Vegetables to Direct Sow

Direct seeding or direct sowing just means that you start planting seeds in the garden, rather than buying small plants or starting seeds indoors earlier and transplanting them outside. Many seeds of both flowers and vegetables can be started outdoors, at the start of the growing season. [Source: The Spruce]

Beans:

There are generally two types of beans, bush and pole. Pole beans grow long vines and will need support of a pole or trellis. Pole beans continue to produce for a long time until frost. Bush beans produce their crop quicker and all around the same time. Plant several succession plantings of bush beans two weeks apart for a continuous harvest all summer long. Seeds germinate quickly in warm soil and can benefit from a brief soaking in water for 4-6 hours before planting. Sow in late spring when the soil warms after danger of frost is past. For most varieties, plant 1-inch deep, 3-4 inches apart. Thinning is not usually necessary.

Beets:

This double-duty crop produces both fresh greens and roots. Beets prefer cool weather. Direct sow seeds as soon as the ground can be worked. Sow every three weeks during the cooler months for a continuous harvest. Seeds germinate quicker in warmer soil and can benefit from a brief soaking in water for 4-6 hours before planting. For most varieties, plant seeds 1/4 inch deep and 1 inch apart. Beet seeds are actually a seedpod that contains several seeds. Once the beets are about 5-inches high, thin to one plant every 3-6 inches. You can eat the thinning.

Carrots:

Carrot seeds are small and difficult to space individually. Homemade Seed Mats make sowing carrot seeds easy. Carrots are a cool-season crop and will tolerate frost once established. Direct sow seeds about three weeks before the last expected frost. Sow seeds 1/2-inch deep and 1/3 inch apart. Keep soil evenly moist. Once seedlings are 2-inches high, thin to one plant every inch for baby carrots, or one plant every 3-inches for larger carrots.

Corn:

Since corn is wind-pollinated, it should be planted in blocks or at least four short rows side-by-side resulting in a block of plants. Direct sow seed outdoors when the soil temperature is about 60˚ F about two weeks after last frost. For most varieties, plant 1-inch deep, 4-6 inches apart. Thin to one plant every 12 inches.

Cucumbers:

Grow cucumbers in mounds and allow plenty of room for the vines to stretch out or grow along a trellis to save space. Direct sow seeds when the soil has warmed, about a week after your last frost date. For most varieties, plant 1-inch deep, and 6-8 inches apart. If you are growing cucumber on mounds, sow three plants per hill, and space your hills 18 to 36 inches apart. No thinning is needed if you are growing along a trellis or in mounds.

Lettuce:

There are so many varieties of lettuce with various colored and shaped leaves. Lettuce prefers cool weather and will tolerate frost once established. Direct sow seeds as soon as the ground can be worked. Plant seeds 1/4-inch deep and keep soil evenly moist. Thin leaf lettuce varieties to 4-inches apart, cos and loose-head varieties to 8-inches apart, and firm head varieties to 16-inches apart. Homemade Seed Mats make sowing lettuce seeds easy.

Peas:

Some pea varieties grow short vines and some long vines, but all pea plants benefit from some trellis supports to satisfy their climbing nature. The pods will be easier to harvest along a trellis too. Peas like cool weather and will tolerate some frost once the plants are established. Seeds germinate quicker in warm soil and can benefit from a brief soaking in water for 4-6 hours before planting. Direct sow pea seeds in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. For most varieties, plant 1-inch deep, 2-3 inches apart. Thinning is not usually necessary.

Radish:

Radishes are a rewarding vegetable to grow. It prefers cool weather and matures quickly. Sow every two weeks during the cooler months for a continuous harvest. Direct sow seeds as soon as the ground can be worked. For most varieties, plant 1/2-inches deep, 2-3 inches apart. Thinning is not usually necessary.