When gardening, you need to take into consideration the area you live in. Though some plants can be grown in a variety of places across the United States, differing climates can affect the growing season for plants. When planning on vegetable gardening in East Tennessee, keep in mind that differing elevations and cooler climates will make gardening different from than in the western part of the state.

For instance, if you see a guide on planting periods in Tennessee, keep in mind that for vegetable gardening in East Tennessee, you will wan to plant towards the end of the given period for the warmest times for growing. Warm weather doesn’t come as soon in the eastern half of the state, so keep that in mind. If you’re still stuck for ideas on vegetable gardening in East Tennessee, here are a few:

Early Veggies

If you just can’t wait to get started on your garden, your best bet for starting out the growing season is asparagus, which is great for growing in early spring. This hardy plant is great because it’s a perennial, so once you plant it, it’ll stick around. The spears for asparagus will start to break ground once the temperature starts to hit the 50’s, so it’s perfect for springtime vegetable gardening in East Tennessee.

Summer Bounty

Tomatoes, though technically a fruit, are perfect to add to your list when vegetable gardening in East Tennessee. With multiple varieties that can be planted at staggered times through the summer season, you can be guaranteed to have a ripe, juicy tomato throughout the season, whether for summer salads or fresh-grilled burgers. Your best bet for success is to start these as indoor plants in the spring and transplant them outside when the weather warms up.

As the Weather Cools

For when the weather starts to turn, little will last longer while vegetable gardening in East Tennessee than carrots. Properly grown, this root vegetable can be harvested throughout the fall season, so you can be treated to everything from little baby carrots to big carrots later on. The best temperatures for growing carrots is from 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, so a late summer or early fall planting will produce the healthiest carrots.

The flavor of home-grown carrots will easily beat those coming from the store, and you can’t beat carrots as a source of vitamin A. But no matter the season, or what you choose to grow, if you keep your local climate in mind, vegetable gardening in East Tennessee will yield beautiful, healthy crops that are good for you and your family.