Peppers germinate well from grocery store produce. They only need the temperature to be above 70°F, and a light cover of soil—about 0.25 of an inch. Soil should be acidic, ranging from 5.5 to 6.5 ideally. Avoid planting peppers in soil where you’ve recently grown other members of the nightshade…

Peas are a cool season crop that can not stand the heat, but they can stand a little frost. Plant them as early as the soil can be worked — in North America this can be as early as February in the south, March in the north. The Irish used…

Onion plants are heavy feeders and need constant nourishment to produce big bulbs. At planting time, mix in some nitrogen fertilizer. Onions are really easily started as cuttings, by simply placing the cut root end of an onion in water, or directly in the ground with a light covering of…

Cover seeds lightly with soil directly. Lettuce can be transplanted, although it is risky when they are young. Plants need to be hardened for 5 days before transplanting and they must be large enough to keep their leaves off the soil. Lettuce is perhaps the best crop to consider in…

Kale is a cool weather green and tastes better when the leaves mature in cold weather. It is a biennial crop that generally takes two seasons to produce flowers and seeds. Leaves can be harvested as soon as leaves are as big as your hand. It is best planted in…

Carrots Sow ¼ inch deep, 3 to 4 inches apart. For multiple harvests, sow seeds about every 3 weeks. Place in good sun to reach maturity on time. If planted in less sun, carrots can take up to twice as long to mature. …

Eggplant or Aubergine Eggplants, known also as aubergines, love warmth and grow best in very sunny, well-drained locations. They are not tolerant to low light. Plant eggplant when soil temps are above 50° F and all chances of frost have passed. Eggplants often drop their first flowers, as the plant establishes itself. Some…