First year gardening, have a question...

[rayoflight]

Vegetables...are there any that MUST be potted FIRST and transferred into the garden? I see a lot of posts where people are starting things out in pots and it got me wondering...

Here's what I'm planting-

corn
tomatoes, a few different kinds (fruit,veggie,whatever lol)
carrots
green beans
peas
lettuce (few different kinds
radish
cucumbers
and broccoli

[BrianSkilton]

Vegetables...are there any that MUST be potted FIRST and transferred into the garden? I see a lot of posts where people are starting things out in pots and it got me wondering...

Here's what I'm planting-

corn
tomatoes, a few different kinds (fruit,veggie,whatever lol)
carrots
green beans
peas
lettuce (few different kinds
radish
cucumbers
and broccoli

Rayoflight, welcome to the forums! Okay, I see you live in MN, so if you haven't started tomatoes yet you'll want to get a jump start on them. Your not to late to start from seed. I have just started germinating them as well. Carrots you can directly sow in the garden come the middle or end of May. Same goes for peas and beans and radishes. Lettuce you need to start now by seed. Germinate a few seeds and seperate the seedlings in there own cups. For the broccoli, you'll want to start that right away. I suppose you could directly sow that, but it does get hot quick. Actually for the broccoli, I would just buy the plants. Cucumbers you can also directly sow. Hope that helps a little

[jal_ut]

The only thing I start or buy as starts are tomatoes and peppers. The rest I direcrt seed in the garden where it will grow. I planted 32 varieties last year. Have a great year.

[rayoflight]

Thanks for the input, it's much appreciated!

[jal_ut]

Radish, lettuce, peas, broccoli and carrots can be direct seeded in April. The corn, and beans can be planted mid May. Cukes are more tender and need quite warm weather. Plant cukes June 1.

I should have said I plant onion sets and plants. I do also plant some onion seed.

[rainbowgardener]

Timing is important, especially for you in Minn, with shorter growing season.

corn
tomatoes, a few different kinds (fruit,veggie,whatever lol)
carrots
green beans
peas
lettuce (few different kinds
radish
cucumbers
and broccoli


The carrots, peas, lettuce, and broccoli are all cool weather plants, can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked. Of those the only one I start indoors is the broccoli. I like to give the broccoli the head start because it is a little slower growing and it does not like hot weather, tends to flower instead of making heads, once it gets warm.

The corn, tomatoes, beans and cucumbers are warmer weather crops. Corn and beans are usually direct seeded in the ground once all danger of frost is past. Tomatoes most people start indoors to give them a head start, to have a longer season of producing tomatoes. It takes 3- 4 months from when you plant the seed to when you have actual ripe tomatoes. So you can see if you wait to plant the seeds outdoors after all danger of frost, you would just be getting your first ripe tomatoes and fall frosts would be threatening... Some people start cucumbers indoors, some don't. They are the last to go out, need the soil nice and warmed up, but they are quick growing, so there's not a huge advantage to starting them indoors.