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What We Raise and When It Will Be Ripe

This chart is a guide to the vegetables, flowers and herbs we raise and when we expect them to be ready in a normal season. Predictions are always imprecise, particularly those dependent on the weather. And this is Wisconsin, where "normal" seasons occur so infrequently that we often don't even recognize them until they are over. These predictions were last updated on May 5, 2010 They may change a little as the season progresses. For current information on what is available any given day check Today at The Tree Farm.

Herbs

Vegetables

 Flowers

  Available Best Picking  
Vegetable Start End Start End Remarks
Acorn squash 1-Sep 1-Nov October See also squash, winter
Arugula 1-Jul 1-Nov    
Asparagus 1-May 20-Jun   We sell asparagus by appointment only. Call 608 798 2286.
Beans, green and yellow 20-July Frost    
Beet greens 1-Jul 31-Jul    
Beets 10-Jul 1-Nov    
Bitter melons 1-Aug Frost    
Broccoli 1-Sep 1-Nov    
Brussels sprouts 20-Sep 1-Nov October  
Cabbage 1-Aug 1-Nov    
Cabbage for sauerkraut   1-Sep 1-Nov  
Carrots 20-July 1-Nov    
Chard, Swiss 1-Jul 1-Nov   See Swiss Chard
Chinese cabbage 15-Sep 1-Nov   Also known as Napa
Chinese greens 15-Sep 1-Nov   Ching chiang tsai, bok choi
Collards 10-Aug 1-Nov October  
Corn, sweet 15-Aug 30-Sept    
Corn, ornamental October October Also see popcorn.
Cucumbers 20 Jul 20-Sep 27-Jul 1-Sept Beit alpha salad cucumbers and pickling cucumbers
Cucuzzi 1-Aug Frost   also known as pale green snake gourd
Dai-kon 15-Sep 1-Nov   Large sweet asian radishes. Japanese and Korean varieties.
Eggplant 20-Jul Frost September  
Flowers to cut 10-June 20-Oct   Click here for flower list.
Gourds, ornamental October   Many shapes and sizes
Gourd, wax 1-Aug Frost   Immature wintermelon.
Herbs 1-May 1-Nov   Click for herb list
Kale 15-Aug 1-Nov October  
Kohlrabi 20-Jul 1-Nov    
Lettuce, leaf 1-Jul 20-Oct   See "salad greens".
Mustard greens 20-Sep 1-Nov October  
Okra 20-Jul Frost    
Parsnips October    
Peas 1-Jul 20-Jul July  
Peapods 1-Jul 23 July July  
Peas, snap 1-Jul 25-July July See Snap peas.
Peppers, hot 25-Jul Frost 20-Aug Frost Over 20 kinds. Please see the hot peppers page for our selection.
Peppers, sweet, bell, cubanelle 20-Jul Frost 20-Aug Frost Bell peppers, European types, snack peppers.
Popcorn October, December October Yellow, red and blue varieties.
Potatoes for storage 20-Aug 1-Nov   Red, white, yukon gold, fingerling.
Potatoes, new 1-Jul 20-Aug    
Pumpkins 20-Sep 1-Nov October  
Rhubarb 1-May 20-Jun   We sell rhubarb by appointment. Call 608 798 2286
Salad greens 1-Jul 20-Oct    
Snake gourd 1-Sept Frost   Striped Indian snake gourd, pale green cucuzzi
Snap peas 1-Jul 20-Jul July  
Spinach 10-Sept 1-Nov   Spinach may also be available by appointment in late April and early May some years.
Squash, summer 1-Jul 10-Sep    
Squash, winter 20-Sep 1-Nov October  
Swiss chard 1-Jul 1-Nov   Small leaves for salad greens in July, large leaves later.
Tomatillos 1-Aug Frost    
Tomatoes 20-Jul Frost September  
Wax gourd 5-Aug Frost   See Gourd, wax.
Wintermelon 20-Sep Frost    
Zucchini 1-Jul 10-Sep   See summer squash


Vegetables

Herbs

 Flowers

  Available Best Picking  
Herbs Start End Start End Remarks
basil, purple 1-Jul Frost 1-Aug 10-Sep  
basil, sweet 1-Jul Frost 1-Aug 10-Sep  
basil, Thai 1-Jul Frost 1-Aug 10-Sep  
cilantro 1-May 1-Nov    
dill, headed 20-Jul Frost   Flowers and/or seeds.
dill weed 1-Jul 20-Oct    
lovage 1 May 1-Nov    
mint, peppermint 1 May 1-Nov    
oregano 1 May Frost    


Herbs

Flowers

 Vegetables

  Available Best Picking  
Flowers Start End Start End Remarks
Baby's Breath 1-Jul 31-Sept   See gypsophyla.
Black Eyed Susans 10-Jul Frost 10-Jul 1-Oct  
Butterfly bush 1-Jul Frost 1-Jul 10-Aug  
Celosia 1-Jul Frost    
Cone flowers 1-Jul Frost 1-Jul 10-Aug  
Cosmos 1-Jul Frost    
Cupid's darts 1-Jul Frost    
Daisies, gloriosa 20-June Frost   Rudbeckia
Daisies, shasta 23-June 31-Jul    
Delphinium 15-May Frost 15-Jun 31-Jul  
Flamingo feathers 1-Jul Frost   These are a variety of celosia with feathery pink flowers
German statice 1-Jul 1-Aug   Great as dried flowers.
Gomphrena 10-Jul Frost 10-Aug Frost  
Gypsophyla 7-Jul 31-Jul   Baby's breath. Excellent for dried flowers.
Helichrysum 1-Aug Frost 1-Sep Frost Also known as straw flowers. Make great dried flowers.
Marigolds 10-Jul Frost    
Rudbeckia 20-June Frost    
Snapdragons 20-Jul 20-Oct    
Statice 20-Jul Frost 20-Aug Frost Excellent dried flowers
Statice, German 1-Jul 1-Aug   Lasts for years as dried flowers.
Sunflowers 1-Aug 15-Sept    
Yarrow 1-Jul Frost    
Zinnia 10-Jul Frost 10-Aug Frost  

Herbs Vegetables Flowers

*Frost. Items marked as frost sensitive will be destroyed by a killing frost. Many of the vegetables we raise are frost-sensitive. Because of our hilltop location, the first fall frost at The Tree Farm is often later than the first frost elsewhere in this area. In thirty years at our present location, we have had frost as early as September 20th, and as late as early November. On average, the first frost comes about the end of the first week in October. Check Today at The Tree Farm for up to date information on what is available at The Tree Farm.


The Tree Farm
The Pick-your-own Vegetables Place
Cut-your-own Christmas Trees on December Weekends
In Northwestern Dane County, Wisconsin, serving Madison and the surrounding area
8454 Highway 19
Cross Plains, WI 53528
608.798.2286

Updated May 5, 2010

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