1) 3:44 Spinach; 2) 4:51 Arugula; 3) 5:08 Broccoli; 4) 6:26 Cilantro; 5) 7:45 Dandelion Greens; 6) 9:27 Garlic.

In my area we don't have spring. We have winter and road construction.

Seasons in Georgia... Pollen, tornado, summer, Hades, second summer, fall, slightly cooler fall. No spring. 🤷‍♀️

You just saved me SO much frustration. I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong out here in Colorado. This changes the garden plan. Thank you for making this video!

Very true. Wisconsin is the same. Spring is only about 2 weeks, usually from April 25th to May 10th. It goes from freezing to super hot in the blink of an eye. That's why I've been focusing on summer crops, why fight mother nature when you can just use what she gives you.

I held my breath everytime you said "another one I dont recommend IS......." 🤞🤞

MIgardener, I planted cilantro 1 time, years ago when I started my first herb garden. When cilantro is allowed to go to seed, 2 things happen: 1) it becomes coriander 2) it self-seeds, adapting to the climate it's been planted in. I had cilantro every year from that initial planting until we finally decided to convert that herbal bed into a strawberry bed. As I re-establish my herb garden, I anticipate only once planting cilantro (did almost 2 weeks ago). Our spring sounds very much like you've described yours. Thanks for the garlic tip. I think I'll uncover at least 1/2 the garlic I planted 2 weeks ago (only 1 night w/temps that dropped below freezing to 28 deg), and put it in the freezer for a week to force it, just as newly acquired tulips in the spring can be forced.

So true, I live in Windsor ON Canada. Just across the pond from you and I fall for this trap every year. Hopefully, I learn my lesson. Great video Thanks!!!

We've had garlic continuously in the ground and in the family for over 50 years, we never plant it, it's part of the ecosystem, we only have to harvest it, at whatever time it's needed. It self seeds and divides so much that it's there forever.

Luke: THANK YOU for this insight that we can build a grow-plan that's more efficient and successful. It's like I needed permission! I'm in southern Idaho. I planted arugula and broccoli in mid-March hoping an earlier start would help. The arugula began bolting a week after it was ready to harvest. The broccoli had no time to bulk before it too is wanting to flower. This happens every year, and every year I try again with different planting dates and locations in the garden.

I've lived in East Central Illinois for 22 years now and I often say that the season change here is like a light switch. Just as you described, we can have some warmth, then cool again, maybe a touch of warmth, but it certainly is not gradual. When it gets warm, it generally gets hot. And just like that, you're in summer. Gardening is extremely challenging and perhaps, rather than banging my head against the wall trying the same things over and over again I'll take your advise and draw a line in the sand as well on these crops. I tried some cool weather crops last fall and really enjoyed that and had some success. We'll keep trying to learn. Thanks for all of your content!

Garlic looks great this year in Chicagoland. This years long cool spring (for once!) has made the garlic planted last fall very happy! This year I tried snow peas planted in March and a few weeks later. They are looking pretty good so far. It is important to try new things or ways of working each year. You never know when it will work, and you can crow with success. Failures are part of the game, and should be considered learning experiences!

My dear gardener… I’m so in love with your job here, you have helping me so much, please I want to know if you have more videos like this one, for every season, what we can do or not do, which one can we plant! Thank you so much for your help and passion with food( plants), teaching us and been a such wonderful person! Wonderful work!

Thanks ! Some addtl. ideas I'm having, from things I've been learning, are that a food forest planting can be buffered in both the cold & heat. Then of course, there's microclimates - the elevation, orientation & so forth of your yard. And row covers ? Yes, I know your video is about the foundational understanding/knowledge of these things, and which I really needed ! So, not meaning to be a twerp, just to encourage intermediate gardeners to consider options/their particular yards when deciding to plant or not ! And thanks again ! Cilantro info esp., tho it's still gunne be worth it to us, as my husband ADORES it, in his mexican food esp, which he needs often. We r in NW WI btw.

Planted cilantro, swiss chard, garlic, and chamomile in the fall in zone 5-6. Everything grew a little bit and over the winter, they stayed alive. Lettuce also came back from a few plants I let go to seed and seeds dropped. Some plants are hardy enough to go into a sort of hibernation before picking back up in the spring now.

My Spinach just started to bolt last week here in Tulsa, OK. I've been aggressively cutting off the flowers, and so far not bitter yet!

