Here is a cut-n-paste from a prior thread, sorry no link I just put the info in a .txt file, but here ya go:



Rhubarb Plant Feb to Mar…3 feet in ea direction from plant…can be started from seed root divisions or cuttings, if starting from seed allow 6 to 8 weeks indoor growth..No harvest till 2nd season of growth, then for only 1-2 weeks..3rd season can harvest 1-2 months, after that harvest at will, DO NOT EAT LEAVES COMPOST…

Peppers Plant indoors 8 – 10 weeks before last frost, put in ground in Mar to early Apr…70 to 90 days till maturity..18-24 inches between plants 24-36 inches between rows green is early red is ripened…possible cross pollination between hot and sweet peppers…will effect the seed…

Lettuce Plant in Mar, start 4 to 6 weeks indoors before planting outside..1/8 to ¼ inch deep 6 to 8 inches apart in all directions grows good in cool weather, and shade, not hot…40 to 60 degree soil temp..plant in two week intervals for continuous harvesting, quick grower repeat a planting in fall…

Cabbage Plant in Mar, start 8 to 10 weeks indoors before planting in ground…likes high phosphorous ratio…plant shallow like lettuce, and space 12-18 inches apart, with rows being 18-24 inches apart..harvest 55-130 days can be cold, depending on rate of growth can be planted again in fall..

Zucchini Plant in March and in Late Aug…3 feet apart, harvest 35 to 50 days…1/2 to 1 inch deep 3 feet between rows…

Peas Plant Mid Mar to early Apr, plant in two week successions for continuous harvest…no cold…Dig furrow four inches deep cover seeds with only 1 to 1-1/2 inches of dirt, fill in to top as seedling grows.. Space seeds about 1 to 2 inches apart in the row. Thin seedlings to 2 inches apart when they are 4 inches high. Space rows about 24 to 30 inches apart. Bush varieties can be grown in wide rows, spacing the seeds only 2 inches apart in all directions. Pole types can be planted on both sides of the trellis support to double yield. Sow seeds at 2 to 3 week intervals, until mid-spring for continual harvest. Sow in mid-July for fall harvest.

Fava Beans Plant mid March to April..1 inch deep 5 to 6 inches apart….good winter crop as well..

Turnip/Rutebega…Plant in March and again in August…winter crop…plant 5 to 20 seeds per sq foot of row depending on yield you want..12 to 24 inches between rows…four to six inches apart when thinned…

Endive also Escarole…less bitter as a fall crop, does not handle heat well…plant 2-4 weeks indoors then put in ground March to April…1/2 inch deep, can be scattered…* inches between plants when grown..

Radish Plant March to April…1/4 to ½ inch deep..1 inch apart, thin to 4 inches apart as grown…20 to 30 days to harvest for some species…60 to 70 for others…can be cold, plant again in August..

Italian Dan. Plant in March and again in August…65 days to harvest, can handle some cold..

Purslane Don’t compost seed growth rampant, start from seed, very weedy give own area..Plant in March and Apr..60 days or so to harvest

Mache Plant in early spring, March to early Apr..deep soil and mulch, add sand to soil to help growth, cold plant..plant again in August…30 days to harvest or so…

Orach Plant in March, 1 inch deep and rows 2 feet apart, plants 18 to 24 inches apart, harvest 40 to 60 days…can eat leaves and sprigs…

Radicchio Plant in March, and again in August and inch or so deep and 10 to 12 inches apart 80 days to harvest...cut at root to harvest…note: like chicory root…can be used as coffee substitute, but can affect vision long term…also root good for kicking out digestive worms in humans and animals…

Corn Plant Apr 20th thru May 15th..(earlier if possible) one and a half inch deep and 4 to 6 inches apart..think to 1 foot apart at 3 to 4 inches growth..harvest 20 days after silk appears..no less than four rows, by four rows, 2.5 to 3 foot apart..must cross pollinate..58 to 60 degree soil..can also be planted in small mounds…4 to seeds per mound, space two feet apart in all directions…thin to 2 or 3 plants per hill once grow up 4 inches or so…60 to 80 days for some varietys, 80 to 100 for others… family of five.. 400 foot of rows.

