Resources

Beans, bush

Mar-Apr Aug-Sep

Feb-Apr Sep

Sep-Apr

Fabaceae

III

45

50-60

1 lb.

18-30

2-3

1-2

Beans, pole

Mar-Apr Aug-Sep

Feb-Apr Aug-Sep

Aug-Apr

Fabaceae

III

80

55-70

½ lb.

40-48

3-6

1-2

Beans, lima

Mar-Aug

Feb-Apr Sept.

Aug-Apr

Fabaceae

III

50

65-75

2 lb.

24-36

3-4

1-2

Beets

Sep-Mar

Oct-Mar

Oct-Feb

Chenopodiaceae

I

75

50-65

1 oz.

14-24

3-5

½ -1

Broccoli

Aug-Feb

Aug-Jan

Sept-Jan

Brassicaceae

I

50

75-90

100 plts (1/8 oz.)

30-36

12-18

½ -1

Cabbage

Sep-Feb

Sep-Jan

Sep-Jan

Brassicaceae

I

125

90-110 (70-90)

100 plts

(1/8 oz)

24-36

12-24

½ -1

Cantaloupes

Mar-Apr

Feb-Apr

Aug-Sep Feb-Mar

Cucurbitaccae

III

150

75-90 (65-75)

½ oz.

60-72

24-36

1-2

Carrots

Sep-Mar

Oct-Mar

Oct-Feb

Apiaceae

II

100

65-80

1/8 oz.

16-24

1-3

½

Cauliflower

Jan-Feb Aug-Oct

Oct-Jan

Oct-Jan

Brassicaceae

I

80

75-90 (55-70)

55 plts (1/8 oz)

24-30

18-24

½ -1

Celery

Jan-Mar

Aug-Feb

Oct-Jan

Apiaceae

II

150

115-125 (80-105)

150 plts (1/8 oz)

24-36

6-10

¼ - ½

Chinese cabbage

Oct-Feb

Oct-Jan

Nov-Jan

Brassicaceae

I

100

70-90 (60-70)

125 plts (1/8 oz)

24-36

12-24

¼ - ¾

Collards

Feb-Apr Aug-Nov

Aug-Mar

Aug-Feb

Brassicaceae

I

150

70-80

100 plts (1/8 oz)

24-30

10-18

½ -1

Corn, sweet

Mar-Apr Aug

Feb-Mar Aug-Sep

Aug-Mar

Poaceae

III

115

60-95

2 oz.

24-36

12-18

1-2

Cucumbers

Feb-Apr Aug-Sep

Feb-Mar Sep

Sep-Mar

Cucurbitaceae

III

100

50-65 (40-50)

½ oz.

36-60

12-24

1-2

Eggplant

Feb-July

Jan-Mar Aug-Sep

Dec-Feb Aug-Oct

Solanaceae

I

200

90-110 (75-90)

50 plts

1 pkt

36-42

24-36

½

Endive/Escarole

Feb-Mar Sep

Jan-Feb Sep

Sep-Jan

Asteraceae

I

75

80-95

100 plts

18-24

8-12

½

Kale

Sep-Feb

Sep-Jan

Sep-Jan

Brassicaceae

I

75

70-80 (55)

100 plts (1/8 oz)

24-30

12-18

½ -1

Kohlrabi

Sep-Mar

Oct-Mar

Oct-Feb

Brassicaceae

I

100

70-80 (50-55)

1/8 oz.

24-30

3-5

½ -1

Lettuce: Crisp, Butter-head, Leaf & Romaine

Feb-Mar Sep-Oct

Sep-Mar

Sep-Jan

Asteraceae

I

75

50-90

100 plts

(1/4 oz.)

12-24

8-12

½

Mustard

Sep-May

Sep-Mar

Sep-Mar

Brassicaceae

II

100

40-60

¼ oz.

14-24

1-6

½ -1

Okra

Mar-July

Mar-Aug

Aug-Sep

Malvaceae

III

70

50-75

1 oz.

24-40

6-12

1-2

Onions, Bulbing

Sep-Dec

Sep-Dec

Sep-Nov

Liliaceae

III

100

120-160 (110-120)

300 plts/ sets, 1 oz seed

12-24

4-6

½ -1

Onions, Bunching (Green onions)

Aug-Mar

Aug-Mar

Sep-Mar

Liliaceae

III

100

50-75 (30-40)

800 plts/sets, 1 - 1½ oz seed

12-24

1-2

2-3

Onions (Shallots)

"

"

"

Liliaceae

III

100

(30-40)

"

18-24

6-8

½ - ¾

Peas, English

Jan-Mar

Sep-Mar

Sep-Feb

Fabaceae

III

40

50-70

1 lb.

