Working tools

The Santa Clara County Planting Calendar

Eighty-two crops, worked out from this county's own climate record rather than copied from a national chart. Every date shows how it was reached.

Three things about growing here

Spring opens in mid-January, and that's about mud rather than cold. At the county's three CIMIS weather stations, soil six inches down under irrigated grass has not averaged below 40°F on a single day in about 13,800 station-days, which is at or above the germination minimum for the hardy crops. So in January, wet ground is more often the limit than cold soil.

You sow the autumn garden into the heat, not out of it. Our summer plateaus more than it peaks: at San Jose airport the normal daily high stays within about a degree of its maximum through much of July, August and early September, and that maximum lands in late August. So early autumn sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water.

In autumn, growth slows sharply but doesn't stop. From late November to mid-January the day runs under ten hours and the weather is cool, so a crop sown late takes far longer to finish. One planting-date trial in coastal South Carolina measured romaine at 47 days from a September planting, 64 from October and 90 to 98 from December and January (Dufault et al., 2006). So hardy crops can go in well into autumn, and each bar turns paler once a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual days. That cutoff is our planning rule, not a measured limit. Frost varies across the county: the median last freeze is January 12 at San Jose airport and February 24 at Gilroy, and the median first freeze is December 22 at the airport and November 27 at Gilroy. Our dates use the airport, so south-county gardens should allow for the longer frost season.

Search crops

Start indoors Sow Plant out Dormant planting Harvest Possible, but low return The upright line on each bar is today.

Reading “How to sow it”

Every crop below carries a sowing spec: how deep the seed goes, how far apart the plants finish, what soil temperature it wants to germinate in, and how long that takes. Depth is the depth of the seed, which is not the same as how deep a transplant is set.

A paler bar means the window is open but returns less. In January that's because our soil never gets cold enough to stop a hardy seed germinating, so sowing is possible, but a mid-January sowing finishes only about two to three weeks ahead of a mid-February one while spending one to two and a half weeks longer in cold, wet ground. In autumn it's because growth has slowed enough that a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual days. Each crop below gives its own figures. There is no sharp cutoff either way, which is why we shade rather than cut.

The spacing figure is what you thin to, not what you sow at. Sow small seed more thickly than the final number and thin down to it, because germination is never complete and a gappy row is harder to fix than a crowded one. Thin while the plants are small and the soil is damp. If pulling one disturbs its neighbors, snip it off at the surface instead.

Arugula

Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa Brassicaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Arugula
Spring sow	Jan 15 – May 30	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for cabbage) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 30 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 23 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 8 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Nov 10 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 30 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

40–55°F soil, 5–7 days

Space

6 in apart

Grows to

8 in tall and 8 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Sow about an inch apart and thin in stages to 6 in.

Sources

Cornell Garden-Based Learning. (n.d.). Arugula. https://gardening.cals.cornell.edu/garden-guidance/foodgarden/vegetable-growing-guides/arugula/; Cornell Garden-Based Learning. (n.d.). Arugula growing guide. Cornell Cooperative Extension. https://gardening.cals.cornell.edu/garden-guidance/foodgarden/vegetable-growing-guides/arugula/; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Beet (Table Beet)

Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris Chenopodiaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Beet (Table Beet)
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 30	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for beet) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 60 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 19 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 12 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 20 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 60 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¾ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

50–85°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

3 in apart, rows 15 in apart

Grows to

12 in tall and 8 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, heavy feeder

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 3 in.
Sow it where it is to grow. The taproot does not move well.
An inch a week, steadily. Uneven watering leaves pale rings through the root and splits it. Going dry while the roots are sizing gives you small woody ones.
What you sow is not one seed but a dried fruit holding two to six of them, so a cluster of seedlings comes up from each. Thin to the strongest at the two or three true-leaf stage, snipping the rest off at soil level rather than pulling, which would tear at the root of the one you are keeping (UMN). Single-seeded varieties such as 'Moneta' save you the job, though they are less common in home-garden packets.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Planting the vegetable garden. https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/planting-vegetable-garden; Cornell Vegetables. (n.d.). Cercospora leaf spot of table beet. https://www.vegetables.cornell.edu/pest-management/disease-factsheets/cercospora-leaf-spot-of-table-beet/; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Cercospora leaf spot on table beets. https://extension.psu.edu/cercospora-leaf-spot-on-table-beets; Utah State University Extension. (n.d.). Beet curly top virus. https://extension.usu.edu/pests/ipm/notes_ag/veg-beet-curly-top-virus; University of Maryland Extension. (n.d.). Beet and spinach leafminers. https://extension.umd.edu/resource/beet-and-spinach-leafminers; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Bok Choy

Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis Brassicaceae · half-hardy

Planting windows for Bok Choy
Spring sow	Jan 15 – May 9	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for cabbage) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 52 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 20 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 11 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Set out fall transplants	Jul 29 – Oct 16	Opens about a month before the late-August heat peak. Half-hardy, so the last date is the latest sowing that still finishes before the median first frost at San Jose airport, Dec 22.
Sow for those transplants	Jun 17 – Sep 11	Five to six weeks before setting out.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

Shallow

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

50–80°F soil, 4–7 days

Space

9 in apart, rows 24 in apart

Grows to

15 in tall and 15 in across

Wants

Full sun, heavy water

Keep it evenly moist or it runs to seed.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing Chinese cabbage and bok choy. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-chinese-cabbage-and-bok-choy; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Broccoli

Brassica oleracea var. italica Brassicaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Broccoli
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 21	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for cabbage) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 67 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 18 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 13 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Set out fall transplants	Jul 29 – Jan 14	Opens about a month before the late-August heat peak. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 15 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 67 days, so the bar turns paler.
Sow for those transplants	Jun 17 – Sep 9	Five to six weeks before setting out.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ to ½ in

Start

Start it under cover 6–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

40–85°F soil, 4–7 days

Space

16 in apart, rows 33 in apart

Grows to

30 in tall and 30 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing broccoli. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-broccoli; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Carrot

Daucus carota subsp. sativus Apiaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Carrot
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 28	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for carrot) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 62 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 19 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 12 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 19 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 62 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

55–75°F soil, 7–21 days

Space

2 in apart, rows 21 in apart

Grows to

12 in tall and 4 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

It makes a taproot, so sow it where it is to grow.
About an inch a week, steadily. Water that comes and goes splits and forks the roots.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing carrots and parsnips. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-carrots-and-parsnips; Michigan State University Extension. (n.d.). How to grow carrots. https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/how_to_grow_carrots; University of Maryland Extension. (n.d.). Growing carrots in the home garden. https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-carrots-home-garden; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Daikon

Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus Brassicaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Daikon
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 30	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for radish) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 60 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 19 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 12 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 20 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 60 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

½ to 1 in

Germinates

50–75°F soil, 5–10 days

Space

6 in apart, rows 12 in apart

Grows to

18 in tall and 8 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, moderate feeder

Wants 4 to 6 in between plants, well more than a salad radish.
Keep it evenly moist.

Sources

Dixon, M., & Liu, G. (2024). Daikon radish cultivation guide for Florida (HS1370). University of Florida IFAS Extension. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1370; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Dill

Anethum graveolens Apiaceae · half-hardy

Planting windows for Dill
Spring sow	Jan 15 – May 12	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for parsley) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 50 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 20 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 11 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Oct 18	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Half-hardy, so the last date is the latest sowing that still finishes before the median first frost at San Jose airport, Dec 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

0 in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

60–75°F soil, 7–21 days

Space

10 in apart, rows 18 in apart

Grows to

36 in tall and 10 in across

Wants

Full sun, light to moderate water

Dill needs light to germinate. Press the seed into the surface and barely cover it.
Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 10 in.
It makes a taproot and does not move well.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing dill. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-dill; Kapadia, S. (2026). Herb garden plants: Dill. Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/herb-garden-plants-dill; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Kale (curly)

Brassica oleracea var. acephala Brassicaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Kale (curly)
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 28	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for cabbage) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 62 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 19 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 12 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Set out fall transplants	Jul 29 – Jan 14	Opens about a month before the late-August heat peak. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 19 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 62 days, so the bar turns paler.
Sow for those transplants	Jun 17 – Sep 13	Five to six weeks before setting out.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ to ½ in

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

39–84°F soil, 4–7 days

Space

13 in apart, rows 24 in apart

Grows to

27 in tall and 24 in across

Wants

Full to part, moderate water

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing collards and kale. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-collards-and-kale; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Kohlrabi

Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes Brassicaceae · half-hardy

Planting windows for Kohlrabi
Spring sow	Jan 15 – May 15	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for cabbage) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 47 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 21 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 10 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Set out fall transplants	Jul 29 – Oct 21	Opens about a month before the late-August heat peak. Half-hardy, so the last date is the latest sowing that still finishes before the median first frost at San Jose airport, Dec 22.
Sow for those transplants	Jun 17 – Sep 16	Five to six weeks before setting out.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ to ½ in

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

39–84°F soil, 4–7 days

Space

4 in apart, rows 12 in apart

Grows to

15 in tall and 15 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate to heavy water

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing kohlrabi. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-kohlrabi; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Leaf Lettuce (loose-leaf)

Lactuca sativa Asteraceae · half-hardy

Planting windows for Leaf Lettuce (loose-leaf)
Spring sow	Jan 15 – May 15	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 35°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for lettuce) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 47 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 21 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 10 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Oct 21	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Half-hardy, so the last date is the latest sowing that still finishes before the median first frost at San Jose airport, Dec 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 35°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Start it under cover 4 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

40–75°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

6 in apart, rows 18 in apart

Grows to

10 in tall and 8 in across

Wants

Full to part, moderate water, heavy feeder

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing lettuce, endive and radicchio in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-lettuce-endive-and-radicchio; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Mustard Greens

Brassica juncea Brassicaceae · half-hardy to hardy

Planting windows for Mustard Greens
Spring sow	Jan 15 – May 22	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for cabbage) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 40 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 21 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 10 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Oct 28	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Half-hardy, so the last date is the latest sowing that still finishes before the median first frost at San Jose airport, Dec 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

½ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

39–84°F soil, 4–7 days

Space

12 in apart, rows 7 in apart

Grows to

15 in tall and 18 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 12 in.
Heat and dry soil sharpen the pepperiness.