I can offer one more to the list. Bok Choi. Mine went to flower a week after I put it in the ground.

At last, someone with brain about spring planting. Looking at seed packets and trying to figure out how "professionals" get to that point to just confuse gardeners into despair. Thank you for this post.

last year it came on a Tuesday and I missed it.

I planted my spinach in the snow the last two years and had early spinach. Been picking a couple weeks. Planted December 2018 for 2019 and in January this year for this year.

Just found your channel and I'm so excited! I live in Erie, PA so our weather conditions will be extremely similar and I just started my first backyard vegetable garden. Looking forward to your tips and seeing how your garden progresses!

On the bright side, cilantro seed is edible so spring planting isn’t so much a mistake.

Thank you SOOOOOO much for this! I'm in Northwestern Ontario and we have massive temp fluctuations from -10 to 28 degrees Celsius in the spring.

I can not wait until the fall season this year. Since I have been watching the Migardener channel, I now have an idea of what to grow this fall season to keep the garden going. Thanks again Luke buddy!

Hi Luke, The spinach that I planted a month ago just bolted! Amazing! Didn't even get one harvest off of it! I am in California and we got up to almost 90 last week. Oh well. Lettuce is doing ok. Peppers and tomatos are happy. Beans are exploding as are the squash and cucumbers. Thanks for the info! Take care, be well and all the best from California 💛

Thanks for this!! In Mid-MIchigan too, I planted my garlic in the warm spell we had around Christmas time. They are getting huge!! I have never done it before, new gardener, I had no clue when to harvest!

But when cilantro goes to seed, you have coriander seed for cooking! I love planting it in the spring for this reason, and you get to enjoy a few cilantro leaves.

I live in Kent Ohio and our spring is one day snowing and the next day 70 degrees. Thank you so much Luke! I have had trouble with all you mentioned in my garden planting. Nice you posted this.

Our springs in east WA vary widely. Sometimes too long like this year and others get real hot fast. Tried a few peppers and french beans and they are struggling. Cabbage, kale, bok choy, carrots, lettuce, spinach, onions, lovage, new raspberries and snap peas doing good. Thanks for the good advice.

I was born and raised in the U.P. of MI. Very familiar with snow piles in the woods when it is 70 outside. I now live in Sheboygan, WI. It is crazy how cool it stays here on the Lake MI shoreline. Peas, spinich, lettuce, grow fantastic until July. The micro climate of a region sure makes a difference. Growing some Sheboygan tomatoes in Sheboygan, WI that I ordered from MIgardener this year, lol.

Here in Western New York, May started off pleasant, then it snowed for three days, then within two weeks, it hit 90, then back down into the 40s.

Thank you so much for this video! I live on southwest coast of Michigan and could never understand why my Cilantro and Broccoli never worked out! You answered all the questions I have had about my garden planning choices! So happy I found your channel! I am definitely subscribing!

This was good! We have the same problem in Nebraska. The weather goes back in forth from freezing all the way up to the 80’s. This year was the first year I have had success with spinach and I think it was only by Gods Grace. 😊

This is SUCH a helpful video!! Thank you so much!! I have such a better idea of what I want to plant this fall!! Great video as always Luke! Thank you!! My garden is what it is because of you!!

Fortunately I have a nice long spring season here in the Oregon Cascades. Great info and I love your channel! Cheers!!

I had six dinosaur kale plants and two fairly large curly kale plants that overwintered. Their leaves were delicious and so much less bitter in early spring than they are in summer, especially when I had nothing else in the garden to harvest. Also, the flowers or florets (before they turn yellow) are delicious. I think I will just let them keep growing, although I do have new plants for this season also. Zone 6a Rhode Island.

Love the fact that you can. show that you are not invincible! I have moved from one zone to another and appreciate all your input on type of crops to plant or not plant. I am learning that the weather does not always go along with our plan. It is early March in Northern California and It is really warm, but the forecast shows Temps in the mid 30's the next few nights. It is hard to know what to do! I have starts but am hesitant to put them out!

What great information, you are an awesome instructor/teacher! Thank you for sharing your wisdom whether it be from books or hard-knockes. You are invaluable to people like myself who are on a very steep learning curve right now.

