Gardening by Soil Temperature

This is a practice to help you be more successful with you seeds and transplants.  All you need is a soil thermometer to track the soil temperature three inches down.  This tends to more effective than planting by calendar, or if the air feels right for spring.  The weather and seasons don’t always follow our calendars.  The weather can be warm but if the ground hasn’t warmed up yet, your transplant won’t root and the seeds won’t germinate!   

On the parent page to this one, we mentioned Cool Crop Veggies, Warm Crop Veggies and their differences. Now lets look at their soil temperature requirements and this will help plan, plant and grow easier.  

Cool Crop Veggies seeds will germinate between the soil temperatures of 40 to 90 degrees F.  Cool Crop Veggie Transplants can be planted at about 50 degrees F.  

Warm Crop Veggies seeds germinate between the soil temperatures of 60 to 100 degrees F.  The Warm Crop Transplants prefer to be planted when the soil is about 65 degrees F.

When the soil is at proper temperature for your crop, generally the weather is also at the proper conditions for it to survive and grow.  Remember to be patient and follow the directions of your Thermometer.

By Alex Job