Sources

Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Radish (round red salad)

Raphanus sativus Brassicaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Radish (round red salad)
Spring sow	Jan 15 – May 31	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for radish) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 28 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 23 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 8 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Nov 12 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 28 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

½ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

40–90°F soil, 3–7 days

Space

2 in apart, rows 12 in apart

Grows to

12 in tall and 7 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate to heavy water

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 2 in.
Keep the water steady. A dry spell leaves the roots woolly and sharp-tasting.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing radishes. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-radishes; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Snap Pea

Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon Fabaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Snap Pea
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 24	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for pea) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 65 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 18 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 13 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 17 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 65 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

½ to 1 in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

40–85°F soil, 6–17 days

Space

2 in apart, rows 24 in apart

Grows to

72 in tall and 9 in across

Wants

Full sun, light to moderate water

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 2 in.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing peas. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-peas; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). A gardener's guide to peas. https://extension.psu.edu/a-gardeners-guide-to-peas; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Snow Pea

Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon Fabaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Snow Pea
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 28	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for pea) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 62 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 19 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 12 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 19 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 62 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

½ to 1 in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

40–85°F soil, 6–17 days

Space

2 in apart, rows 24 in apart

Grows to

60 in tall and 9 in across

Wants

Full sun, light to moderate water

Sow it in place as soon as the ground can be worked.
In a cool spring it may need no extra water at all (UMN). Water the soil rather than the leaves.

Sources

Spinach

Spinacia oleracea Chenopodiaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Spinach
Spring sow	Jan 15 – May 6	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 35°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for spinach) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 55 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 19 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 12 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 23 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 55 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 35°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

½ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

35–70°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

3 in apart, rows 12 in apart

Grows to

10 in tall and 8 in across

Wants

Full to part, moderate water, moderate feeder

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 3 in.
Sow it where it is to grow, since the taproot does not move well. Sow again every week or two through spring until it reaches 80°F outside, then pick it back up in August.
Spinach is one of the few vegetables that will germinate near freezing: seed sprouts at 35°F. It goes the other way in warmth, coming up poorly above 75°F and barely at all above 85°F.
An inch a week, steadily. Cornell, UMN and OSU all name uneven watering as the second-biggest reason it runs to seed, after daylength.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing spinach and Swiss chard in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-spinach-and-swiss-chard; Cornell Vegetables. (n.d.). Spinach. https://www.vegetables.cornell.edu/crops/spinach/; Cornell Vegetables. (n.d.). Spinach downy mildew fact sheet. https://www.vegetables.cornell.edu/pest-management/disease-factsheets/spinach-downy-mildew/; University of Maryland Extension. (n.d.). Beet and spinach leafminers. https://extension.umd.edu/resource/beet-and-spinach-leafminers; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Swiss Chard

Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla Chenopodiaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Swiss Chard
Spring sow	Jan 15 – May 6	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for chard) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 55 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 19 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 12 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 23 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 55 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¾ in

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

50–85°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

6 in apart, rows 18 in apart

Grows to

24 in tall and 12 in across

Wants

Full to part, moderate water, heavy feeder

Usually sown where it is to grow, though transplants are useful for an early start in a cold spring. One sowing will carry you all season, because chard holds through summer heat rather than running to seed the way spinach does.
1 to 1.5 in a week. It will take a short dry spell, though the stems turn stringy.
What you sow is not one seed but a dried fruit holding two to six of them, so a cluster of seedlings comes up from each. Thin to the strongest at the two or three true-leaf stage, snipping the rest off at soil level rather than pulling, which would disturb the one you are keeping (UMN). Single-seeded varieties exist but rarely turn up in home-garden packets.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing spinach and Swiss chard in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-spinach-and-swiss-chard; UMass Extension. (n.d.). Cercospora leaf spot of Swiss chard, beets, and spinach. https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/fact-sheets/cercospora-leaf-spot-of-swiss-chard-beets-spinach; Cornell Vegetables. (n.d.). Cercospora leaf spot of table beet. https://www.vegetables.cornell.edu/pest-management/disease-factsheets/cercospora-leaf-spot-of-table-beet/; University of Maryland Extension. (n.d.). Beet and spinach leafminers. https://extension.umd.edu/resource/beet-and-spinach-leafminers; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Turnip

Brassica rapa subsp. rapa Brassicaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Turnip
Spring sow	Jan 15 – May 17	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for turnip) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 45 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 21 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 10 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 30 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 45 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ to ½ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

40–105°F soil, 4–10 days

Space

5 in apart, rows 21 in apart

Grows to

15 in tall and 10 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 5 in.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing turnips and rutabagas. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-turnips-and-rutabagas; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Bulb Onion

Allium cepa Amaryllidaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Bulb Onion
Sow to overwinter	Oct 1 – Nov 15	Sown in autumn, it grows slowly through the short, cool days and finishes in spring.
Harvest	Apr 15 – Jun 15	A spring finish, as the days lengthen and warm.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 35°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ to ½ in

Start

Start it under cover 8–10 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

50–77°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

4 in apart, rows 15 in apart

Grows to

21 in tall and 5 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

An inch a week, steadily. Stop watering a week or two before harvest, once the tops flop over.

Onions bulb according to daylength.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing onions in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-onions; Johnny's Selected Seeds. (n.d.). Onion bulbing daylength latitude map. https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/vegetables/onions/onion-bulbing-daylength-latitude-map.html; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Fava Bean

Vicia faba Fabaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Fava Bean
Sow to overwinter	Oct 1 – Nov 15	Sown in autumn, it grows slowly through the short, cool days and finishes in spring.
Harvest	Apr 15 – Jun 15	A spring finish, as the days lengthen and warm.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 to 2 in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

39–70°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

6 in apart, rows 30 in apart

Grows to

48 in tall and 15 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 6 in.
Sown in autumn around the Mediterranean and anywhere in zone 8 or milder. In colder places it goes in early spring instead.
Let it go dry while it is flowering and you get far fewer seeds (OSU Em 8697).

Sources

Oregon State University Horticulture. (n.d.). Beans, fava. https://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/oregon-vegetables/beans-fava; Sattell, R., Dick, R., & McGrath, D. (n.d.). Fava bean (Vicia faba L.) [OSU EM 8697]. Oregon State University Extension. https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/1g05fb98c; Cornell University. (n.d.). Faba bean / favabean / broadbean / horsebean. Cornell World Crops. https://blogs.cornell.edu/worldcrops/crops/crops-alphabetical/fababean-favabean-broadbean-horsebean/; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Amaranth / Callaloo (leaf type)

Amaranthus tricolor Amaranthaceae · tender

Planting windows for Amaranth / Callaloo (leaf type)
Direct sow	May 5 – Aug 8	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 65°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 45 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 65°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

65–95°F soil, 5–10 days

Space

6 in apart, rows 15 in apart

Grows to

36 in tall and 12 in across

Wants

Full sun, low water, light feeder

Sow an inch apart and thin to 6 in as it grows.
Sow in place after the last frost, once the soil is at 70°F (IFAS). It will take transplanting, but grows fast enough that you rarely need to.
An eighth to a quarter of an inch deep. The seed is tiny and wants contact with the surface rather than burial (IFAS).
Drought-tolerant once established, on a deep taproot and the efficient style of photosynthesis warm-country grasses and amaranths use.

Sources

North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Amaranthus tricolor. NCSU Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/amaranthus-tricolor/; North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Callaloo — Amaranthus tricolor. NCSU Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/amaranthus-tricolor/common-name/callaloo/; Liu, G., Simonne, E., Li, Y., Wang, Q., & Sui, J. (2021). HS1407: Production Guide of Vegetable Amaranth for Florida. UF/IFAS Extension. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1407; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Vegetable gardening. https://extension.psu.edu/vegetable-gardening; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf

Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis Asparagaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Asparagus
Plant / divide (dormant)	Nov 19 – Mar 2	While air temperatures run below 55°F: the dormant window for crowns, divisions and bare-root plants.

