Teaching Organic Farming and Gardening

Propagation/Greenhouse Management

Unit 1.3 | 45

Appendix 5: Approximate Monthly Tempera-

tures for Best Growth and Quality of Vegetable

Crops

Appendix 5

Some crops can be planted as temperatures approach the proper range. Cool season crops grown in the spring
must have time to mature before warm weather. Fall crops can be started in hot weather to ensure a sufficient
period of cool temperature to reach maturity. Within a crop, varieties may differ in temperature requirements;
hence this listing provides general rather than specific guidelines.

OPTIMUM °F MINIMUM °F MAXIMUM °F VEGETABLE

55°–75° 45° 85° Chicory, chive, garlic, leek, onion, salsify, scolymus, scorzo-
nera, shallot

60°–65° 40° 75° Beet, broad bean, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, chard,
collards, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, parsnip, radish, ruta-
baga, sorrel, spinach, turnip

60°–65° 45° 75° Artichoke, cardoon, carrot, cauliflower, celeriac, celery,
Chinese cabbage, endive, Florence fennel, lettuce, mustard,
parsley, pea, potato

60°–70° 50° 80° Lima bean, snap bean

60°–75° 50° 95° Sweet corn, Southern pea, New Zealand spinach

65°–75° 50° 90° Chayote, pumpkin, squash

65°–75° 60° 90° Cucumber, muskmelon

70°–75° 65° 80° Sweet pepper, tomato

70°–85° 65° 95° Eggplant, hot pepper, martynia, okra, roselle, sweet potato,
watermelon

Source: Knott’s Handbook for Vegetable Growers, by Donald Maynard and George Hochmuth,
Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1997. Used by permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.