What vegetables can be grown in February?

[Anonymous]

[WindAtMyBack]

It depends on where you live. In northern climates, I don't know of any vegetables that can be grown outdoors in February. Indoors, you can grow several small cool weather crops in containers. I've grown carrots, radishes, lettuce and several herbs in containers year around.

In warmer northern hemisphere areas, like the warmest US climates, you can start just about anything in February.

For outdoor crops, I start from seed indoors in a hotbox. I have started as early as February, but with the slower germination, it's not ready to put in the ground much earlier than starting in late March or even April. Starting seeds in February takes forever to germinate and grow. It might take six weeks to germinate, then grow slowly after that. I think it's better just to wait.

Stores should have seeds out by now. You can browse and check the seed packages. They should all say when to plant. Many will give a required temperature for germination. It usually needs to be pretty warm, like 70+ degrees F. Some need to be even warmer. That's why I built a hot box. My house temperature is not nearly warm enough to germinate.

[Asker]

I live in America

[WindAtMyBack]

That doesn't mean much. The planting time can vary by 3-4 months. Check the seed packages at the store. Most will have a zone map which shows the earliest planting time for your zone.

Many will refer to the last frost date. The date of the last frost will vary year to year, so the stated last frost date is an average. Cool weather crops might say to put seeds in the ground as soon as you can work the soil, which may be long before last frost.

Here's an interactive map. You can type in your zip code.
https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

In the dark orange zones, you can put many crops in the ground in February. In the blue zones, it will be at least May or even June for warm weather crops - sooner for cool weather crops. This map is similar to what the seed packages have, but more detailed.

There is always a lot of guesswork. You never know what the weather will do, so you have to go by experience and make your best guess.

[douride2]

Around here nothing will grow in February. It's to cold the ground is frozen & covered with snow.