Soybeans Plant Apr 19th thru 28th..as late as May 25th…approx 1 to 1.5 inches deep and 18 to 24 inches apart…

Onions Plant mid April to May 1 inch deep 4 inches apart rows 16 to 24 inches apart…2 to 4 pounds of seed per acre…or can plant through rootings of other onions..

Squash Summer squash 50 to 65 days to mature…Winter squash 60 to 100 days…(cucumbers, pumpkin, melons, squash) Plant in mounds 1 to 2 feet in diameter mid Apr to mid May…2 to 3 feet apart no more than 2 to 3 plants per mound think out weaker plants…winter squash (thicker skinned) can be planted again in july or so for late harvest…leave approx 3 inch stem at harvest on fruit…

Tomatoes Plant mid Apr to mid May…15 inches apart if staked or caged…24 to 36 inches apart if not, leave a good two to three feet between rows, harvest when red or ripened, 54 – 80 days depending on variety.

Chard Plant in April, thickly,…1 to 2 inches apart and rows 3 feet apart, 1 to 2 inches deep, 45 to 65 days to harvest…eat leaves and stalks…(also swiss chard) plant again in August..

Greenbean pole beans, six to eight seeds per teepee, plant six to eight inches apart.(one for ea string)..pole will continually produce……Bush beans, plant in 2 week successions4 to 6 inches apart 1 to 2 inches deep..50 to 60 days to harvest…

Kale can do cold like chard1 to 2 inches deep leaving 12 to 18 inches apart from plants, two to three feet between rows…Plant in April, again in July to Aug..

Broccoli Plant mid April..1/4 inch deep, 12 inches between plants 50 to 100 days to harvest depending on environment and type…50-60 degree soil temp family of five, 25 plants 4 to 6 lbs in a ten foot row…

Beets Plant mid April..6 to 12 seeds per foot, ½ inch deep...six inches between plants, two foot rows…40-70degree soil temp..45 to 60 days to harvest…note: for better taste harvest when shoots are young, 1.5 to 3 inches tall…green tops can be harvested after 6 inches tall…15 lbs for a 10 foot row…family of five..50ft row..

Brusselsprouts …2 to 3 seeds per foot, ..24 inches between plants ¼ inch depth…60-70 degree soil temp..Plant in mid April.. 80 to 120 days to harvest from seed…80 to 90 days from transplant, can start indoors 4 to 6 weeks before putting outside…4 to 6 lbs for a ten foot row 25 plants for family of five..harvest from bottom to top when buds approx 1 inch…anywhere from 30 days after planted all the way to kill frost…

Cauliflour one per foot, 1/16 to ¼ inch depth start indoors 4 to 6 weeks before taking out in mid April..50-60 degree soil temp, can withstand cold to an extent…50 to 100 days from transplant..30 plants for family of five…

Carrotts Plant in mid May…1/4 to ½ inch deep18 to 36 inches between rows…4 to 5 inches between plants…2lbs per acre for seed…stores well with onions and potatoes at 32 degrees…harvest 60 to 80 days after planting…if fast enough can plant again in July out of heat…

Celery is a long crop, plant May, soil temps no less than 50degrees needs a good 5 to 6 months to grow, can take some of first frost if protected..start five to six weeks before ground time indoors transplant seedlings…or do seed 1/2inch deep and a few inches apart, thin out weaker plants….plant eight inches apart once grown, or thin to…and rows being 24 to 30 inches between…does not like hot so keep shady some..

Potatoes Plant May to June..no more than two years in same field..prepare soil nov dec time…mounds six to eight inches deep 3 to 4 feet in diameter,..four to five seeds per mound..rows 15 inches apart at least… every 4 to 5 inches of growth, recover with dirt,…do twice at least…flowers when potatoes are growing, flowers stop, harvest 2 to 3 weeks later….

Watermelon indoor start 3 to 4 weeks before planting…one seed every 24 to 36 inches, plant 1 to 2 inches deep in mid May…soil temp 68-75 degrees…approx 80 days to harvest..sound slap for ripeness…high not done, low too ripe, medium just right..20 plants for a family of five…

Strawberries plant sooner than May if weather permits…can plant by seed, or cuttings, root divisions…plant rows 36 to 48 inches apart…everbearing fruit or June bearing, will harvest for couple of months through summer..ever bearing will harvest bigger yield at end of season if you pinch back the flowers till late in season…

Eggplant start indoors 4 to 6 weeks before taking out in mid May…transplant with first true set of leaves…1/4 inch depth..18 inches between plants 70 degree soil temp…75 to 90 days to mature…3 to 6 per plant….20 plants for a family of five…

Spinach ½ inch depth…4inches between plants…60-70 degree soil temp, plant in mid May…40 to 70 days till harvest..60 ft row for family of five…

Garlic plant after first good frost of autum, again if late in early early spring…needs the cold sit to bud…one inch down and four to five inches apart..(cover with ten inches of mulch during winter)once tops brown pull em, allow to dry for one week…will store well at cold temp..