24-36

2-3

1-2

Peas, southern

Mar-Aug

Mar-Sep

Aug-Apr

Fabaceae

III

80

60-90

½ oz.

30-36

2-3

1-2

Peppers

Feb-Apr July-Aug

Jan-Mar Aug-Sep

Aug-Mar

Solanaceae

I

50

80-100 (60-80)

100 plts 1 pkt

20-36

12-24

½

Potatoes

Jan-Mar

Jan-Feb

Sep-Jan

Solanaceae

II

150

85-110

15 lbs.

36-42

8-12

3-4

Potatoes, sweet

Mar-Jun

Feb-Jun

Feb-Jun

Convolvulaceae

I

300

(120-140)

100 plts

48-54

12-14

---

Pumpkin

Mar-Apr Aug

Feb-Mar Aug

Jan-Feb Aug-Sep

Cucurbitaceae

III

300

90-120 (80-110)

1 oz.

60-84

36-60

1-2

Radish

Sep-Mar

Sep-Mar

Oct-Mar

Brassicaceae

III

40

20-30

1 oz.

12-18

1-2

¾

Spinach

Oct-Nov

Oct-Nov

Oct-Jan

Chenopodiaceae

II

40

45-60

1 oz.

14-18

3-5

¾

Squash, Summer

Mar-Apr Aug-Sep

Feb-Mar Aug-Sep

Jan-Mar Sep-Oct

Cucurbitaceae

III

150

40-55 (35-40)

1½ oz.

36-48

24-36

1-2

Squash, Winter

Mar Aug

Feb-Mar Aug

Jan-Feb Sep

Cucurbitaceae

III

300

80-110 (70-90)

1 oz.

60-90

36-48

1-2

Strawberry

Oct-Nov

Oct-Nov

Oct-Nov

Rosaceae

I

50

(90-110)

100 plts

36-40

10-14

---

Tomatoes, Stake

Feb-Apr Aug

Jan-Mar Sep

Aug-Mar

Solanaceae

I

200

90-110 (75-90)

70 plts

1 pkt

36-48

18-24

½

Tomatoes, Ground

“

“

“

Solanaceae

I

200

90-110 (75-90)

35 plts

1 pkt

40-60

36-40

½

Tomatoes, Container

“

“

“

Solanaceae

I

200

90-110 (75-90)

Turnips

Jan-Apr Aug-Oct

Jan-Mar Sep-Nov

Oct-Feb

Brassicaceae

III

150

40-60

¼ oz.

12-20

4-6

½ -1

Watermelon, Large

Mar-Apr July-Aug

Jan-Mar Aug

Jan-Mar Aug-Sep

Cucurbitaceae

III

400

85-95 (80-90)

1/8 oz.

84-108

48-60

1-2

Watermelon, Small

“

“

“

Cucurbitaceae

III

400

85-95 (80-90)

1/8 oz.

48-60

15-30

"

Watermelon, Seedless

“

“

“

Cucurbitaceae

III

400

85-95 (80-90)

70 plts

48-60

15-30

"

1 North: north of State Rd 40; Central: between State Rds 40 and 70; South: south of State Rd 70.

2 Rotate crops to avoid soil pest problems; avoid planting vegetables belonging to the same family in successive seasons.

3 Transplantability categories: I, easily survives transplanting; II, survives with care; III, use seeds or containerized transplants only.

4 Days from seeding to harvest: Values in parentheses are days from transplanting to first harvest.

Beans, Bush

Snap: Bush Blue Lake, Contender, Roma II, Provider, Cherokee Wax Shell: Horticultural, Pinto, Red Kidney, Black Bean, Navy

Fertilize at 1/2 rate used for other vegetables. Seed inoculation not essential for most soils. Flowers self-pollinated. Use shell beans green or dry. Roma is a flat pod type. Cherokee is a yellow wax.

Beans, pole

McCaslan, Kentucky Wonder, Blue Lake

Support vines. May be grown with corn for vine support.

Beans, lima

Fordhook 242, Henderson, Jackson Wonder, Dixie (Speckled) Butterpea, Early Thorogreen

Provide trellis support for pole varieties. Control stinkbugs that injure seeds in pods. Fordhook is large-seeded; Henderson is "butterbean” type.