How to sow it

Depth

6 to 8 in

Space

12 in apart, rows 54 in apart

Grows to

60 in tall and 30 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, heavy feeder

Open a trench six to eight inches deep, set the crowns in it, and cover with only two inches of soil. Then fill the trench gradually as the spears rise, a couple of inches at a time, rather than all at once.
1 to 2 in every other week for the first two years, easing to every third week once the bed is established. New Mexico State tapers irrigation in early autumn as the plants go dormant.

Crowns go in during January or February here, or as soon as the ground can be worked (Texas A&M).
Cut nothing for two years. Four weeks of spears in year three, six in year four, eight from year five.
Where winter brings no hard freeze the fern is not killed off for you. Texas A&M says cut it to the ground in late November, when it yellows, rather than waiting on a frost that may not arrive.

Sources

Drost, D. (2020). How to grow asparagus in your garden. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/asparagus-in-the-garden; Dufault, R. J., Polomski, R. F., & Shaughnessy, D. (rev. Smith, B. H., & Williamson, J.). (2025). Asparagus. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center. https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/asparagus/; Masabni, J. (n.d.). Easy gardening: Asparagus (EHT-066). Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/03/EHT-066.pdf; Walker, S. (2009). Asparagus production in New Mexico (Guide H-227). New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service. https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_h/H227/index.html; North Carolina State Extension. (n.d.). Asparagus officinalis. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/asparagus-officinalis/

Bitter Melon

Momordica charantia Cucurbitaceae · tender

Planting windows for Bitter Melon
No window	–	By our arithmetic this crop does not fit a Santa Clara summer in open ground: the warm stretch ends before it can mature.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 75°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

–

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

75–86°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

21 in apart, rows 66 in apart

Grows to

138 in tall and 30 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Soak the seed for 24 hours first.
It must have drainage.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing staple vegetables from around the world. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-staple-vegetables-around-world-minnesota; University of Hawaii CTAHR. (n.d.). Bitter melon. https://gms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/gs/handler/getmedia.ashx?moid=3153&dt=3&g=12

Bush Bean

Phaseolus vulgaris Fabaceae · tender

Planting windows for Bush Bean
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Jul 27	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 57 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

60–80°F soil, 8–14 days

Space

4 in apart, rows 30 in apart

Grows to

24 in tall and 15 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 4 in.
Beans do not take to transplanting. Sow them where they are to grow (Cornell).
About an inch a week, above all at flowering and pod fill.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing beans in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-beans; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Growing snap beans in the home garden. https://extension.psu.edu/growing-snap-beans-in-the-home-garden; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Butternut Squash

Cucurbita moschata Cucurbitaceae · tender

Planting windows for Butternut Squash
Start indoors	Mar 15 – Mar 29	2 to 4 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Jun 14	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 100 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 to 2 in

Start

Start it under cover 2–4 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–90°F soil, 6–10 days

Space

30 in apart, rows 66 in apart

Grows to

96 in tall and 120 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Water heavily while the vine runs, then ease off as the fruit matures.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing winter squash and pumpkins. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/pumpkins-and-winter-squash; Oregon State University Extension Service. (n.d.). Growing pumpkins and winter squash in the home garden. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/plan-now-harvest-store-pumpkins-winter-squash; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Cabbage (green head)

Brassica oleracea var. capitata Brassicaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Cabbage (green head)
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 2	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for cabbage) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 80 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 16 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 15 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Set out fall transplants	Jul 29 – Jan 14	Opens about a month before the late-August heat peak. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 6 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 80 days, so the bar turns paler.
Sow for those transplants	Jun 17 – Aug 31	Five to six weeks before setting out.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ to ½ in

Start

Start it under cover 6–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

39–84°F soil, 4–7 days

Space

18 in apart, rows 26 in apart

Grows to

18 in tall and 27 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing cabbage. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-cabbage; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Calabaza

Cucurbita moschata Cucurbitaceae · tender

Planting windows for Calabaza
Start indoors	Mar 15 – Mar 29	2 to 4 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Jun 7	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 107 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

–

Start

Start it under cover 2–4 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–90°F soil, 6–10 days

Space

48 in apart, rows 120 in apart

Grows to

12 in tall and 160 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, heavy feeder

Sources

Cornell Cooperative Extension. (n.d.). Winter squash. https://www.vegetables.cornell.edu/crops/winter-squash/; University of Puerto Rico Agricultural Experiment Station. (n.d.). Calabaza production guide.; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Cantaloupe / Muskmelon

Cucumis melo var. reticulatus Cucurbitaceae · tender

Planting windows for Cantaloupe / Muskmelon
Start indoors	Mar 15 – Mar 22	3 to 4 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Jun 27	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 87 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 to 2 in

Start

Start it under cover 3–4 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–95°F soil, 4–10 days

Space

30 in apart, rows 84 in apart

Grows to

12 in tall and 96 in across

Wants

Full sun, heavy water

Squash and their relatives hate having their roots disturbed. If you must transplant, start them in peat pots that go in whole.
Water heavily while the vine is running and the fruit setting, then ease off for the last two weeks so the sugars concentrate.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing melons. https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-melons-home-garden; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Cantaloupe production. https://extension.psu.edu/cantaloupe-muskmelon-production; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Cauliflower

Brassica oleracea var. botrytis Brassicaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Cauliflower
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 7	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for cauliflower) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 77 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 16 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 15 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Set out fall transplants	Jul 29 – Jan 14	Opens about a month before the late-August heat peak. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 8 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 77 days, so the bar turns paler.
Sow for those transplants	Jun 17 – Sep 2	Five to six weeks before setting out.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ to ½ in

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

39–84°F soil, 4–7 days

Space

19 in apart, rows 30 in apart

Grows to

18 in tall and 26 in across

Wants

Full sun, heavy water

The curd wants steady moisture. Let it dry out and come back and the head goes grainy instead of staying smooth.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing cauliflower. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-cauliflower; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Celery

Apium graveolens var. dulce Apiaceae · half-hardy

Planting windows for Celery
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Feb 14	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for parsley) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 105 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 14 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 17 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Set out fall transplants	Jul 29 – Aug 25	Opens about a month before the late-August heat peak. Half-hardy, so the last date is the latest sowing that still finishes before the median first frost at San Jose airport, Dec 22.
Sow for those transplants	Jun 17 – Jul 21	Five to six weeks before setting out.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Start it under cover 8–10 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

60–75°F soil, 14–21 days

Space

10 in apart, rows 24 in apart

Grows to

21 in tall and 10 in across

Wants

Full to part, heavy water

One of the few in the carrot family that transplants well, on a shallow fibrous root rather than a taproot.
Sow on the surface. The seed needs light to germinate.
1 to 2 in a week and never let it dry out. Celery that goes short of water turns stringy and bitter and runs to seed.

Sources

Michigan State University Extension. (n.d.). Celery commercial vegetable recommendations. https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/celery_commercial_vegetable_recommendations_e1308; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Chayote / Mirliton / Christophine

Sechium edule Cucurbitaceae · tender

Planting windows for Chayote / Mirliton / Christophine
No window	–	By our arithmetic this crop does not fit a Santa Clara summer in open ground: the warm stretch ends before it can mature.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 70°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Sprouts

70–85°F soil, 14–28 days

Space

120 in apart, rows 120 in apart

Grows to

144 in tall and 144 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, heavy feeder

Planted as a whole sprouting fruit, not a seed. Set it at a 45-degree angle with the sprouted end down and about two thirds of it buried.
The sprout forms inside the fruit before it ever goes in the ground, so count your days from when you first see it push out.
Steady moisture while the vine runs. Mulch heavily.
Give it real structure: a pergola, an arbor, a chain-link fence, or a 4 by 4 post with cross-beams.

Sources

Frey, C., Boyd, N. S., Wang, Q., Desaeger, J., Qureshi, J., Meszaros, A., Dufault, N. S., Roberts, P. D., & Martini, X. (2026). Chapter 7. Cucurbit production (HS725/CV123). University of Florida IFAS Extension. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/CV123

Chicory / Radicchio

Cichorium intybus Asteraceae · hardy

Planting windows for Chicory / Radicchio
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 2	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 35°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for lettuce) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 80 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 16 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 15 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Set out fall transplants	Jul 29 – Jan 14	Opens about a month before the late-August heat peak. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 6 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 80 days, so the bar turns paler.
Sow for those transplants	Jun 17 – Aug 31	Five to six weeks before setting out.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 35°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

60–70°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

12 in apart, rows 18 in apart

Grows to

10 in tall and 12 in across

Wants

Full to part, moderate water

Sow Belgian-endive types (chicory grown for forcing indoors over winter) straight into the ground. Disturbing the root makes it fork, and a forked root will not force well. Radicchio grown for heads is happy either sown in place or transplanted.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing lettuce, endive and radicchio in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-lettuce-endive-and-radicchio; University of Minnesota Extension Fruit & Vegetable IPM. (2023). Forcing chicories: An opportunity for diversifying season extension on Minnesota vegetable farms. https://blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu/2023/01/forcing-chicories-opportunity-for.html; North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Cichorium intybus. NCSU Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cichorium-intybus/; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Chives