Thanks, Luke. I have been trying for years to figure out why certain selections always bolt before I can get a crop out of them. I'm gonna look for your cabbage (brassica) growing guide., If you don't mention this in it, I'm coming looking for you. ;) And, don't hesitate to call yourself a teacher. That is exactly what you are doing. I've been doing this for over 10 years, since I retired, and I learn more every year. You are one of my favorites. That and you remind me of my son. :)

This is very true for us in Central texas. I save my spring veggies for late fall and winter.

This is great. My change in temps isn't as dramatic here in Portland, Oregon, but we do get 70-80 degree days randomly in the middle of the Spring that would otherwise be 60s. It's frustrating so I appreciate hearing your methods!

Thanks Luke ! the weather where I live is a mixed bag. I have seen spring last a very long time and I have seen it go from winter to summer. One year the first week of April was 80 degrees and stayed that way all year. Its a gamble. this year has been fairly normal. i got onions, radish, carrots, kale and peas going. I covered them recently cause of cold blast..all is fine .🙂

You are so right about these crops and the spring weather situation. Last week I had 7 inches of snow and 35 F degree temps and 6 days later it was 80 degrees! Upstate NY region. I also have not had great luck with carrots in the spring.

Great advice Thankyou. I have planted spinach too , in UK zone 8 , but still having frosts here , so fingers crossed it doesn't bolt for a while x

Great advice about growing garlic, I have only tried twice and now I know why spring planting fails. Sadly, I see many stores trying to sell their remaining stock of bulbs (flowers, garlic and onions) from the fall, usually to desiccated to be viable now.

Thank you this video was very helpful. I’m in NE Ohio and our weather is very similar to yours. I’ve learned so much from your videos and it really helps hearing from someone in a similar zone.

I would another another - cauliflower. I've tried it in the spring (zone 6b) and by the time it is finally up and starting to form a head, summer comes and boom! It begins to turn purple from the summer sun, the bugs devour it, and it finally just gives up. I grew it in the fall and it was beautiful - large white heads and no bug problems. After many failures, I finally realized cauliflower in the spring in my area is a waste of time and garden space. I now just wait until the fall.

Outstanding as usual. Blessings on you and your family.

I love this video! So true. We live right by lake Erie in NY and it was snowing a couple days ago and today I got a bit sunkisses wedding in the garden for an hour lol My over wintered kale has loved this crazy weather. And my radishes are finally forming roots!!!!!!

Agree with you Luke. Last Saturday it was 36 degrees at night, this week in Southern Illinois it may get up to 90 degrees and essentially stay that way for a while. The weather forcast for us this summer is warmer than normal.

Well, thanks that answers some of our problems over the years. Were in Fenton mi

Good Great Lakes advice. Thank you.

Man I love your videos! They’ve really helped point me in the right direction! Was the best project to tackle since Covid-19 took mur jerb!

Glad you mentioned this. Same problem here in Indiana. Frost last Friday, in the 80's tomorrow. Uggghhh some things are gonna bolt. Oh well, knew the chance I was taking.

What I find helpful is to plant in several locations and planting in shade....then fingers crossed 👀

We have had the same problem with cilantro in WNY so a few years ago we started heavily direct seeding a new spot every 2 weeks. When the earlier cilantro starts to bolt we let it dry out and harvest the seed to plant next year. This way we have huge amounts of free seed and can afford to brute force our way through the quick bolting cilantro. It also gives us more than enough seed to use in cooking and still have plenty left over for planting.

We’ve had the same weather here in Central NY! Thanks for the info!

Just tell yourself that you're growing coriander seeds.

I did a video on my channel planting spinach from seed in the garden on March 20th. I live in KY zone 6 and I was able to harvest after April 20th (4 weeks). I have done three large harvests from my spinach so far. Just a few days ago we had temps in the 50's F and night lows in the 20's and 30's F. Today it's almost 80 F. Even though I may not be able to do many more harvest, I still think it was worth it to grow it this spring. My organic spinach seeds (Bloomsdale Long Standing) are slow to bolt and cost me less than $2.49. I think I got my money's worth.

Super helpful! Thank you. 👍

I fully agree, for example here in Northwest Missouri, last year, 2021 in April we had temperature swings of almost 60 degrees within ten days.

Oh thank you, this information is going to save lots of new gardeners a lot of heartache. It's taken me years of failures to figure out that I don't have a spring growing season!

Appreciate this sooo much! YES! I’m just west of you in Emmett and I’m fairly new to gardening. We have soooo many questions that go to this topic!!! There is basically no spring here. It goes from snow and freezing temps to HOT!

