What Kind of Vegetables Can You Plant in February?
February is often a great month to start thinking about planting your vegetable garden, especially in warm climates. It’s a great time to get hands-on in your garden, as there are a variety of vegetables you can plant this time of year.
Cool-Season Crops
Cool-season crops can tolerate slightly cooler temperatures and do best when planted in the cooler part of the year, such as late winter into early spring. This group of vegetables includes:
- Beets – Beets require full sun and evenly moist soil for the best yields.
- Cabbage – Cabbage grows best when planted in well-drained soil in full sun.
- Mustards – Mustards are a great cool-season crop, and they perform best in fertile, loamy soil.
- Peas – Planting in February will yield you a nice spring harvest, provided your pea crop is planted early enough.
- Potatoes – Plant your potatoes in loamy soil in an area that receives full sun.
- Spinach – Spinach is best planted in a sunny location and regular watering will help your spinach grow fast.
- Radish – Radish can be planted in cool temperatures, and a February planting will give you a nice spring harvest.
Warm-Season Crops
Warm-season crops should be planted outdoors when the temperature is consistently above 65°F (18°C). This group of vegetables includes:
- Tomatoes – Tomatoes should be planted in full sun and introduced slowly to the warmer temperatures outside.
- Peppers – Peppers will thrive in a sunny spot and should be slowly acclimated to the outside temperature.
- Cucumbers – Cucumbers need lots of water and plenty of heat to grow their best.
- Eggplants – Eggplants perform best when the soil temperature is above 70°F (21°C).
- Squash – Squash should not be planted until later in the season, once the soil has reached a constant temperature between 70°F and 80°F (21°C and 27°C).
- Melons – Melons will thrive in the warm temperatures, but will not set fruit until the weather is consistently warmer than 80°F (27°C).
No matter the temperature, you can enjoy growing a variety of vegetables in February. Remember to check your zone and soil temperature before planting your garden. Happy gardening!
