-70) |
Bean beetles aphids spider mites |
Light | SAA | ||
Pole: Blue Lake Seychelles Kentucky Wonder |
Warm 70-80 |
Short (50-70) |
SAA | Light | SAA |
||
Lima: Burpee Bush Fordhook 242 |
Warm 85 ideal |
Moderate (75-85) |
SAA | Light | SAA | ||
Broad or Fava: Vroma Windsor |
Cool 75-85 |
Moderate (75-80) |
SAA | Light | Aphid-spread virus | ||
Beets | Red: Forono Detroit Dark Babybeat |
Cool 50-85 |
Short (45-65) |
Leaf spot root rot scab |
Light | Leafminer | |
Golden: Burpee's Golden Golden Beet Boldor |
Cool 50-85 |
Short (45-65)) |
SAA | Light | TLF | SAA | |
Broccoli | Gypsy Hybrid (DM) Marathon (DM) Waltham |
Cool 45-85 |
Moderate (55-70) |
Cabbage: worms, beetles, maggots Slugs, aphids |
Light | TLF Some var. THF |
Clubroot |
Brussels Sprouts |
Jade Cross Tasty Nuggets |
Cool 45-85 |
Long (80-120) |
Cabbage: worms, root maggots, aphids. Flea beetles Slugs, nematodes |
Heavy | THF | SAA |
Cabbage | Early Season: Quick Start Savoy Express Gonzales |
Cool 45-85 |
Moderate (55-75) |
Cabbage Maggot, Flea Beetles, Cutworms. Aphids | Heavy | TLF | Clubroot Purple Blotch |
Midseason: Alcosa, Savoy Ace |
Cool 45-85 |
Moderate (70-85) |
SAA | Heavy | TLF | SAA | |
Late Season: Huron All Seasons |
Cool 45-85 |
Long (95-115) |
SAA | Heavy | TLF | SAA | |
Red: Ruby Perfection Red Acre |
Cool 45-85 |
Moderate (75-90) |
SAA | Heavy | TLF | SAA | |
Savoy: Clarissa Kilosa |
Cool 45-85 |
Moderate (80-85) |
SAA | Heavy | TLF | SAA | |
Chinese: Blues Jade Pagoda |
Cool 45-85 |
Moderate (50-80) |
SAA | Heavy | Frost will cause plants to bolt early | SAA | |
Bok Choy (Pak Choi): Toy Choi Joi Choi Mei Qing Choi |
Cool 50-80 |
Short (45-55) |
SAA | Heavy | May TLF | Mildew, Leaf spot, AL |
|
Carrots | Danvers, Nantes Thumbelina Tendersweet |
Cool 50-85 |
Short (50-75) |
Carrot rust fly Carrot weevil Leaf hopper |
Light | TLF | Few |
Cauliflower | Freemont Snow Crown Graffiti (purple) |
Cool 45-85 |
Moderate (48-95) |
Cabbage worms, flea beetles, root maggot, aphids | Light | TLF | Clubroot Purple blotch |
Celery | Utah 52-70 Ventura |
Cool 70-75 |
Long (80-120) |
Aphids, tarnished plant bug, white flies, cutworms | Heavy | TLF | Leaf blight, Celery mosaic |
Corn, Sweet | Honey Select Delectable Precious Gem Supersweet |
Warm 65-85 |
Long (60-100) |
European corn borer corn earworm |
Heavy | TLF | Rust Smut |
Collards | Champion Flash Top Bunch |
Cool 45-85 |
Moderate (60-85) |
Many: same as other cabbages | Heavy | THF | Clubroot Black rot |
Cucumber | Pickling: Chicago, Sweet Marketmore Adam Gherkin (CMV) (PM) |
Warm 60-90 |
Short (50-70) |
Cucumber beetles, squash vine borer, Aphids |
Heavy | Bacterial wilt, Downey mildew, Cucumber mosaic virus | |
Slicing: Fanfare County Fair Dasher II |
Warm 60-90 |
Short (50-70) |
Heavy | Anthracnos, Leaf spot |
|||
Eggplant | Beatrice Black Bell Falcon |
Warm 60-95 |
Long (70-85 from transplant) |
Aphids, flea beetles, cutworms, CO potato beetle | Heavy | (V) | |
Endive/ Escarole |
Bianca Riccia, Bellesque, Salad King// Full Heart, Nataly |
Cool 35-85 75 = optimal |
Long (45-95) |
Aphids | Light | TLF | |
Garlic | German Extra Hardy, Georgia Fire Russian Red |
Cool | Plant bulbs in fall for next summer harvest | Few Leek moth |
Light | THF | Root rot in heavy wet soil |
Kale | Red Russian Toscano Winterbor |
Cool 45-85 |
Short (50-80) |
Cabbage: worms, loopers, aphids. Slugs, snails |
Light | THF | Clubroot, Black rot (A) |
Kohlrabi | Grand Duke Konan Gigante (130 days) |
Cool 45-85 |
Short (45-60) |
Same as other Cabbage family; Slugs, snails |
Light | Clubroot, Black rot (A) |
|
Leek | Lancelot Lincoln King Richard |
Cool 45-95 |
Long (50-150) |
Onion maggot Thrips |