Asparagus From a Crown from seed dealer..if growing from seed allow one extra year…will continue to grow back year after year for several years…plant one year old crowns, in Apr to May can harvest April through June next year…plant crowns in 8 to 9 inch deep trench, cover with dirt as grows, till reaches top of trench.. harvest between five and eight inches tall….let turn to seed at end of season…

Cereals and Grains

Wheat Plant in spring, April to May harvest August to Sept…Plant in winter, mid. August to October, harvest mid May or July………Seed per foot rather than pound per acre….30-50 seeds per sq foot, optimum 30-35 seeds per sq foot …….Also can plant by pound, 80-90 lbs per acre or 100’ by 100’ plot..18-22 lbs….spread, or plant shallow…
Harvesting wheat starts with cutting it with a Scythe or sharp knife….Stook it..by wrapping it in bundles roughly 8 to 10 inches in diameter to ..Threshing..(open stook, beating it with a Flail till heads come off..remove straw..put through coarse Sieve..)…Chaff…throw in wind over a tarp or smooth sheet..wind blows Chaff away…yield approx one quart per Stook……..the chaff and Straw when separated can be combined with your game/feed corn and rye...even adding later leftover hops or barley parts and the leftovers from beer making…..

Hops Plant as root or rhizome no later than May…grows viney up to 25ft 120 days of frost free growth till harvest..(1 to 2.5 lbs flowers per plant) …..Plant root buds point up 2 inches in soil 3 to 5 feet apartonce one foot long wrap clockwise on trellis systemTrim after you get a light sticky feeling on flowers from pollen….bury vines after harvest for next seasons growth….Note: (male and female parts…seeds used to produce new variety, new strain….the roots and rhizomes will grow back every year…don’t know if it possible to separate males or not…)

Barley/Oats Plant April 27th to May 27th..spring plant fall harvest..fall plant June harvest…like wheat…Use as food for livestock, alcohol, malting for beer, cereals (with oats or other grains) can roast it to malt to the color you want……Kernel cracked, seed can be milled and sieved out or blown out…milled powder can be used in cereals as well as used as a thickening agent

Rye Plant early spring, April to May, can harvest in approx 80 days….can plant in winter as well, no later than October 15th again eighty days….good grazing plant…can put in pasture sixty to eighty days before moving livestock…no lower than 39 degrees outside….can throw around spread style or plant very shallow…

Herbs This section is a brief about Herbs, noting some of the ones that can grow in cold and by seed, but with herbs sometimes its best to get cuttings or prestarted plants from a nursery if you cant start them yourself indoors…

Rosemary Reoccurs in warm weather areas, otherwise can die off from winter temps before next season…plant 2 feet apart can be started from seed indoors up to 4-6 weeks early, harvest throughout its growth..

Parsley Start plants indoors 6 to 8 weeks prior to planting, put in ground in March…This is a re-seeder..grows like a weed so give it its own space….

Thyme this can be grown from seed, grow up to a year and harvest little, divide roots next April and spread, Harvest from July on…Typically grown in root divisions…

Sage Start indoors 6to 8 weeks prior to ground planting in March…can sustain some cold weather..Plant 2 foot apart in each direction from plant…cut plant down before hard winter comes will regrow if protected with mulch…

Mint Start indoors 6 to 8 weeks to planting, put in ground March to April, space 12 to 18 inches apart and cut back at end of season…this is an overtaker, give it space….will return bigger each season..same goes for Catnip…

Basil Plant late March, approx ½ inch deep and two feet apart in each direction…does no tlike cold, can start indoor 4 to 6 weeks prior….Keep seed….

Dill Start 4 to 6 weeks indoors from seed, will spread, self seeder, give space…not much cold, start March to April..

