Croft & Covey Start Free

Garden

Plants

Growing guides for the staple crops of a productive backyard garden. Select a plant for sowing dates, care notes, common problems, and harvest guidance.

Legumes

About this family →

Nitrogen-fixing crops that feed the soil as they feed you.

Bush Beans
Warm Easy Direct Sow
50–60 days → Edamame
Warm Easy Direct Sow
75–90 days → Peas
Cool Easy Direct Sow
60–70 days → Pole Beans
Warm Easy Direct Sow
60–70 days → Snap Peas
Cool Easy Direct Sow
60–70 days →

Brassicas

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Cool-season workhorses — cabbages, kale, broccoli, and more.

Arugula
Cool Easy Direct Sow
21–40 days → Bok Choy
Cool Easy Direct Sow
30–60 days → Broccoli
Cool Moderate Transplant
80–100 days from seed → Brussels Sprouts
Cool Moderate Transplant
90–110 days from transplant → Cabbage
Cool Easy Transplant
70–120 days from transplant → Cauliflower
Cool Challenging Transplant
75–100 days from transplant → Kale
Cool Easy Direct Sow
55–75 days → Kohlrabi
Cool Easy Direct Sow
45–60 days → Lettuce
Cool Easy Direct Sow
30–75 days → Radish
Cool Easy Direct Sow
22–70 days → Spinach
Cool Easy Direct Sow
37–50 days → Swiss Chard
Cool Warm Easy Direct Sow
50–60 days → Turnip
Cool Easy Direct Sow
35–60 days →

Root Vegetables

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What grows below the surface — carrots, beets, turnips, and other underground staples.

Beet
Cool Easy Direct Sow
55–70 days → Carrot
Cool Moderate Direct Sow
70–80 days → Chives
Cool Warm Easy Direct Sow
60–90 days from seed, immediate from division → Garlic
Cool Easy Direct Sow
240–270 days from fall planting → Leeks
Cool Moderate Transplant
100–120 days from transplant → Onion
Cool Moderate Transplant
100–120 days from transplant → Shallots
Cool Easy Transplant
90–120 days →

Fruiting Vegetables

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Tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers — the warm-season backbone of most gardens.

Cantaloupe
Warm Moderate Direct Sow
75–90 days → Cucumber
Warm Easy Direct Sow
50–65 days → Eggplant
Warm Moderate Transplant
70–85 days from transplant → Pepper
Warm Moderate Transplant
70–90 days from transplant → Potato
Cool Easy Direct Sow
70–120 days → Pumpkin
Warm Easy Direct Sow
90–120 days → Strawberry
Cool Moderate Transplant
Year 2 onward for full harvest → Sweet Corn
Warm Moderate Direct Sow
70–90 days → Tomatillo
Warm Easy Transplant
70–80 days from transplant → Tomato
Warm Moderate Transplant
70–85 days from transplant → Watermelon
Warm Challenging Direct Sow
80–95 days → Winter Squash
Warm Easy Direct Sow
85–110 days → Zucchini
Warm Easy Direct Sow
50–60 days →

Herbs

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Useful in the kitchen and the garden. Most are easy to grow and good companions to other crops.

Basil
Warm Easy Direct Sow
60–90 days from seed, 3–4 weeks from transplant → Cilantro
Cool Easy Direct Sow
21–45 days → Dill
Cool Warm Easy Direct Sow
40–60 days for leaves, 90 days for seed → Lavender
Warm Moderate Transplant
Perennial — harvest from year 2 onward → Mint
Cool Warm Easy Transplant
Perennial — harvest throughout the season → Oregano
Warm Easy Direct Sow
Perennial — ready to harvest from first season → Parsley
Cool Easy Direct Sow
70–90 days → Rosemary
Warm Moderate Transplant
Perennial where hardy; first-season harvest possible from transplants → Sage
Warm Easy Direct Sow
Perennial — light harvest first season, full harvest from year 2 → Thyme
Warm Easy Direct Sow
Perennial — harvest throughout the season from transplants →