Light | THF | Purple blotch (Alternaria porri) Botrytis leaf blight |
Lettuce | Butterhead: Tom Thumb Burgundy Delight Speckled |
Cool 40-85 (70 ideal) |
Short (28 -75) |
Aphids, slugs Leafminers Leafhoppers Cutworms Wireworms |
Light | Damping off Downy mildew Mosaic Fusarium |
|
Looseleaf: Ruby Oak Leaf Red Salad Bowl |
Cool 40-85 (70 ideal) |
Short (50-60) |
SAA | Light | SAA | ||
Romaine: Little Gem, Pensacola, White Paris |
Cool 40-85 (70 ideal) |
Short (65-70) |
SAA | Light | SAA | ||
Melon | Canteloupe: Sugar Cube Hybrid Harper Sarah’s Choice |
Warm 60-95 |
Moderate (70-90) |
Cucumber Beetles, Aphids, Squash Vine borer, Flea Beetles, Squash bugs | Heavy (High N before flowering, lower after) |
(PM) (F) (M) Bacterial wilt, Fungal leaf spot, scab |
|
Honeydew: Passport Earlidew |
Warm 60-95 |
Moderate (70-100) |
SAA | SAA | SAA | ||
Watermelon: AU- Sweet scarlet Moon & Stars Crest |
Warm 60-95 |
Long (60-95) |
SAA | SAA | (PM), (M), (F), Scab Anthracnose Phytophthora |
||
Onions | Yellow: Early Yellow Globe Copra Candy Walla Walla |
Cool 45-95 |
Long (100-175) |
Onion maggot | Heavy | TLF | (A) |
Red: Red Candy Mars Red Grano |
Cool 45-95 |
Long (100-175) |
SAA | Light | SAA | ||
Parsnip | Harris Model All-American Hollow Crown |
Cool 50-85 |
Long (75-120) |
Carrot weevil Leaf hopper |
Light | THF | Few |
Peas | Early: Coral Dakota Spring |
Cool 40-85 |
Short (60) |
Least- Aphids |
Light | TModF | (PM) Wilt Seedling root rot |
Late: Lincoln Mr. Big Tall Telephone |
Cool 40-85 |
Moderate (65-75) |
SAA | Light | SAA | SAA | |
Snap: Cascadia Sugar Ann Sugar Snap |
Cool 40-85 |
Moderate (60-75) |
SAA | Light | SAA | SAA | |
Snow Pea: Little Sweetie Oregon Giant |
Cool 40-85 |
Moderate (60-80) |
SAA | Light | SAA | SAA | |
Peppers | Sweet Bell: New Ace Red Knight King of the North |
Warm 70-95 |
Moderate (60-95) |
Aphids Borers Tarnished plant bugs |
Light, avoid high N | Light | Blossom end rot (MV) |
Sweet Long: Big Bertha Giant Marconi Lipstick Cubanelle: Nassau |
Warm 70-95 |
Moderate (75-90) |
SAA | Light, avoid high N | SAA | SAA | |
Hot Long: Anaheim Long Red Slim Super Chili Thai Hot |
Warm 70-95 |
Moderate (65-90) |
SAA | Light, avoid high N | SAA | SAA | |
Hot Round; Poblano (Ancho) Baron |
Warm 70-95 |
Moderate (65-90) |
SAA | Light, avoid high N | SAA | SAA | |
Potatoes | Early: Peter Wilcox Adirondock Red Chieftain |
Warm Min. 40 Use disease-free seed pcs |
Moderate to Long (60-120) |
Potato beetle Aphids Flea beetles Leaf hoppers |
Avoid High N | Light |
Early, late Blight, Scab Aphids |
Midseason: Kerr’s Pink Kennebek |
SAA | SAA | SAA | SAA | TLF | SAA | |
Late: Lehigh Garnet Chili |
SAA | SAA | SAA | SAA | SAA | SAA | |
Sweet: Golden Jewel Georgia Red |
SAA | Long (80-120) |
SAA | SAA | SAA | SAA | |
Pumpkin | Large: Howden, Connecticut Field |
Warm 60-105 |
Long (90-120) |
Aphids, squash bugs spider mites vine borer cucumber beetle |
Heavy | Sensitive to frost | (PM) (DM) Bacterial wilt Scab Some viral |
Small: Baby Bear Wee-Be-Little |
Warm 60-105 |
Long (95-100) |
SAA | Heavy | SAA | SAA | |
Novelty: Prizewinner Atlantic Giant Jarrahdale |
Warm 60-105 |
Long (110) |
SAA | Heavy | SAA | SAA | |
Radish | Cherriette Easter Egg Everest |
Cool 55-85 |
Short (25-70) |
Cabbage root maggot | Light Keep N low |
TLF | Clubroot |
Rhubarb | McDonald Strain Victoria | Cool Plant crowns when soil can be worked |
Moderate When stalks are 12-18" |
Few: Rhubarb Curculio Potato stem borer |
V. Light | TLF | Fungal leaf spot Phytophtora crown rot |
Rutabaga | Laurentian Joan Purple Top |
Cool 45-85 |
Long (90-110) |
Flea beetles Cabbage root maggot |
Light N | TLF | Turnip mosaic virus Black rot |
