Table comparing possible vegetable crops for the home gardener
| crop | difficulty | harvest | pests | approx. seed date | plantings | space needed | usefulness |
| artichoke | easy | late summer | none | 3/15 | one (cool) | 2ftx2ft | wow factor |
| basil | easy | July-frost | Japanese beetles | 5/20 | 1 or 2 (warm) | 4 "x 6 " | herb, pesto |
| beans (direct) | easy | July-frost | hoppers,beetles, deer | may 20, june 20 | 2 at least (warm) | 2 in x20 " | pick pods |
| beets (direct) | easy | June-Oct | flea beetle, rodents, deer | 4/20 | one or two (cool) | 1 inch -2 inch | greens , root |
| broccoli | med | June-Nov | worms, chucks | april 20, june 20 | one or two (cool) | 12 " apartx18" | buds |
| cabbage gr and red | med | July-Nov | worms, chucks | april 20, june 20 | one or two (cool) | 12" apart x 18" | whole head |
| carrots (direct) | easy | July-Nov | rusts, rodents | april 20, june 20 | one or two (cool) | 1" apart x18" | whole root |
| cauliflower | med | July-Nov | worms, chucks | april 20, june 20 | one or two (cool) | 12" x18" | one pick each |
| celery | med | Aug-Sept | rust | 5/1 | one (warm) | 6" x 24" | pick stalks |
| Chard (direct or trans) | easy | June-Nov | flea beet, | 4/20 | 1 or two (cool) | 4 "x 18 " | pick leaves/ orna |
| Corn (direct or trans) | difficult | Aug-Sept | everything | 5/20 | 2 or three(warm) | 6" x 30" | pick ears, orna |
| Cukes | easy | July-frost | cuke beetles | may 20, june 20 | two(warm) | 3 feet x3 feet | pick lots |
| Dill (direct or trans) | easy | June-Nov | like carrots | april 20, june 20 | two or three( cool) | 2" x18" | herb, beneficials |
| Eggplant | difficult | July-frost | every pest | 5/1 | one (warm) | 18" x30 | pretty |
| fennel | easy | July to frost | like carrots | april 20, june 20 | two or three (warm) | 2 " x 18 " | beneficials |
| Kale | easy | June-Nov | flea beetles, worms | april 20, june 20 | two (cool) | 6 " x 18" | pretty, healthy |
| Collards | easy | June-Nov | Japanese beetles, chucks | april 20, june 20 | two (cool) | 6 " x 18" | pretty, healthy |
| Leeks | easy | Aug-Nov | thrips | 4/1 | one (cool) | 6 " x 18" | very useful |
| Lettuce | easy | June-Nov | negligible, deer | april 20 and beyond | every 3 wks. (cool) | varies | most useful |
| Melons | med | late August | cuke beetles | 5/20 | one (warm) | 3 feet x 3 feet | wow factor |
| Onions/scallions | easy | July-Sept | thrips | 4/1 | 1, 2 for scall.(cool) | 4"x 6" | very useful |
| peas (direct) | easy | July | hoppers | 5/1 | 1 early, 1in July(cool) | varies | grazing |
| peppers | easy | July-frost | worms | 4/20 | one (warm) | 12" x18" | pick lots |
| Potatoes | med | July-frost | beetles | 5/1 | one-two (cool) | 12"x 36" | exciting! |
| pumpkins | easy | September | cuke beetles | 6/1 | one (warm) | 3 feetx 6 feet | wow factor |
| radishes (direct) | easy | June-Nov | flea beetles, worms | april 20 and beyond | every 3 wks. (cool) | sprinkle seed | grazing |
| Rhubarb | easy | June-July | worms | perennial | perennial | one big clump | grazing |
| spinach (direct) | med | June, Sept | bolting | april 20 and beyond | early and late (cool) | sprinkle seed | salad |
| Squash, summer | med | July-frost | cuke beetles, stink bugs | may 20, july 4 | two:May and July (warm) | 3 feetx 3 feet | pick lots |
| Squash Winter | med | September | cuke beetles, stink bugs | 6/1 | sow early June, (warm) | 3 feetx 6 feet | wow factor |
| Sweet potatoes | med | September | deer | 6/1 | one, (warm) | 1 footx 3 feet | texture |
| Tomatoes | easy | July-frost | horn worms | 4/20 | one, (warm) | trellis | grazing |
| Watermelon | med | September | cuke beetles, rodents | 5/20 | one, (warm) | 6 feetx 6 feet | wow factor |
Snell Family Farm 207-929-5318 or 207-929-6166