Home gardeners who are anxious to work their soil in spring need not wait until the last frost of winter to begin planting. In fact, many crops thrive in the cool weather of early spring and are even remarkably tolerant of unexpected late frosts.
1. Peas — Few fleeting seasonal treats compare to fresh, sweet garden peas. Peas can either be the shelling (English) variety or snap peas with pods tender enough to eat whole.
According to Treehugger, the climbing varieties can be trellised to make the best use of space in a small garden. For the best germination rates for the large seeds, either soak them overnight or pre-sprout them.
Urgent: Weird Trick Adds Up to $1,000 to Your Social Security Checks
2. Kale — This hardy, nutritious superfood thrives in cool weather and is easy to grow.
According to Inhabitat, kale can not only survive unpredictable spring temperatures, it tastes even better if hit with a light frost. Kale is a “cut-and-come-again” crop, meaning you can harvest as many individual leaves as you need and the plant will continue to produce over many weeks.
3. Lettuce — Get a head start on fresh spring salads by planting lettuce seeds in the garden about two weeks prior to the last frost
date in your region, recommends Organic Authority. Lettuce seeds need light to germinate, so cover the seeds carefully with only a light sprinkling of soil.
Special: Joint Pain and Stiffness: Biblical Herb Extract Helps Balance Inflammatory Response
4. Radishes — Spring salads may not feature summer staples like tomatoes and cucumbers, but zesty radishes are a colorful and flavorful addition. Radishes are one of the fastest crops you can grow, says Treehugger, with many varieties ready to harvest in as little as 30 days. Direct sow radish seeds about two weeks before the last frost date in your area.
5. Carrots — Organic Authority recommends planting tiny carrot seeds two weeks before the last frost of winter. Plant carrots in fine garden soil that is free of rocks, roots and compacted clumps of soil. Carrots can take a few months to mature, so this crop is ideal for early planting for harvest later.
Doctor: 5 Signs Cancer Is Starting Inside Your Body
Brande Plotnick is an ambitious home cook, gardener, beekeeper, writer, and speaker who started her website, Tomato Envy, to inspire others to find their deliberately decadent life at home. Brande’s down-to-earth style and approachable manner have been winning over the readers who follow her blog. Her work has been featured in Urban Farm Magazine, Natural Awakenings, Mother Earth News, and the Whole Seed Catalog.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.