Spinach | Spring: Bloomsdale Longstanding Tyee |
Cool 40-75 |
Short (40-50) |
Spinach leaf miner | Light | THF | Few |
Fall: Giant Winter Melody Olympus |
Cool 40-75 |
Short (40-50) |
SAA | Light | THF | SAA | |
Squash | Summer, Yellow: Sunray (PM) Goldrush Early Prolific Straight neck |
Warm 60-105 |
Moderate (45-60) |
Squash bug Squash vine borer Stripped cucumber beetle |
Moderate | V. sensitive | (PM) (DM) Bacterial wilt Scab Viral diseases |
Summer, Green: Ambassador (PM) Cocozelle Spineless Beauty Eight Ball Raven |
Warm 60-105 |
Moderate (60) |
SAA | Moderate | SAA | SAA | |
Bush, Scallop: Peter Pan Sunburst Sunny Delight |
Warm 60-105 |
Moderate (45-50) |
SAA | Moderate | SAA | SAA | |
Winter: Betternut (PM) Bon Bon Waltham Butternut, Sunshine, Table Queen Cream of the Crop New England Blue Hubbard |
Warm 60-105 (Won’t germinate in cold soil) |
Long (60-100) |
SAA | Heavy | SAA | SAA | |
Swiss Chard |
Bright Lights Fordhook Giant Rhubarb Chard |
Cool 40-95 85 best |
Short (55-65) |
Aphids Leaf miners |
Light | TLF | (DM) Leaf spot |
Tomato | Early: Early Girl Pilgrim (F,V) Early Cascade 4th of July |
Warm 60-95 Best = 75-90 |
Moderate (65-70) |
Tomato hornworms Aphids Whiteflies Cutworms Flea beetles Co. potato beetle |
Moderate Keep N low |
(V) (F) Blossom end rot Septoria leaf spot Late blight |
|
Midseason: Jet Star (F,V) Ultraboy (F,N,V) Celebrity (F,M,V) Mountain Magic (AL) Mountain Pride (F, V) Mountain Supreme (AL) |
Warm 60-95 Best = 75-90 |
Moderate (70-80) |
SAA | Moderate Keep N low |
SAA | SAA | |
Late: Supersonic (F,V) Better Boy (F,V) Super Beefsteak (F,N,V) Burpee's Super Stake Hybrid (F,N,V) |
Warm 60-95 Best = 75-90 |
Moderate (80-90) |
SAA | Moderate Keep N low |
SAA | SAA | |
Orange: Sweet Tangerine Orange Blossom |
Warm 60-95 Best = 75-90 |
Moderate (70-80) |
SAA | Moderate | SAA | SAA | |
Yellow: Golden Delight Taxi Yellow Stuffer |
Warm 60-95 Best = 75-90 |
Moderate (70-80) |
SAA | Moderate | SAA | SAA | |
Paste: Roma (F,V) Amish Paste Plum Dandy (AL) |
Warm 60-95 Best = 75-90 |
Moderate (75-80) |
SAA | Moderate | SAA | SAA | |
Salad: Bellstar Juliet |
Warm 60-95 Best = 75-90 |
Moderate (75-80) |
SAA | Moderate | SAA | SAA | |
Cherry: Pixie (F,V) Sweet 100 Sun Gold |
Warm 60-95 Best = 75-90 |
Moderate (70) |
SAA | Moderate | SAA | SAA | |
Pear: Red Yellow |
Warm 60-95 Best = 75-90 |
Moderate (85) |
SAA | Moderate | SAA | SAA | |
Plum: Red Yellow |
Warm 60-95 Best = 75-90 |
Moderate (75-80) |
SAA | Moderate | SAA | SAA | |
Turnip | Purple Top White Globe White Lady Tokyo Cross |
Cool 45-85 |
Moderate (50-60) |
Flea beetles Cutworms Slugs Snails |
Light | TLF | Turnip Virus |
The recommended plants are suggestions only. Visit our fact sheet Seed Companies for more ideas.
There are many new vegetable varieties being developed. Before purchasing veg plants locally read the label carefully, research the variety for disease resistance, growing condition, date to maturity, plant spacing and other desirable qualities.
Despite good cultural practices, pests and diseases at times may appear. Chemical control should be used only after all other methods have failed. For pesticide information or other questions please call toll free: 877-486-6271.
UConn Home and Garden Education Center, 2020.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Dean of the College, Cooperative Extension System, University of Connecticut, Storrs. The Connecticut Cooperative Extension System is an equal opportunity employer and program provider. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, Stop Code 9410, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964