Beets

Tall Top, Early Wonder, Detroit Dark Red, Cylindra, Red Ace, Yellow Detroit

Beets require ample moisture at seeding or poor germination results. Leaves are edible.

Broccoli

Early Green, Early Dividend, Green Sprouting/Calabrese, Waltham, Packman, De Cicco, Broccoli Raab (Rapini)

Harvest small multiple side shoots that develop after main central head is cut. Broccoli Raab is not related to broccoli.

Cabbage

Rio Verde, Flat Dutch, Round Dutch, Wakefield types, Copenhagen Market, Savoy, Red Acre

Buy clean plants to avoid cabbage black-rot, a common bacterial disease that causes yellow patches on leaf margins. Keep an eye out for looper caterpillars; use Bt for control.

Cantaloupes and Honeydews

Athena, Ambrosia, Galia (green flesh)

Bees needed for pollination. Mulch to reduce fruit-rot and salmonella. Harvest when the fruit cleanly separates from the vine with light pressure.

Carrots

Imperator, Nantes, Danvers, Chantenay

Grow carrots on a raised bed for best results. Sow seeds shallow and thin seedlings to recommended spacing.

Cauliflower

Snowball Strains, Snow Crown, Brocoverde

Tie leaves around the head when it is 2-3 inches to prevent discoloration. Brocoverde is green-headed.

Celery

Utah Strains

Celery requires very high soil moisture during seeding/seedling stage.

Chinese Cabbage

Michihili, Bok Choy, Napa, Baby Bok Choy, Pak-choi, Joi Choi

Bok Choy is open-leaf type, while Michihili and Napa form tighter heads.

Collards

Georgia, Georgia Southern, Top Bunch, Vates

Tolerates more heat than most other brassicas. Harvest lower leaves.

Corn, sweet

Silver Queen (white), How Sweet It Is (white), Sweet Ice (white), Sweet Riser (yellow), Early Sunglow (yellow)

Separate super-sweets from standard varieties by time and distance to avoid cross-pollination. Sucker removal not beneficial. Plant in blocks of 2-3 rows.

Cucumbers

Slicers: Sweet Success, Poinsett, Ashley, MarketMore 76, Straight Eight, Space Master

Picklers: Liberty Hybrid, Eureka, Boston Pickling

Pickling types can also be used fresh. Liberty Hybrid and Sweet Success are burpless types. Many new hybrids are gynoecious (female flowering), which means more fruit set. Bees required for pollination

Eggplant

Black Beauty, Dusky, Long, Ichiban, Cloud Nine (white)

May need staking. Harvest into summer. Requires warm weather.

Endive/Escarole

Endive: Green Curled Ruffec Escarole: Batavian Broadleaf

Excellent ingredient in tossed salads. Escarole is a selection of endive also known as Batavian endive.

Kale

Vates Dwarf Blue Curled, Tuscan, Winterbor, Redbor

There is also a collard variety named Vates.

Kohlrabi

Early White Vienna, Purple Vienna

Both red and green varieties are easy to grow. Use fresh or cooked. Leaves are edible.

Lettuce

Crisphead: Great Lakes

Butterhead: Ermosa, Bibb, Tom Thumb, Buttercrunch,

Loose Leaf: Simpson types, Salad Bowl, Red Sails, New Red Fire

Oak Leaf: Salad Bowl, Royal Oak Romaine: Parris Island Cos, Outredgeous

Grow crisphead type in coolest months for firmer heads. Sow seeds very shallow as they need light for germination. Intercrop lettuce with long-season vegetables.

Mustard

Southern Giant Curled, Florida Broad Leaf, Tendergreen, Giant Red, Green Wave, Mizuna

Consider planting in a wide-row system. Broadleaf types require more space. Cook as “greens.” Mizuna is a Japanese green used in salads. It is damaged by freezing temperatures.

Okra

Clemson Spineless, Emerald, Annie Oakley II, Cajun Delight

Produces well in warm months. Highly susceptible to root-knot nematodes.

Onions

Bulbing: Granex (yellow)

Bunching (Green): Evergreen Bunching, White Lisbon Bunching

Leeks: American Flag

Multipliers: Shallots

Plant short-day bulbing varieties. Bulbing onions may be seeded in the fall, then transplanted in Jan-Feb. For bunching onions, insert sets upright for straight stems. Divide and reset multipliers.

Peas, English or Snow

Wando, Green Arrow, Sugar Snap, Oregon Sugarpod II

Trellis. The pods of Sugar Snap and Oregon types are edible.