Coriander/Cilantro From seed, start March to April, spread thinly and plant continually for multiple crops…self seeder, give space and keep from getting too hot, heat makes it Bolt (give seed) is good cold plant.

Oregano Start 4 to 6 weeks indoors before transplanting in ground in March to April, not a cold liker, and will tend to get woody after 2 to 4 years so keep seeds…(no fertilizer)

Pepper Plant grows 3 to 4 years before first fruit, lot of water and viney…can plant from seed, but germination can take a long time, several weeks even…better if possible to get cuttings..

Caraway Plant from seed, does not like cold, probably better in greenhouse environment, grow two years before harvesting seed, grow one year before harvesting root… let propogate can eat leaves and roots as well…plant for just that even…harvest seed for more planting and spice, eat root…

Poppy Spring to Summer planting, can be from seed started indoors 4 to 6 weeks prior to ground in Apr to May, early June…Flowers July to Sept, does not like cold…

Cumin Can grow from seed, start indoors 4 to 6 weeks, doesn’t like too cold…plant outdoors with sea of green method (nuts to butt) Harvest when plant browns, cut heads off and dry…

Tobacco Plant March, to April, from cuttings if possible otherwise start seed indoors, not sure how long however…but can be harvested in approx 10 weeks when flowers…does not like cold but can be grown for short season here in Michigan…Plant multiple plantings of this….

Coffee Order green cuttings…plant indoors, like greenhouse..needs warmth.. altitude produces better fruits…if starting by seed this can take 2 to 6 months to germinate..plant then transplant again..cherries will come after 2 to 3 years for harvest….(Arabica variety is self pollinating)

Winter Plants and Flowers

Datura/Moonflower Plant in April…approx 24 weeks to flower…nocturnal flowering, very pretty…harvest seed pods later in year, before too wet from season change, can mold, but will repropogate itself…

Good winter flowers that can survive below 45 degrees…..
Amaryllis, Azalea, xmas cactus, Freesia, Hyacinth, Impatiens,Larkspur, Nasturium, Memesia, Pansy, Primrose, Snapdragons, Sweet Pea…..
Good winter crops…Beets, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflour, Celery, Cilantro, Fava beans, Garlic, Kale, Lettuce, Parsley, Radish, Spinach, Swiss chard, Turnips, Parsnips best when pulled in January if protected good….(keep in mind they can still die from a good cold frost, so you need to help make it possible for them to reach that last harvest, possibly three to four frosts or snows in….this is how

Keep track of last frost dates from year to year….start looking around October 15th, look for cold front in jet streams coming from north west…usually about ten days before first frost….first kill frost can usually come between Oct 28th and Nov 14th…Utilizing things like small green houses or cold frames can help keep plants alive longer into first winter months…sometimes even a thick layer of mulch can help protect them long enough to get to harvest and remember always water less in winter….
Cold Frame Like a wooden box with high sides, anything to keep the cold wind and frost/snow off…can even use tires for cold boxes…just make some sort of hinged windowed door that can open and close over the plants…Keep in mind any good winter crops can be planted early in spring, early April even keeping them in the same manner, starting them indoors 4 weeks prior…just take off the cold frames or cover when warms up…some good cold frame crops are…
Arugula, Chard, Endive, Escarole, Italian Dandelion, Lettuce, Parsley, Radish, Scallion Spinach…

Mulching Sawdust, Bark, Leech Nitrogen...Newspaper, Peatmoss mix…till into soil after winter, mulched soil must be tilled…mulch some plants between 4 and 8 inches thick…

Green Manures ..Some plants can leech soil if grown more than two years, most plants shouldn’t be grown more than one season in the same soil without rotation.(see next para) so it’s a good idea to have some good quick growing (still edible) greens to re-till/plow into the soil come.soil defrost…
Plants from the Legume family add nitrogen to soil..cut off tops and roots added to compost are helpful as well…alfalfa, Austrian field pea, white clover, Alsike clover, Crimson clover, Red clover, vetch types fava beans winter peas cowpeas…all of these can be grown into winter and returned into the soil come spring to re-add nutrients to the soil….

Rotating Crops onions carrots and potatoes good rotaters, same with garlic….growing squash in rows of corn can help balance eachother…flipping corn with soybean as well….can rotate corn also with tomatoes, lettuce, and beans…always rotate crops, no more than two years max in one location…