Takes a light frost. Sow outdoors 2 to 6 weeks before your last frost; sow in fall 4 to 14 weeks before your first fall frost. First harvest 25 to 50 days from sowing.
What you'll see: Many tiny round holes and pits in leaves, as if hit by buckshot. Tiny dark beetles jump when disturbed.
Prevent
Cover seedlings with row cover and seal the edges.
Plant a little later, so warm weather carries plants through the damage.
Sow radish ahead of the main crop as a trap crop.
Clear weeds and old crop debris.
Organic options
Spinosad, or OMRI Listed pyrethrins (without piperonyl butoxide).
Conventional options
Carbaryl, malathion or permethrin, if the crop is on the label. Older plants seldom need treatment.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
Photo: “Aphids on Kale leaf” by Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). The cropped version is shared under the same licence.
AphidsPest
What you'll see: Clusters of small, soft-bodied green, black or gray insects on new shoots and under leaves. Leaves curl, and a sticky film may coat them.
Prevent
Check leaf undersides each week; a few aphids do little harm.
Pull nearby weeds, such as wild mustards, that feed aphids.
Grow flowers for lady beetles, lacewings and hover flies, and avoid broad sprays that kill them.
Organic options
Knock aphids off with a strong spray of water.
Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil on leaf undersides, repeated as the label allows.
Neem oil, or OMRI Listed pyrethrins (without piperonyl butoxide).
Conventional options
Malathion or permethrin, if the crop is on the label. These also kill the insects that eat aphids.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
What you'll see: Velvety green caterpillars chew holes in leaves and bore into heads, leaving dark green droppings. White butterflies flutter over the bed.
Prevent
Cover plants with row cover from planting.
Check leaves each week and pick off caterpillars.
Organic options
Hand-pick caterpillars.
Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki) or spinosad on young caterpillars. Look for OMRI Listed products.
Conventional options
Same as organic: Bt and spinosad are the usual choices.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
BoltingGrowing problemNo spray helps
What you'll see: The plant sends up a flower stalk early, and the leaves turn small and bitter. Long days and heat set it off, and in bok choy and other cabbage-family greens so can a late frost or a week of nights below 50 °F.
Prevent
Sow in the cool, shorter days of spring and fall.
Sow small amounts every few weeks rather than all at once.
Choose varieties sold as slow to bolt.
Give afternoon shade in hot spells.
Organic options
Harvest as soon as a stalk starts. Let a few cilantro or dill plants flower for seed and for helpful insects.
Conventional options
None. No spray stops bolting.
Photo: “Deroceras reticulatum” by Bruce Marlin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). The cropped version is shared under the same licence.
SlugsPest
What you'll see: Ragged holes in leaves and fruit, and shiny slime trails, mostly after damp nights.
Prevent
Clear mulch and leaf litter close to plants so the ground can dry.
Start early; do not wait for a heavy infestation.
Organic options
Sink shallow containers of beer to the rim; empty and refill them often.
Iron phosphate bait scattered on the soil around plants. Look for OMRI Listed products.
Conventional options
Same as organic: iron phosphate bait is the pick for food gardens, being far less harmful to pets and wildlife.
Read and follow the product label: it is the law. It sets the rate, the crops it is for, and the days between spraying and picking. Products registered vary by state; for organic growing, look for products allowed under the USDA National Organic Program (OMRI Listed). We name active ingredients, not brands or rates.
The link opens this growing guide, so anyone can read it and look up their own planting dates.
FacebookShare this link on Facebook.XShare this link on X.LinkedInShare this link on LinkedIn.RedditShare this link on Reddit.PinterestShare this link on Pinterest.EmailEmail this link.Open your device's share menu.Copy the link to your clipboard.
Growing more than you can eat? Sell it at a farm stand. TallyTill takes cards and keeps count of what sells, and the Stand plan is free.
Sow
Sprout
True leaves
Thin or plant out
Leaf growth
Harvest
.jpg){kind=link}
.JPG){kind=link}
