Growing Season And Altitude Limits For Garden Vegetables
Different vegetable plants have different growing season. However, the growing season of an area is actually determined by the hardiness zone and this will give you an idea as to when to expect frost in spring and fall which are both growing seasons for different types of vegetables. |
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Knowing when to expect frost in spring and fall will give you an idea as to how long your growing season will be and if night time temperatures drop below a certain level, then you may not be able to plant certain vegetables. For instance, if night time temperature regularly drops to 40s, then you will not be able to grow tomatoes. However, one thing is for sure that certain vegetables grow better at higher altitudes where temperatures are constantly on the lower end, even in summer.
Usually in high altitudes, the growing season is short. It is usually restricted to around 70 to 130 days and this depends on the location and altitude. Very often it is seen that in high altitudes there is unseasonal frost and this can destroy vegetables if you are not prepared for it.
Some high altitude vegetables are beans, beets, carrot, corn, cucumber, lettuce, peas, potatoes, radish and tomato. Of course it goes without saying that you would need to boost the growth of these vegetables using fertilizer.
If you are staying at altitudes of 6,000 feet or higher, then you should be prepared to receive frost even on Memorial Day. The month of May at high altitudes is too cold for seedlings while mature plants can take cold temperatures well, even in September. That is why at these high altitudes, you should be looking to plant your vegetables in the first week of June and be prepared to get a late harvest.
At high altitudes, plant vegetables that have a short growing cycle. Look for vegetables that mature in 90 days. Try planting root vegetables which usually take 120 days to mature.
Some vegetables that are perfect for high altitudes are pole beans, bush beans, beets, carrot, sweet corn, cucumber, lettuce, peas, potatoes, radish and tomatoes. Most of these vegetables have a growing cycle between 50 to 120 days.
Remember, that at high altitudes you can grow vegetables but only those that have a short growing cycle. In addition, the soil in high altitudes does not have enough nutrients and you would have to add these nutrients by way of fertilizers -- chemical or organic.
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