Great video, Luke. I’m still making some of those mistakes too. Maybe this year they’ll work out!

Thanks Luke! I've found that planting spinach in late fall for over wintering works great! I've been harvesting it for about a month now. I live in Mt. Morris Michigan.

You're such a wealth of information, thank you! I've taken to listening to your videos with pen and paper in hand so I can take notes. I'm in SW Michigan... thanks again! :-)

Luke, NOW it all makes sense! It wasn't me, it was the local nurseries telling me I can plant it because they had starters. I''m not faulting them, they are just selling what the customers want. But this is why I have had very little success on broccoli and arugula.

Great info, thank you!!!

For the cilantro, keep in mind the seeds are coriander spice!! no waste if it does go to seed early

Great video. Way to tell it like it is. So many cold weather crops are better in the fall than the spring. Interestingly, tulips often don't last either due to splitting. The baby plants just don't form good flowers when they keep splitting and splitting in the heat. Less of a problem in Michigan, but I just moved back from down in the Carolinas and man do those bulbs like to split if you leave them in during the hot weather. They want to be dormant during the summer months (the opposite of most plants) and they just hate being hot and/or moist during the summer.

I had decided to revitalize the garden for the first time in years. Decided to stick to cool weather crops for most of the growing season due to restricted direct sun. Last night was the last freeze. Was intending on planting tomorrow. Next week will be in the mid 20s Celsius. I feel this so. hard.

Thank you for the informative content, plants do have specifications for growing that we must follow... We can't control mother nature and have to work with her not against her.

Great instruction, Luke! We just have to figure it out here in south Louisiana...our seasons are cool & wet, then pollen, then wet & pollen, then without warning we are in the devil’s buttcrack with heat and humidity both exceeding 90+ (32^C)...maybe by the end of October we “cool down” to 80 (27^C) with a short break in humidity before cool & wet again. 😂 Gardening here is definitely done by faith and prayers! 🙌💚🌿

Well, that explains my lackluster spinach and arugula. We are in the same situation here in Central Ohio with the sudden jumps in temperature. Thanks for the advice!

I live in Zone 7b in North Texas. It gets HOT here! While we’ve had a fairly cold spring, we’ve already had 90°F days here. When y’all had your freeze, we got down to about 46°F which wasn’t cold enough to take out my tomatoes and beans. I can grow peas pretty well here in the spring, but I can’t grow spinach to save my life! However, I usually have plenty of lamb’s quarters and purslane. Amaranth grows quite well here too. Amaranth makes lovely greens as well as seed for cooking. I can grow perpetual spinach (aka chard) as well as Swiss Chard. Regarding arugula - I have Dragons Tongue arugula that is 3 YEARS old. It takes the heat like a champ as well as getting frozen. In the first year, the leaves are pretty small but as it gets older, it makes much longer leaves. It is a variety that makes long, skinny leaves unlike the usual arugula. Just bear in mind that as it gets warmer, it gets much spicier. We’ve grown to love this variety. I suspect, although I haven’t tested my theory, that it is a wilder form of arugula. So, you might try Dragons Tongue arugula. Oh, and it is pretty with the red “veins”. I have, over the years, tried various varieties of veggies that will take the heat and have sought to build my seed library for such heat-loving veggies. Also, like you, I have taken to growing cilantro/coriander in the fall/winter as well as a lot of brassicas. Other brassicas that do well in the heat are Dinosaur/Lacinato/Black Tuscan kale, collards and Chirimen Asian cabbage. The Chirimen has large delicate leaves that are great in a salad but I think you could QUICKLY stir fry them. I do try to get plenty of leafy greens in my garden as well as other veggies.

@MIGardener - I've planted broccoli and cilantro in early april all the time. i cover my crops with shade cloth. ANYONE CAN GROW ANYTHING, ANY TIME OF YEAR. Just adjust the area!

This is such good information. We're still having bouts of snow here in northern norway, and while June CAN be a rather cool/chilly month where we'll have temperatures between 10-15C, there's no guarantee that it can't be hot either. I would not dare plant garlic here in the spring, it just would not happen. I'll try planting some this autumn and see what happens :D

Great info thank you! I was wondering why a lot of my veggies bolted. Quick temp change.