Allium schoenoprasum Amaryllidaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Chives
Plant / divide (dormant)	Nov 19 – Mar 2	While air temperatures run below 55°F: the dormant window for crowns, divisions and bare-root plants.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 35°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Start it under cover 8–10 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

59–70°F soil, 14–21 days

Space

9 in apart, rows 12 in apart

Grows to

14 in tall and 9 in across

Wants

Full to part, light water

Final stand 4 to 6 in apart in every direction.
Slow and uneven from seed.
An inch a week, though it is drought-tolerant once established.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing chives in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-chives; University of Wisconsin-Madison Horticulture Extension. (n.d.). Chives, Allium schoenoprasum. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/chives-allium-schoenoprasum/; Drost, D. (2020). How to grow chives in your garden. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/chives-in-the-garden; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Cilantro / Coriander

Coriandrum sativum Apiaceae · half-hardy

Planting windows for Cilantro / Coriander
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 28	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for parsley) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 62 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 19 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 12 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Oct 6	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Half-hardy, so the last date is the latest sowing that still finishes before the median first frost at San Jose airport, Dec 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ to ½ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

55–75°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

5 in apart, rows 12 in apart

Grows to

18 in tall and 6 in across

Wants

Full to part, moderate water

Spacing depends on what you want. Two inches apart for cutting leaf, 8 to 10 in if you are growing it on for coriander seed.
Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 5 in.
The taproot resents being moved, so sow it in place, and sow again every two or three weeks.
Keep it evenly moist. Heat and dry soil together send it to seed almost at once.

Sources

University of Wisconsin-Madison Horticulture Extension. (n.d.). Cilantro / Coriander. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/cilantro-coriander-coriandrum-sativum/; Oregon State University Extension. (n.d.). How to grow cilantro for leaves or coriander seeds. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/how-grow-cilantro-leaves-or-coriander-seeds; Miller, C., & Drost, D. (2018). Cilantro/coriander in the garden. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/cilantro-coriander-in-the-garden; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Collards

Brassica oleracea var. acephala Brassicaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Collards
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 17	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for cabbage) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 70 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 17 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 14 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Set out fall transplants	Jul 29 – Jan 14	Opens about a month before the late-August heat peak. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 13 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 70 days, so the bar turns paler.
Sow for those transplants	Jun 17 – Sep 7	Five to six weeks before setting out.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ to ½ in

Start

Start it under cover 6–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

39–84°F soil, 4–7 days

Space

15 in apart, rows 24 in apart

Grows to

27 in tall and 18 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Drought-tolerant, though the flavor thins out if you let it go dry.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing collards and kale. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-collards-and-kale; Trinklein, D. H. (2016). Vegetable planting calendar (G6201). University of Missouri Extension. https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6201; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Common Thyme (English Thyme)

Thymus vulgaris Lamiaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Common Thyme (English Thyme)
Plant / divide (dormant)	Nov 19 – Mar 2	While air temperatures run below 55°F: the dormant window for crowns, divisions and bare-root plants.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 65°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Start

Start it under cover 8–10 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

65–75°F soil, 14–28 days

Space

10 in apart, rows 12 in apart

Grows to

9 in tall and 15 in across

Wants

Full sun, light water

Slow and patchy from seed.
Drought-tolerant once established, and far happier dry than overwatered.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing herbs. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-herbs

Cucumber (slicing)

Cucumis sativus Cucurbitaceae · tender

Planting windows for Cucumber (slicing)
Start indoors	Mar 15 – Mar 22	3 to 4 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Jul 24	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 60 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

½ to 1 in

Start

Start it under cover 3–4 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

60–95°F soil, 3–10 days

Space

10 in apart, rows 60 in apart

Grows to

72 in tall and 60 in across

Wants

Full sun, heavy water

1 to 2 in a week, steadily. Let it swing and the fruit turns bitter.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing cucumbers. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-cucumbers; Oregon State University Extension Service. (n.d.). Grow your own cucumbers. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/vegetables/grow-your-own-cucumbers; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Edamame

Glycine max Fabaceae · tender

Planting windows for Edamame
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Jul 4	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 80 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 to 1½ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

75–85°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

5 in apart, rows 27 in apart

Grows to

30 in tall and 15 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 5 in.
Sow it in place, and only once the soil is warm.
Water regularly, above all through flowering and pod fill (SDSU).

Sources

South Dakota State University Extension. (n.d.). Edamame: Harvest and storage. https://extension.sdstate.edu/edamame-harvest-and-storage; Oregon State University Extension. (n.d.). Edamame [PNW 525]. https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/pnw525/html; North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Glycine max (edamame, soybean). NCSU Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/glycine-max/; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Eggplant

Solanum melongena Solanaceae · tender

Planting windows for Eggplant
Start indoors	Feb 1 – Feb 15	8 to 10 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Transplant out	Apr 12 – Jul 22	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 62 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ to ½ in

Start

Start it under cover 8–10 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

75–85°F soil, 7–10 days

Space

15 in apart, rows 45 in apart

Grows to

30 in tall and 24 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, moderate feeder

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing eggplant in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-eggplant; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Endive (curly / frisée or escarole)

Cichorium endivia Asteraceae · half-hardy

Planting windows for Endive (curly / frisée or escarole)
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Mar 16	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 35°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for lettuce) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 90 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 14 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 17 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Set out fall transplants	Jul 29 – Sep 9	Opens about a month before the late-August heat peak. Half-hardy, so the last date is the latest sowing that still finishes before the median first frost at San Jose airport, Dec 22.
Sow for those transplants	Jun 17 – Aug 5	Five to six weeks before setting out.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 35°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

60–70°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

12 in apart, rows 18 in apart

Grows to

10 in tall and 12 in across

Wants

Full to part, moderate water

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing lettuce, endive and radicchio in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-lettuce-endive-and-radicchio; Cornell Garden-Based Learning. (n.d.). Vegetable growing guides. https://gardening.cals.cornell.edu/garden-guidance/foodgarden/vegetable-growing-guides/; Trinklein, D. H. (2016). Vegetable planting calendar (G6201). University of Missouri Extension. https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6201; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

English Lavender

Lavandula angustifolia Lamiaceae · hardy

Planting windows for English Lavender
Plant / divide (dormant)	Nov 19 – Mar 2	While air temperatures run below 55°F: the dormant window for crowns, divisions and bare-root plants.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 65°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

⅛ in

Start

Start it under cover 10–12 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

65–70°F soil, 14–30 days

Space

30 in apart, rows 36 in apart

Grows to

27 in tall and 30 in across

Wants

Full sun, light water

Into soilless mix under cover, topped with perlite. Most lavender is raised from cuttings instead, and for good reason.
Drought-tolerant once established. Lavender minds wet soil and humidity far more than it minds cold.

Sources

Oregon State University Extension Service. (2024). Growing lavender [PDF]. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/extd8/files/documents/bennettl/growing-lavender-2024-1.pdf; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Adding lavender to your farm. https://extension.psu.edu/adding-lavender-to-your-farm; Utah State University Extension. (n.d.). English lavender in the garden. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/english-lavender-in-the-garden; Crummitt, K., & Drost, D. (2020). How to grow English lavender in your garden. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/english-lavender-in-the-garden

Epazote

Dysphania ambrosioides Chenopodiaceae · tender

Planting windows for Epazote
Start indoors	Mar 24 – Apr 7	4 to 6 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	May 5 – Jul 19	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 65°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 65 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 65°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

65–75°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

15 in apart, rows 18 in apart

Grows to

36 in tall and 18 in across

Wants

Full to part, light water, light feeder

Drought-tolerant once established.

Sources

Purdue University Center for New Crops. (n.d.). Chenopodium ambrosioides. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/; University of Florida IFAS Extension. (n.d.). Epazote — Dysphania ambrosioides.

Fennel (Florence / bulb)

Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum Apiaceae · half-hardy

Planting windows for Fennel (Florence / bulb)
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 7	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for parsley) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 77 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 16 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 15 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Sep 22	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Half-hardy, so the last date is the latest sowing that still finishes before the median first frost at San Jose airport, Dec 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

60–75°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

7 in apart, rows 21 in apart

Grows to

36 in tall and 12 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Better sown in place because of the taproot, though it will take transplanting if you start it in deep cells and set it out small.
Keep it evenly moist, or it runs to seed and the bulbs split.

Sources

University of Wisconsin-Madison Horticulture Extension. (n.d.). Fennel. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/fennel-foeniculum-vulgare/; Utah State University Extension. (n.d.). Fennel in the garden. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/fennel-in-the-garden; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Garden Sage

Salvia officinalis Lamiaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Garden Sage
Plant / divide (dormant)	Nov 19 – Mar 2	While air temperatures run below 55°F: the dormant window for crowns, divisions and bare-root plants.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Start

Start it under cover 6–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

60–70°F soil, 14–21 days

Space

21 in apart, rows 30 in apart

Grows to

24 in tall and 30 in across

Wants

Full sun, light water

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing herbs. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-herbs; University of Wisconsin-Madison Horticulture Extension. (n.d.). Sage, Salvia officinalis. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/sage-salvia-officinalis/

Garlic

Allium sativum Amaryllidaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Garlic
Plant cloves	Nov 1 – Nov 30	We plant in November and lift in mid-June; the cloves root through the cool, wet months.
Lift	Jun 7 – Jun 21	Mid-June in our beds. Watch the plant rather than the date.