Peas, Southern (aka Field Peas, Cow Peas, Crowder Peas, Cream Peas)

California Blackeye No.5, Pinkeye Purple Hull, Texas Cream

Good summer cover crop. Cowpea curculio – a tiny white grub that infests seeds in pod – is a common pest. ‘California No.5 Blackeye’ is resistant to root-knot nematodes.

Peppers

Bell: California Wonder, Red Knight, Big Bertha

Other Sweet: Sweet Banana, Giant Marconi, Mariachi, Cubanelle Jalapeno: Early Jalapeno, Jalapeno M Specialty Hot: Cherry Bomb, Hungarian Hot Wax, Big Chile II, Numex, Ancho, Thai, Anaheim Chile, Long Cayenne, Habanero, Caribbean Red Habanero

Mulching especially beneficial. Will often produce into summer. Most small-fruited varieties are hot. Pepper heat is measured in Scoville units. Habaneros average 259,000 Scovilles; Caribbean Reds are a little over 445,000 Scovilles. In comparison, Jalapenos rank 2,500-10,000 Scovilles, depending on the variety.

Potato

Red Pontiac, Yukon Gold, Gold Rush

Plant 2-ounce seed pieces with eyes. Do not use “store bought” for seed. Remove tops two weeks before digging to “toughen skin.” Varieties planted by seeds produce less than from seed pieces.

Potatoes, Sweet

Centennial, Beauregard, Vardaman

Sweet potato weevils are a serious problem. Start with certified-free transplants. Use vine cuttings to prolong season. 'Vardaman’ is a bush type for small gardens.

Pumpkin

Big Max, Connecticut Field, Prizewinner, Jack Be Little, Jack O Lantern

Bees required for pollination. Foliage diseases and fruit-rot are common.

Radish

Cherry Belle, White Icicle, Sparkler, Champion, Daikon

The winter type (Daikon) grows well in Florida, too. Inter-crop fast-growing radishes with slow-growing vegetables to save space.

Spinach

Melody, Bloomsdale Longstanding, Tyee, Space

Grow only during the coolest months. New Zealand spinach and Malabar spinach, although not true spinach, grow well during warm months in Florida².

Squash

Summer: Early Prolific Straightneck, Summer Crookneck, Early White Scallop

Winter: Spaghetti, Table King, Table Queen & Table Ace (Acorn), Waltham, Early Butternut (Butternut)

Zucchini: Cocozelle, Spineless Beauty, Black Beauty

Calabaza

Summer squash are usually bush type; winter squash have vining habit. Both male and female flowers on same plant. Bees required. Common fruit rot/drop caused by fungus and incomplete pollination. Crossing occurs but results not seen unless seeds are saved. Winter types store longest. Calabaza is a heat-resistant, disease-resistant, vining, hard-shelled squash, similar to a butternut or acorn in taste.

Strawberry

Chandler, Oso Grande, Sweet Charlie, Selva, Camarosa, Festival

Plant short-day varieties. Grow as an annual crop starting with disease-free plants in the fall.

Swiss Chard

Bright Lights, Bright Yellow, Fordhook Giant, Lucullus, Red Ruby

Can be grown nearly year-round in Florida. An excellent alternative green for warm weather.

Tomatoes

Large Fruit: Celebrity, Heat Wave II, Better Boy, Beefmaster, BHN444-Southern Star*, Amelia*, BHN 640*

Small Fruit: Sweet 100, Juliet, Red Grape, Sun Gold, Sugar Snack, Sweet Baby Girl

Heirloom: Green Zebra, Cherokee Purple, Eva Purple Ball, Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter, Delicious

Staking, mulching beneficial. Flowers self-pollinated. Blossom drop due to too high or too low temperatures and/or excessive nitrogen fertilization. Serious problems include blossom-end rot, wilts, whitefly, and leafminers.

*Resistant to TSWV (Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus)

Turnips

Roots: Purple Top White Globe

Roots and Greens: Purple Top Greens: Seven Top, Shogoin

Grow for roots and tops (greens). Broadcast seed in wide-row system or single file.

Watermelon

Large: Jubilee (aka FL Giant), Crimson Sweet, Charleston Grey 133

Small: Sugar Baby, Mickeylee

Vines require lots of space. Suggest small “ice-box” types. Plant fusarium wilt resistant varieties. Bees required for pollination. “Seedless” types must be interplanted with regular types to dependably bear fruit.

¹Other varieties may produce well also. Suggestions are based on availability, performance, and pest resistance.

²Information on New Zealand and Malabar spinach and many other minor vegetables can be found at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_hs_minor_vegetables