Well heck, I just planted my broccoli yesterday! Doh! but I did save half the bag so if Michigan gives up spring too fast again I'll plant the other half later. Thanks for all the gardening how to videos. :)

6 Cool Weather Crops You Should Avoid Planting in the Deep South: Potatoes, Carrots, Beets, Cabbage, and Parsnips. And garlic. In many parts of the deep south, the weather goes from regular frost/freezes 20-30 F to 90+ degree temperatures within the course of a few weeks. It goes from frost to oven quicker than most cool weather crops can mature. Potatoes won't tolerate freezing temps, but they also won't tolerate 90 degree temps, and that shift happens really quickly in many parts of the deep south. Last year, I had a deep freeze on March 16, and then had 100 degree temps by early May. Great video, good tips.

Lake City MI just looked at the weather calendar and the garlic in my cupboard ........yup gonna go for it before this third winter hits

Seems like there is no spring in Michigan anymore. In central MI it was 25 degrees last Saturday morning and a week later we are supposed to hit the mid 70's. I got bit on the broccoli, between the temps and the wind and will have to replant.

I lucked out this year planting my spinach in my green house ! We had warm cold warm cold all spring and I have amazing producing spinach not going to flower and my fall planted garlic are monsters ! Love living on the island 🌴

I appreciate your honesty.. Your great keep it up please...

Spinach is finicky for sure, but even with our high temps in California, I am getting some nice harvests off mine that I didn't start as early as I probably should have. Starting spinach and cilantro indoors just before it's time to plant out really helps

This was a great vid Luke

Northeast Ohio here, have failed repeatedly with these crops, though my broccoli is still alive after overwintering in unheated plastic greenhouse and finally giving me a few small tops last month. Still growing and now outside.

Very useful list! We do have a proper spring in the UK, but temperatures can be very erratic even so: last frost date here in the south-east is officially early May, but temperatures can go up into the mid 20s Celsius (high 70s F) as early as April, and either way it's often dry. Hence I avoid spring sowings of just about everything you mention, apart from cilantro, which I sow in late spring as it thrives in our typically damp June.

Just a suggestion but I’d love to see a video about growing grains in your backyard. I remember you doing one about sorghum a while back but I’ve just recently bought triticale seeds from you guys and I’ve been having trouble finding information on how to properly grow it in a backyard setting. Thanks!

Northern Virginia usually goes from 50 to 90 in one week in late April or early May. . This year we have had a very long, very cool spring. A rarity. Tons of extended flowering azaleas and other bushes though. My radish, lettuce, cabbage and carrots are loving it.Tomatos and peppers are still waiting in their trays but this week has been warm, and we will plant this week.

Hey Luke - from recent events - might add Bok Choy to the list. Down here in southern VA we had about a week of moderate cool weather - and the Bok Choy really grew nicely. The last 2 days we had +75 degree weather and two of my Boks went straight to seed (bolted). However - Bok Choy leaves make tasty dehydrated chips - even after going to seed.

I plant all cool season crops in the fall/winter here in North Central Texas. My chard is gorgeous right now!

I plant cilantro for to go to seed. The seeds are coriandor. Try the seeds when they are green gives a great pop of flavor in salads. Plus they just reseed themselves for fall.

Hey from W. MI. same spring as where you’re at!

You can overwinter broccoli as well. I do this to avoid aphids in the late spring, and you can get a harvest as early as February where we live (OR). This technique can also be used in very cold areas (though I'm not sure how extreme). Overwintering is how they grow canola in Canada (some places).

I've been harvesting arugula for past couple weeks. Still tastes great! Zone 7A. Sowed outdoors April 1st.

I am having problems with the same crops he described and it’s frustrating especially with my spinach because I only got one cut from the crop and it is bolting badly. At least I was able to harvest arugula and cilantro 2-3 times, but that seems to be the maximum number harvests I got. The same also happened with my tatsoi. Very useful video Luke.

Same here in the Balkans, straight from snow to summer temps, pushing 30C, my arugula and other leafy greens go straight to seed, however my broccoli, seeded in February or March and planted out late March, has weathered the change in weather really well. Heavy mulching may be part of it because it's mostly the roots that are sensitive to warmth/change. Planting in fall and overwintering I think is the solution for our climates. Btw, perpetual spinach is good for short spring season, beetroot too, and radishes.

Great explanation.

In NYC the tempature has been crazy. 25° to 75°. This is my 2nd year gardening so its confusing juggling different plants and when to start them, when the weather is inconsistent. Super helpful video. If anyone gardens in NYC or zone 7 pls let me know 🙂