How to sow it

Depth

2 to 3 in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Sprouts

39–77°F soil, 14–28 days

Space

6 in apart, rows 12 in apart

Grows to

27 in tall and 7 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Cloves go in flat end down, pointed tip up.
An inch a week through spring growth. Stop watering two weeks before harvest so the bulbs cure in dry soil.

Watch the plant, not the date: lift when the lower third of the leaves have browned and the tops start to lean.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing garlic in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-garlic; Oregon State University Extension. (n.d.). Fall is the best time to plant garlic in Oregon. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/get-your-garlic-primer-planting-growing-harvesting-0; Cornell Cooperative Extension. (n.d.). White rot: a returning problem for garlic in New York. https://rvpadmin.cce.cornell.edu/uploads/doc_480.pdf; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf

Ginger

Zingiber officinale Zingiberaceae · tender

Planting windows for Ginger
Plant out	May 5 – Jun 16	Plant once the soil has warmed to about 65°F, in spring rather than the winter dormant window.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 70°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

2 to 4 in

Start

Start it under cover 8–12 weeks ahead, then set it out

Sprouts

70–80°F soil, 14–56 days

Space

12 in apart, rows 18 in apart

Grows to

36 in tall and 18 in across

Wants

Part sun, moderate to high water, moderate feeder

Seed pieces go 6 to 8 in apart in a deep furrow, then get covered.
Be patient: a rhizome can take one to two months to break. Keep it warm and barely moist, not wet, until it does.
Plant 9-10 months before harvest. In USDA 8 and colder, start indoors February-March, transplant out after last frost, harvest October-November before first frost.

Sources

North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Zingiber officinale. NCSU Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zingiber-officinale/; Nishina, M. S., Sato, D. M., Nishijima, W. T., &

Globe Artichoke

Cynara scolymus Asteraceae · half-hardy

Planting windows for Globe Artichoke
Plant / divide (dormant)	Nov 19 – Mar 2	While air temperatures run below 55°F: the dormant window for crowns, divisions and bare-root plants.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 35°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Start it under cover 8–12 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–80°F soil, 8–12 days

Space

18 in apart, rows 30 in apart

Grows to

48 in tall and 42 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate-high water, heavy feeder

Into potting mix, and not when it is above 85F.
Seedlings vary a great deal and rarely match the parent plant, so sowing in place is not the usual route (Cornell). Grown as an annual, start it under cover and give it a cold spell before it goes out.

Sources

Cornell Garden-Based Learning. (n.d.). Globe artichokes growing guide. https://gardening.cals.cornell.edu/garden-guidance/foodgarden/vegetable-growing-guides/globe-artichokes-growing-guide/; Utah State University Extension. (n.d.). Artichokes. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/vegetables/artichokes; Drost, D. (n.d.). How to grow artichoke in your garden. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/artichoke-in-the-garden; North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Cynara cardunculus Scolymus Group. NCSU Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cynara-cardunculus-scolymus-group/; Masabni, J. (n.d.). Artichokes [Easy gardening series]. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/gardening/artichokes/; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Greek Oregano

Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum Lamiaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Greek Oregano
Plant / divide (dormant)	Nov 19 – Mar 2	While air temperatures run below 55°F: the dormant window for crowns, divisions and bare-root plants.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 65°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

0 in

Start

Start it under cover 6–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

65–75°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

15 in apart, rows 21 in apart

Grows to

18 in tall and 21 in across

Wants

Full sun, light water

Oregano needs light to germinate. Press the seed onto the surface and do not cover it.
Drought-tolerant once established.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing herbs. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-herbs; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Herbs for the home gardener. https://extension.psu.edu/herbs-for-the-home-gardener; University of Illinois Extension. (n.d.). Oregano. Herbs. https://extension.illinois.edu/herbs/oregano

Green Onion / Scallion

Allium fistulosum Amaryllidaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Green Onion / Scallion
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 17	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 35°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for onion) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 70 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 17 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 14 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 13 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 70 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 35°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ to ½ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

50–77°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

1 in apart, rows 15 in apart

Grows to

15 in tall and 2 in across

Wants

Full to part, moderate water

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 1 in.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing scallions in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-scallions-home-gardens; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Ground Cherry (Aunt Molly's)

Physalis pruinosa Solanaceae · tender

Planting windows for Ground Cherry (Aunt Molly's)
Start indoors	Feb 15 – Feb 22	7 to 8 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Transplant out	Apr 12 – Jul 14	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 70 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Start it under cover 7–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

75–85°F soil, 7–10 days

Space

21 in apart, rows 36 in apart

Grows to

24 in tall and 30 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, moderate feeder

Sown into flats of soilless mix rather than straight into the bed.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing tomatillos and ground cherries. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-tomatillos-and-ground-cherries; Seed Savers Exchange. (n.d.). Growing guide: Ground cherry. https://seedsavers.org/grow-ground-cherry/; MacKenzie, J. (2024). Growing tomatillos and ground cherries in home gardens. University of Minnesota Extension. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-tomatillos-and-ground-cherries; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Head Lettuce (butterhead)

Lactuca sativa Asteraceae · half-hardy

Planting windows for Head Lettuce (butterhead)
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 24	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 35°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for lettuce) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 65 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 18 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 13 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Set out fall transplants	Jul 29 – Oct 3	Opens about a month before the late-August heat peak. Half-hardy, so the last date is the latest sowing that still finishes before the median first frost at San Jose airport, Dec 22.
Sow for those transplants	Jun 17 – Aug 29	Five to six weeks before setting out.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 35°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

40–75°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

10 in apart, rows 18 in apart

Grows to

10 in tall and 10 in across

Wants

Full to part, moderate water

Steady water matters most as the head forms. Uneven watering scorches the leaf margins, a calcium problem rather than a disease.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing lettuce, endive and radicchio in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-lettuce-endive-and-radicchio; University of Minnesota Extension Fruit & Vegetable IPM. (2026). Gearing up to grow: Head lettuce. https://blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu/2026/04/gearing-up-to-grow-head-lettuce.html; Cornell Garden-Based Learning. (n.d.). Vegetable growing guides. https://gardening.cals.cornell.edu/garden-guidance/foodgarden/vegetable-growing-guides/; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Jicama / Mexican Yam Bean

Pachyrhizus erosus Fabaceae · tender

Planting windows for Jicama / Mexican Yam Bean
No window	–	By our arithmetic this crop does not fit a Santa Clara summer in open ground: the warm stretch ends before it can mature.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 70°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Start

Start it under cover 6–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–85°F soil, 10–21 days

Space

12 in apart, rows 36 in apart

Grows to

120 in tall and 96 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, light feeder

Sources

Greenland, M., & Drost, D. (2019). Jicama in the garden (Horticulture/Garden/2019-06pr). Utah State University Extension. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3057&context=extension_curall

Kabocha (Japanese winter squash)

Cucurbita maxima Cucurbitaceae · tender

Planting windows for Kabocha (Japanese winter squash)
Start indoors	Mar 15 – Mar 29	2 to 4 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Jun 22	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 92 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 to 2 in

Start

Start it under cover 2–4 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–90°F soil, 6–10 days

Space

42 in apart, rows 84 in apart

Grows to

72 in tall and 120 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Water heavily while the vine runs, then ease off two or three weeks before harvest.

Sources

Leek

Allium ampeloprasum Amaryllidaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Leek
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Feb 21	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 35°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for onion) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 120 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 13 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 18 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Set out fall transplants	Jul 29 – Jan 14	Opens about a month before the late-August heat peak. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Sep 13 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 120 days, so the bar turns paler.
Sow for those transplants	Jun 17 – Aug 8	Five to six weeks before setting out.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 35°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ to ½ in

Start

Start it under cover 10–12 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

50–77°F soil, 10–14 days

Space

5 in apart, rows 15 in apart

Grows to

30 in tall and 3.5 in across

Wants

Full sun, heavy water

Start indoors 10-12 weeks before last frost. Drop transplants into 6-in deep dibbed holes; do Not backfill. Let water and time settle soil naturally for blanching.
1 to 1.5 in a week.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing leeks in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-leeks; Utah State University Extension. (n.d.). How to grow leeks in your garden. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/leeks-in-the-garden; University of Maryland Extension. (n.d.). Growing leeks in a home garden. https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-leeks-home-garden; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Lemongrass

Cymbopogon citratus Poaceae · tender

Planting windows for Lemongrass
Plant out	May 5 – Jun 16	Plant once the soil has warmed to about 65°F, in spring rather than the winter dormant window.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 70°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

2 in

Sprouts

70–85°F soil, 14–30 days

Space

24 in apart, rows 36 in apart

Grows to

60 in tall and 36 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, moderate feeder

Divisions, spaced 3 ft apart. A grocery-store stalk will root in a glass of water in about two weeks.
Lemongrass is almost never grown from seed in home gardens. Standard methods are division of an existing clump (separate stalks with intact roots) or rooting fresh supermarket stalks (trim leaves to 4-6 inches, sit base in 1 inch of water, wait 2-3 weeks for white root nubs, then pot up). The supermarket-stalk method is reliable and cheap. Plants in pots want watering more often, and clay pots dry fastest.

