Vegetable Gardening in USDA Zone 4

Putting together a vegetable garden in zone 4 begins with planing in January. The last frost in zone 4 is about May 20th. Plan on planting after that date. Remember, Mother Nature controls the weather, not man. Make sure you have a good forecast. Take a look a the package of the seeds. It will tell you how long it will take to harvest the vegetable. If you plant it outside direct from seed, will you have a long enough season to get at least one crop. Remember, fall comes early in zone 4. If you need more time, start the seeds indoors so they are well along before going outdoors. It is better to have the crops finish early than have them get stuck in the ground when the first frost hits in the fall.

For those who live in apartments and those who only have a small plot of land, get together with your neighbors. Split up the crops between you so that put together you make up one large garden. When harvest comes, divide them up between you. It is much better than having everyone grow eggplant and cucumbers.

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) can be grown in USDA zones 4 through 9. The plant is a perennial, something unusual in the vegetable world, that can produce a crop for up to 20 years. Asparagus plants will be either male or female. Female plants will produces berries. Asparagus is a good choice for the zone 4 gardener because it prefers a cool winter. Plant this vegetable in partial shade and a sandy soil.

String Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) is an annual plant and can be grown in USDA zones 3 through 10. Plant in full sun and a loamy soil. Gardeners in the south will get a longer growing season. Those in zone 4 should start the plants indoors in the late winter to get a head start on spring. Plant them outside after the last frost at the same time as you plant seeds outside and you will have two crops. There is a big variety of beans that come in shades of green, purple, and yellow.

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) is another annual that grows in zones 3 through 10 and another one that needs full sun and a sandy soil. Broccoli is a cool season crop. Plant it right and you can get a crop in the spring and the fall.

Celery (Apium graveolens) is hardy from zones 2 though 10, a very good choice for zone 4 gardeners. Plant in full sun or partial shade. The plant is adaptable to any type of soil. Celery is a long season crop that does not like heat. As a matter of fact, in the south, celery is grown in the winter. In zone 4, it is grown in the summer.

Other choices for a zone 4 vegetable garden include beets, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, sweet corn, spinach and tomatoes. That is a lot to choose from. Gardeners in zone 4 can easily put together a garden.

Sources:

Farmer's Almanac

Doug Green's Beginners Gardening