2torial #0568:
Learn2 Plan a Vegetable Garden (Continued)

Know your growing season

Before you buy your seeds, it's important to understand the particular climate changes of your area. If you live where temperatures can hit freezing, you'll need to know the average last frost. This term refers to a cut-off date, usually in early spring, after which the chances of freezing temperatures are less than 10 percent. Different seeds deal with the cold in different ways, so here's a guide:

Cool season vegetables are strong enough to go in a few weeks before the last frost and grow better in cooler temperatures. These include lettuce, carrots, radishes, onions, broccoli, potatoes, and beets.

Warm season vegetables don't like the cold and are planted after the last frost. These include corn, beans, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, eggplant, and peppers.

To get the date of your region's average last frost, talk to your local nursery, or call your state agricultural office (listed in the government pages of the phone book). Remember, there's no way the prediction can be completely accurate. Mother Nature has her whims, and you must have patience.