Sources

North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Cymbopogon citratus. NCSU Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cymbopogon-citratus/; Maia, M. F., & Moore, S. J. (2011). Plant-based insect repellents: a review of their efficacy, development and testing. Malaria Journal, 10(Suppl 1), S11. https://malariajournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2875-10-S1-S11

Malabar Spinach

Basella alba Basellaceae · tender

Planting windows for Malabar Spinach
Start indoors	Apr 10 – Apr 24	6 to 8 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Jun 5 – Jul 7	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 70°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 77 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 70°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Start it under cover 6–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–85°F soil, 10–21 days

Space

12 in apart, rows 24 in apart

Grows to

96 in tall and 36 in across

Wants

Full to part, moderate water, moderate feeder

Sow 1 to 2 in apart and thin to 6 in. Transplants just go in at 12 in.
It wants warm soil and will not budge without it.
Keep it evenly moist. It carries on through heat that sends true spinach (Spinacia oleracea) straight to seed, which is the main reason to grow it.
A vigorous climber wanting 6 to 10 ft of sturdy trellis, fence or arbor. It will twine up anything upright you give it.

Sources

North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Basella alba. NCSU Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/basella-alba/; Qiu, Y., & Liu, G. (2024). Florida cultivation guide for Malabar spinach (HS1371). University of Florida IFAS Extension. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1371

Nopales / Paddle Cactus

Opuntia ficus-indica Cactaceae · semi-hardy

Planting windows for Nopales / Paddle Cactus
Plant / divide (dormant)	Nov 19 – Mar 2	While air temperatures run below 55°F: the dormant window for crowns, divisions and bare-root plants.

How to sow it

Space

48 in apart, rows 96 in apart

Grows to

96 in tall and 96 in across

Wants

Full sun, very-light water, very-light feeder

Planted as a pad, buried halfway. Rows running east to west outyield north to south.
Drought-tolerant once established. In a humid climate give it very little water, since sodden roots are what most often undoes a paddle cactus. In a dry one a deep soak once a month through summer is plenty.
Cut young pads at 4 to 6 in, while they are still bright green and tender and before the spines harden. Use a sharp knife and wear gloves. Even varieties sold as spineless carry glochids, the hair-fine barbed bristles that are the real nuisance, so scrape the pad and rinse it before cooking.

Sources

University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. (n.d.). Prickly pear cactus. https://extension.arizona.edu/; New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension. (n.d.). Prickly pear cactus production. https://pubs.nmsu.edu/; Mondragon Jacobo, C. (1999). Low input agricultural systems based on cactus pear for subtropical semiarid environments. In J. Janick (Ed.), Perspectives on new crops and new uses (pp. 367-372). ASHS Press. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1999/v4-367.html; Pareek, O. P., Singh, R. S., & Vashishtha, B. B. (2003). Performance of cactus pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] clones in hot arid region of India. Journal of the Professional Association for Cactus Development, 2003, 121-130. https://www.jpacd.org/jpacd/article/download/312/271/486

Okra

Abelmoschus esculentus Malvaceae · tender

Planting windows for Okra
Start indoors	May 29 – Jun 12	4 to 6 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Jul 10 – Jul 24	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 75°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 60 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 75°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

½ to 1 in

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

75–90°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

18 in apart, rows 36 in apart

Grows to

72 in tall and 24 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, moderate feeder

It wants warm soil and will not budge without it. Below 70°F what does come up is slow and patchy. Soaking the seed for 24 hours first helps.

Sources

Clemson Cooperative Extension. (n.d.). Okra. https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/okra/; North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Abelmoschus esculentus. NCSU Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/abelmoschus-esculentus/; Park-Brown, S., Saracino, T., Williams, L., & Treadwell, D. (2025). Florida vegetable gardening guide (SP 103/VH021). University of Florida IFAS Extension. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/VH021

Parsley

Petroselinum crispum Apiaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Parsley
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Apr 2	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 40°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for parsley) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 80 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 16 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 15 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Oct 6 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 80 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 40°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

⅛ in

Start

Start it under cover 6–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

60–75°F soil, 14–35 days

Space

11 in apart, rows 15 in apart

Grows to

12 in tall and 10 in across

Wants

Full to part, moderate water

Slow, two to five weeks. Soaking the seed overnight moves it along.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing parsley. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-parsley; University of Wisconsin-Madison Horticulture Extension. (n.d.). Parsley. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/parsley-petroselinum-crispum/; North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Parsleyworm. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/parsleyworm; University of Minnesota Extension. (2026). Growing parsley in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-parsley; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Parsnip

Pastinaca sativa Apiaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Parsnip
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Feb 3	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 35°F germination minimum (from Harrington’s table, for parsnip) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 110 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 13 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 18 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Jan 14	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Hardy, so it can go in into mid-January; growth slows sharply in the short, cool days, and from Sep 18 a sowing needs more than one and a half times its usual 110 days, so the bar turns paler.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 35°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

55–70°F soil, 14–28 days

Space

4 in apart, rows 21 in apart

Grows to

18 in tall and 6 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 4 in.
It makes a taproot, so sow it where it is to grow. Use fresh seed: a year-old packet comes up far more thinly.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing carrots and parsnips. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-carrots-and-parsnips; Utah State University Extension. (n.d.). Wild parsnip identification and control. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/wild-parsnip-pastinaca-sativa-identification-and-control-in-residential-landscapes; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Peppermint

Mentha × piperita Lamiaceae · very-hardy

Planting windows for Peppermint
Plant / divide (dormant)	Nov 19 – Mar 2	While air temperatures run below 55°F: the dormant window for crowns, divisions and bare-root plants.

How to sow it

Space

21 in apart, rows 21 in apart

Grows to

24 in tall

Wants

Full to part, moderate water

Peppermint is a sterile hybrid. It comes from cuttings or division, not seed, and seed-grown mints do not come true.
An exception in its family: mint wants steady moisture rather than the dry footing most of its relatives prefer.

Sources

Buckland, K., & Drost, D. (2020). How to grow mint in your garden. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/mint-in-the-garden

Perilla / Shiso

Perilla frutescens Lamiaceae · tender

Planting windows for Perilla / Shiso
Start indoors	Mar 10 – Mar 24	6 to 8 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	May 5 – Jul 4	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 65°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 80 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 65°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

about ⅗ in

Start

Start it under cover 6–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

65–75°F soil, 7–21 days

Space

12 in apart, rows 18 in apart

Grows to

36 in tall and 18 in across

Wants

Full to part, moderate water, light to moderate feeder

Sources

North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Perilla frutescens. NCSU Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/perilla-frutescens/; Tennessee Invasive Plant Council. (n.d.). Perilla frutescens. https://www.tnipc.org/; Brenner, D. (2008). NewCROP factsheet: Perilla. Purdue University Center for New Crops & Plant Products. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/perilla.pdf

Pole Bean

Phaseolus vulgaris Fabaceae · tender

Planting windows for Pole Bean
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Jul 22	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 62 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 to 1½ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

60–80°F soil, 8–14 days

Space

4 in apart, rows 36 in apart

Grows to

72 in tall and 12 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 4 in.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing beans in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-beans; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Growing snap beans in the home garden. https://extension.psu.edu/growing-snap-beans-in-the-home-garden; University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. (2022). Home garden planting chart (Bulletin 577). University of Georgia. https://site.extension.uga.edu/colquittag/files/2025/05/B577PlantingChart.pdf; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Potato

Solanum tuberosum Solanaceae · half-hardy

Planting windows for Potato
Spring sow	Jan 15 – Feb 14	Opens in mid-January: modeled soil stays above this crop's 50°F germination minimum (from the dataset’s germination range) all winter, so wet ground rather than temperature sets the start. Closes where 105 days of growth, spent as a heat budget, still finish before sustained heat begins around Jun 21. Sowing in January is possible but buys less than it seems. Sown 15 January this finishes 14 days ahead of a 15 February sowing, but spends 17 more days in the bed, in cold, wet ground.
Fall sow	Aug 5 – Aug 25	Opens three weeks before the late-August heat peak, so early sowings come up more reliably with shade and steady water. Half-hardy, so the last date is the latest sowing that still finishes before the median first frost at San Jose airport, Dec 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 50°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

4 to 6 in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Sprouts

50–60°F soil

Space

12 in apart, rows 32 in apart

Grows to

24 in tall and 18 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Cut seed pieces one to five days ahead and leave them at 60F to 70F until the cut faces harden over. Planting a fresh-cut piece into cold wet ground is how they are lost.
Cut pieces go eyes-up in a furrow.
1 to 2 in a week through the season. Steady moisture matters most while the tubers are sizing.

