Vegetables

Green onions, also called bunching onions or scallions, grow easily from seed or transplants. Most green onions sold in grocery stores are simply bulbing onions (Allium cepa), picked while young, long before they form a bulb. But there is also Welsh onion/Japanese bunching onion (Allium fistulosum), which…

For best Brussels sprouts production, transplant seedlings into the garden in May or June. The plants will begin to produce sprouts in the summer and will continue through the fall and winter.

Peas are a cool season vegetable in Santa Clara County. There are three types of fresh peas: Shelling peas, where the tough pod is removed before eating. Snow peas, which have edible pods and are harvested flat, while the peas inside are small and immature. Sugar snap peas, which have edible pods and are…

Lettuce is usually grown as a cool-season crop in Santa Clara County. If grown in the summer, it's recommended to plant where it will get shade from other crops or trees and to select temperature tolerant, slow bolting, varieties. It's a shallow-rooted plant which requires frequent watering when there's no…

Direct seed: March–April and August–September; possibly February, May, and October Transplant: February–May and September–October; possibly June Begin harvesting when the roots are at least 1 inch wide, harvesting alternate plants to allow remaining plants to grow up to 3 inches wide.

Transplant: May–June For best results, wait until daytime temperatures are regularly over 75°F Start in pots for transplants: February–April; ready to transplant in 8 weeks Harvest window: August–October, two to three months after transplanting, depending on variety.

Brussels sprouts are a cool season crop, preferring temperatures under 70º F. Sprouts maturing in hot weather and/or dry conditions are more likely to develop bitterness. Transplant into the garden in July–August (possibly September). If grown from seed, start 4–5 weeks before desired transplant date.

Artichokes are considered a cool season crop but can be grown as a perennial in Santa Clara County. They require lots of sun, plenty of water, and occasional protection from frost.

Lettuce is generally considered a cool weather plant, grown in early spring or fall, although it can be grown in the warm season in most of the SF Bay Area by choosing varieties adapted to warmer weather. Check seed catalogs for summer lettuces.

We invite you to join our public tomato trial and be a citizen scientist! Help us gather information by growing trial tomatoes in your garden and reporting the results.