ou have probably wondered, "What should I plant next?" Clearly, "for everything there is a season," but other factors affecting crops you grow include climate, soil composition, and general geography. Some plants will thrive in areas during specific times that will fail at others. Arizona has a wide range of climates, easily identified at the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone website. You will find a map of the United States and can click on Arizona to enlarge. Areas like Flagstaff have an average minimum temperature of -10 to -5 degrees Fahrenheit, with some areas closer to Mt. Humphreys finding their average ranges between -15 to -10 degrees Fahrenheit. These numbers may seem arbitrary, but different plants have specific requirements related to climate. The region you're in will determine when the best time to plant your seeds is for a specific crop. For this article, we will consider Arizona regions where most Arizonans reside, such as Phoenix and the greater valley. These areas fall in the regions of 8a to 9b on the USDA Plant Hardiness Map.
The figure above displays the proper times to plant a wide variety of different vegetables for maximum efficiency. It indicates when the gardener can start a plant's life cycle and if it's best to plant a seed or transplant. Some vegetables can be planted repeatedly throughout the year, such as asparagus, which the best time to plant is from mid-January to late May. This list was created by researchers at the University of Arizona, who built this timeline by analyzing environmental factors in Arizona throughout the year. These included a range of potential pests, the climate during those months, and the specific season. Improper climate can put "tremendous stress" on growing plants. It is recommended that their timelines are narrowly adhered to. Furthermore, the researchers underline the importance of picking the proper strains of vegetable plant:
The most important aspect of growing in Arizona is knowing when to plant a given vegetable. Using this chart should help to take some of the guesswork out of when it is time to start growing! What will you plant next?
[1] https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1005.pdf