Sources

Drost, D. (2020). How to grow potatoes in your garden. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/potatoes-in-the-garden; Whiting, D., O'Meara, C., & Wilson, C. (2024). CMG GardenNotes #720: Vegetable planting guide. Colorado State University Extension. https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/720.pdf; Steil, A., & Jauron, R. (2024). Growing potatoes in the home garden. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/growing-potatoes-home-garden; Garden-Robinson, J., Thompson, A., & Preston, D. (2024). Potatoes from garden to table (FN630). North Dakota State University Extension. https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/potatoes-garden-table; North Carolina State Extension. (n.d.). Solanum tuberosum. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/solanum-tuberosum/; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf

Pumpkin (carving)

Cucurbita pepo Cucurbitaceae · tender

Planting windows for Pumpkin (carving)
Start indoors	Mar 15 – Mar 29	2 to 4 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Jun 7	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 107 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 to 2 in

Start

Start it under cover 2–4 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–90°F soil, 5–10 days

Space

54 in apart, rows 120 in apart

Grows to

12 in tall and 180 in across

Wants

Full sun, heavy water

Water heavily while the vine runs, then keep it on the dry side for the last two or three weeks as it ripens.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing winter squash and pumpkins. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/pumpkins-and-winter-squash; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Pumpkin production. https://extension.psu.edu/pumpkin-production; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Roselle / Jamaica / Sorrel

Hibiscus sabdariffa Malvaceae · tender

Planting windows for Roselle / Jamaica / Sorrel
No window	–	By our arithmetic this crop does not fit a Santa Clara summer in open ground: the warm stretch ends before it can mature.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 70°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Start

Start it under cover 6–10 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–85°F soil, 7–21 days

Space

36 in apart, rows 48 in apart

Grows to

84 in tall and 48 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, moderate feeder

Raised in flats and transplanted at 12 to 18 in.
Drought-tolerant once established.

Sources

Ayeni, A., Sanders, M., Rysanek, A., & Melendez, M. (2018). Ultra-niche crops series: Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) production and marketing in New Jersey (FS1298). Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension. https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs1298/

Rosemary

Salvia rosmarinus Lamiaceae · tender to hardy (cultivar-dependent)

Planting windows for Rosemary
Plant / divide (dormant)	Nov 19 – Mar 2	While air temperatures run below 55°F: the dormant window for crowns, divisions and bare-root plants.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 65°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Start

Start it under cover 10–12 weeks ahead, then set it out

Sprouts

65–75°F soil, 14–30 days

Space

30 in apart, rows 36 in apart

Grows to

36 in tall and 36 in across

Wants

Full sun, light water

Take a stem cutting. Rosemary seed germinates slowly and unevenly, and named varieties do not come true from it.
Only relevant if you are raising it from seed, and cuttings are the easier route.
Drought-tolerant once established.

Sources

North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Salvia rosmarinus. NCSU Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/salvia-rosmarinus/; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Herb garden plants: Rosemary. https://extension.psu.edu/herb-garden-plants-rosemary; University of Illinois Extension. (n.d.). Rosemary. Herbs. https://extension.illinois.edu/herbs/rosemary

Shallot

Allium cepa var. aggregatum Amaryllidaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Shallot
Plant cloves	Nov 1 – Nov 30	We plant in November and lift in mid-June; the cloves root through the cool, wet months.
Lift	Jun 7 – Jun 21	Mid-June in our beds. Watch the plant rather than the date.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 35°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 to 2 in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Sprouts

50–77°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

5 in apart, rows 12 in apart

Grows to

15 in tall and 5 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

That is for sets. From seed it is a quarter to half an inch, thinned to 2 to 4 in.
That applies to shallots raised from seed. Sets go straight in the ground.
An inch a week, easing off at harvest as you would for bulb onions.

Watch the plant, not the date: lift when the lower third of the leaves have browned and the tops start to lean.

Sources

Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences. (n.d.). Shallots — Oregon vegetables. https://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/oregon-vegetables/shallots-0; University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing onions in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-onions; Rolfe, E., & Drost, D. (2022). How to grow shallots in your garden. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/shallots-in-the-garden; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Strawberry (June-bearing)

Fragaria × ananassa Rosaceae · hardy

Planting windows for Strawberry (June-bearing)
Plant / divide (dormant)	Nov 19 – Mar 2	While air temperatures run below 55°F: the dormant window for crowns, divisions and bare-root plants.

How to sow it

Space

12 in apart, rows 36 in apart

Grows to

8 in tall and 12 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Depth is the whole game with strawberries. Set the crown so its midpoint sits level with the soil surface, roots fanned out and not doubled up. Too deep and the crown rots; too shallow and the roots dry out.
A steady 1 to 1.5 in a week, more while it is fruiting. Water at the base rather than over the top: wet fruit invites grey mold.

Bare-root crowns ship November to February, and here they go in during that dormant window rather than in spring.

Sources

University of Maryland Extension. (2026, July 1). Growing strawberries in a home garden. https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-strawberries-home-garden

Summer Squash (yellow / pattypan)

Cucurbita pepo Cucurbitaceae · tender

Planting windows for Summer Squash (yellow / pattypan)
Start indoors	Mar 15 – Mar 29	2 to 4 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Aug 1	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 52 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 to 2 in

Start

Start it under cover 2–4 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–90°F soil, 5–10 days

Space

30 in apart, rows 54 in apart

Grows to

24 in tall and 42 in across

Wants

Full sun, heavy water

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing summer squash and zucchini. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-summer-squash-and-zucchini; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Sunflower (seed-type, Mammoth Russian)

Helianthus annuus Asteraceae · tender

Planting windows for Sunflower (seed-type, Mammoth Russian)
Direct sow	Jun 5 – Jun 14	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 70°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 100 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 70°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

70–85°F soil, 7–10 days

Space

18 in apart, rows 30 in apart

Grows to

108 in tall and 24 in across

Wants

Full sun, low water, light feeder

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 18 in.
Sow in place after the last frost. The taproot resents being moved.
A deep taproot makes it drought-tolerant once established.

Sources

Oregon State University Extension Service. (n.d.). Grow your own sunflowers (EM 9866). https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/em-9866-grow-your-own-sunflowers; University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Sunflowers. https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/sunflowers; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus): Planting and growing a home garden. https://extension.psu.edu/sunflowers-helianthus-annuus; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Allelopathy in the home garden. https://extension.psu.edu/allelopathy-in-the-home-garden; Bogatek, R., Gniazdowska, A., Zakrzewska, W., Oracz, K., & Gawronski, S. W. (2006). Allelopathic effects of sunflower extracts on mustard seed germination and seedling growth. Biologia Plantarum, 50(1), 156-158. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17131190/; Macias, F. A., et al. (2023). The allelopathic activity of aqueous extracts of Helianthus annuus L. on Pisum sativum L. PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10180669/; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf

Sweet Basil (Genovese-type)

Ocimum basilicum Lamiaceae · tender

Planting windows for Sweet Basil (Genovese-type)
Start indoors	Feb 15 – Mar 1	6 to 8 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Jul 19	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 65 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Start it under cover 6–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

60–70°F soil, 5–14 days

Space

9 in apart, rows 24 in apart

Grows to

21 in tall and 12 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, moderate feeder

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing basil in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-basil; University of Minnesota Extension. (2026). Growing basil in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden/growing-basil

Sweet Corn

Zea mays var. saccharata (also seen as var. rugosa) Poaceae · tender

Planting windows for Sweet Corn
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Jul 4	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 80 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1½ in

Start

Straight into the ground. Skip the seed tray

Germinates

60–95°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

12 in apart, rows 30 in apart

Grows to

96 in tall and 18 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate to high water, heavy feeder

Sow more thickly than that, then thin to 12 in.
Sow in place after the last frost, once the soil reads 60°F for standard and sugar-enhanced varieties or 65°F for the supersweet ones (UMN, OSU). Supersweet seed has a thin coat and fares badly in cool wet ground, so give it an extra week. Transplanting works but is rarely worth the trouble for a block crop this hungry. Sow again every two weeks, or stagger early, mid and late varieties, to stretch the harvest.
1 to 1.5 in a week, and the stretch that matters most runs from silking through kernel fill. Dry weather at silking is what leaves you with bare cob tips. Mulch heavily to even out the moisture and keep weeds down.
Plant sweet corn in a block of at least 3 to 4 rows of 3 to 4 plants (approximately 16 plants, about 4x4 ft minimum). Not a long single row, and not widely spaced single plants. Corn is wind-pollinated: pollen from the tassel must drift down onto the silks of nearby plants, and each unpollinated silk = one missing kernel on the cob. A 3-plant single row produces ears with most kernels missing ('cob tips bald, scattered kernels filled').

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing sweet corn in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-sweet-corn; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Sweet corn in the home garden. https://extension.psu.edu/sweet-corn-in-the-home-garden; Lerner, B. R. (2020). Vegetables: Home gardener's guide (HO-32-W). Purdue University Extension. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-32-w.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Sweet Marjoram

Origanum majorana Lamiaceae · tender

Planting windows for Sweet Marjoram
Start indoors	Mar 10 – Mar 24	6 to 8 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	May 5 – Jul 9	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 65°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 75 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 65°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Start

Start it under cover 6–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

65–75°F soil, 8–14 days

Space

10 in apart, rows 12 in apart

Grows to

18 in tall and 15 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water

Sources

Sweet Pepper (bell-type)

Capsicum annuum Solanaceae · tender

Planting windows for Sweet Pepper (bell-type)
Start indoors	Feb 15 – Mar 1	6 to 8 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Transplant out	Apr 12 – Jul 14	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 70 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

½ in

Start

Start it under cover 6–8 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–90°F soil, 10–14 days

Space

18 in apart, rows 33 in apart

Grows to

30 in tall and 18 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, moderate feeder

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing peppers. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-peppers; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Sweet Potato

Ipomoea batatas Convolvulaceae · tender

Planting windows for Sweet Potato
Transplant out	Apr 12 – Jun 9	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 105 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

3 to 4 in

Space

12 in apart, rows 36 in apart

Grows to

12 in tall and 96 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, light feeder

Depth is counted in nodes: bury three or four of the bumps where leaves were attached. Orientation does not matter.
Steady moisture while the vine runs, then ease off for the last three or four weeks.
Set slips out two or three weeks after the last frost, once the soil is at least 65°F.

Sources

Jett, L. W. (2026). Growing sweet potatoes in Missouri (G6368). University of Missouri Extension. https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6368

Thai Basil

Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora Lamiaceae · tender

Planting windows for Thai Basil
Start indoors	Apr 24 – May 8	4 to 6 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Jun 5 – Aug 3	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 70°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 50 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 70°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

¼ in

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–80°F soil, 5–10 days

Space

10 in apart, rows 12 in apart

Grows to

24 in tall and 15 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, moderate feeder

Same as sweet basil. Thai types are cultivars of the same species.
Keep it evenly moist. Basil is thirstier than the dry-country herbs it sits beside in the mint family.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (2026). Growing basil in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden/growing-basil

Tomatillo (large green)

Physalis philadelphica Solanaceae · tender

Planting windows for Tomatillo (large green)
Start indoors	Mar 1 – Mar 15	4 to 6 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Transplant out	Apr 12 – Jun 27	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 87 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

½ in

Start

Start it under cover 4–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

75–85°F soil, 7–14 days

Space

36 in apart, rows 48 in apart

Grows to

36 in tall and 36 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, moderate feeder

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing tomatillos and ground cherries. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-tomatillos-and-ground-cherries; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Tomato (indeterminate slicing)

Solanum lycopersicum Solanaceae · tender

Planting windows for Tomato (indeterminate slicing)
Start indoors	Mar 1 – Mar 8	5 to 6 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Transplant out	Apr 12 – Jul 7	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 77 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

½ in

Start

Start it under cover 5–6 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–95°F soil, 5–14 days

Space

30 in apart, rows 42 in apart

Grows to

72 in tall and 30 in across

Wants

Full sun, moderate water, heavy feeder

Half an inch is how deep you sow the seed. Setting the transplant is a different number: bury it to half the length of its stem, roots and all.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing tomatoes in home gardens. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-tomatoes; Cornell Garden-Based Learning. (n.d.). Tomato growing guide. https://gardening.cals.cornell.edu/garden-guidance/foodgarden/vegetable-growing-guides/tomato-growing-guide/; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Turmeric

Curcuma longa Zingiberaceae · tender

Planting windows for Turmeric
Plant out	May 5 – Jun 16	Plant once the soil has warmed to about 65°F, in spring rather than the winter dormant window.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 70°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 in

Start

Start it under cover 8–12 weeks ahead, then set it out

Sprouts

70–85°F soil, 21–56 days

Space

12 in apart, rows 18 in apart

Grows to

36 in tall and 18 in across

Wants

Part sun, moderate to high water, moderate feeder

Cut the rhizome into 1 to 1.5 in pieces, each with an eye if you can manage it.
Slower off the mark than even ginger.
As with ginger: steady moisture while it grows, then dry it down before harvest.
9 to 10 months in the ground, a little longer than ginger. In a temperate garden you lift it at the first frost.

Sources

North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). Curcuma longa. NCSU Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/curcuma-longa/; University of Florida IFAS Extension. (n.d.). Turmeric. Gardening Solutions. https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/turmeric/

Vietnamese Coriander / Rau Ram

Persicaria odorata Polygonaceae · tender

Planting windows for Vietnamese Coriander / Rau Ram
Plant out	May 5 – Jun 16	Plant once the soil has warmed to about 65°F, in spring rather than the winter dormant window.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

Grown from rooted stem cuttings rather than seed.

Space

15 in apart, rows 18 in apart

Grows to

18 in tall and 24 in across

Wants

Full to part, high water, moderate feeder

Sources

University of Florida IFAS Extension. (n.d.). Persicaria odorata.

Watermelon

Citrullus lanatus Cucurbitaceae · tender

Planting windows for Watermelon
Start indoors	Mar 15 – Mar 22	3 to 4 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Jul 2	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 82 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

½ to 1 in

Start

Start it under cover 3–4 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–95°F soil, 5–10 days

Space

54 in apart, rows 108 in apart

Grows to

12 in tall and 180 in across

Wants

Full sun, heavy water

It hates root disturbance, so use peat pots that go into the ground whole if you transplant.
Water heavily while vine and fruit are growing, then ease off for the last week to ten days. That concentrates the sugars and keeps the fruit from splitting.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing watermelon. https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-melons-home-garden; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Watermelon production. https://extension.psu.edu/watermelon-production; Trinklein, D. H. (2016). Vegetable planting calendar (G6201). University of Missouri Extension. https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6201; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

Zucchini

Cucurbita pepo Cucurbitaceae · tender

Planting windows for Zucchini
Start indoors	Mar 15 – Mar 29	2 to 4 weeks before the transplant-out date.
Direct sow	Apr 12 – Aug 3	Opens when modeled soil temperature reaches 60°F and nights hold above 48°F. Closes where 50 days of growth still finish before warm weather ends around Sep 22.

Check it yourself: sow once soil at 2 in reads 60°F or more in the morning. These dates are what an average Santa Clara year does. Your bed is the authority.

How to sow it

Depth

1 to 2 in

Start

Start it under cover 2–4 weeks ahead, then set it out

Germinates

70–90°F soil, 5–10 days

Space

30 in apart, rows 54 in apart

Grows to

30 in tall and 42 in across

Wants

Full sun, heavy water

1 to 1.5 in a week.

Sources

University of Minnesota Extension. (n.d.). Growing summer squash and zucchini. https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-summer-squash-and-zucchini; Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Summer squash production. https://extension.psu.edu/zucchini; Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., & Drost, D. (n.d.). The pocket gardener: A quick guide to home vegetable gardening. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/files/2023-26-staff/USU-Pocket-Gardener.pdf; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author)

How these dates were worked out

The climate spine is NOAA's 1991–2020 daily normals for San Jose International Airport, including its frost dates. Soil temperature comes from the three CIMIS weather stations in this county, at San Jose, Morgan Hill and Gilroy: we added the measured monthly gap between soil and air (13,793 quality-checked station-days) to the airport's air temperatures. That makes our soil figure a model, not a measurement, and the CIMIS sensors sit six inches down under irrigated grass, where soil runs steadier than in a bare seedbed.

Crop thresholds come from a dataset of 82 entries built on extension and peer-reviewed sources, chiefly the Universities of Minnesota, Utah State, Cornell, Purdue, Penn State, Oregon State and North Carolina State. Most minimum germination temperatures come from J. F. Harrington's soil-temperature table, published by Oregon State University Extension; Harrington worked at the University of California, Davis. Days to maturity is treated as a heat budget (degree-days above 40°F) spent forward from each sowing date, which is why an August sowing can beat its seed-packet figure while a November one takes much longer. We removed an earlier sunlight weighting after checking the model against a measured planting-date trial (Dufault et al., 2006). It now comes close for September and October plantings and runs slower than that trial for November. The model has not been tested against trials in this county.

Sowing depth is cited per crop in each card's Sources. The rule that in-row spacing is the figure you thin direct-sown crops down to follows Purdue's home vegetable guide (Lerner, 2020, HO-32-W).

A calendar date is always an average-year estimate. That is why every crop above also gives you the soil temperature to check for. A soil thermometer in your own bed beats our arithmetic.

Sources: Dufault, R. J., Ward, B., & Hassell, R. L. (2006). Planting date and romaine lettuce cultivar affect quality and productivity. HortScience, 41(3), 640–645. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.41.3.640; National Centers for Environmental Information. (2021). U.S. climate normals 1991–2020: San Jose (USW00023293) and Gilroy (USC00043417). NOAA. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals; California Department of Water Resources. (n.d.). CIMIS daily station data, stations 69, 132 and 211. https://cimis.water.ca.gov/; Harrington, J. F. (2013). Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination. Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/soil-temperature-conditions-vegetable-seed-germination (University of California author).

Correction · October 2026

We review our tools against the research and extension guidance available at the time, and we correct them when a source doesn't say what we took it to say or when we can't find support for a point. In this review we replaced the rule that closed most autumn sowing in September, which rested on a day-length cutoff we couldn't support, and corrected the frost figures, the planting season for tropical crops and several crop details. We also removed dead citations and claims we couldn't source.