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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 3, 2013 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
Vegetable	Start	End	Remarks
Arugula	early July	early Nov	Available as part of our salad greens planting.
Asparagus	early May	early June	We sell asparagus by appointment only. Call 608 798 2286.
Beans, green and yellow	early July	Frost
Beet greens	early July	late July
Beets	mid July	early Nov
Bitter melons	early Aug	Frost
Broccoli	early Aug	early Nov	Check the "today" page for availability in early to mid summer.
Brussels sprouts	late Sep	early Nov
Cabbage	early Aug	early Nov	Green, red, savoy
Cabbage for sauerkraut	early Sep	early Nov
Carrots	mid July	early Nov
Cauliflower	mid Sept	early Nov
Celeriac	mid Sep	early Nov	Also known as Celery root.
Chinese cabbage	mid Sep	early Nov	Also known as Napa.
Chinese greens	mid Sep	early Nov	Ching chiang tsai, bok choi
Collards	early Aug	early Nov	Best picking in October.
Corn, sweet	mid Aug	early Oct
Corn, ornamental	October		Also see popcorn.
Cucumbers	late July	late Aug	Beit alpha and asian salad cucumbers, pickling cucumbers.
Cucuzzi	early Aug	Frost	Also known as pale green snake gourd.
Dai-kon	mid Sep	early Nov	Large sweet asian radishes. Japanese and Korean varieties.
Eggplant	late July	Frost	Best in late August and September.
Flowers to cut	mid June	mid Oct	Click here for flower list.
Gourds, ornamental	October		Many shapes and sizes
Gourds, dry, ornamental	All year		Any day we're open, or by appointment
Gourd, wax	early Aug	Frost	Immature wintermelon.
Herbs	early May	early Nov	View complete herb list
Kale	early July	early Nov	Kale is sweetest in cool fall weather.
Kohlrabi	mid July	early Nov
Lettuce, leaf	early July	early Nov	See "salad greens".
Mustard greens	mid Sep	early Nov	USA and Korean varieties. Best in October.
Okra	mid July	Frost
Onions, dry	mid Aug	early Oct	There will be a better supply of dry onions for storage this year.
Onions, green	mid July	early Nov
Parsnips	October		Parsnips will also be available in April this year
Peas	late June	mid July
Peapods	late June	mid July
Peas, snap	late June	late July	See Snap peas.
Peppers, hot	late July	Frost	Over 20 kinds. Please see the hot peppers page for our selection. Best selection mid August to frost.
Peppers, sweet, bell, cubanelle	late July	Frost	Bell peppers, European types, snack peppers.Best selection mid August to frost.
Popcorn	October, December		Yellow, red and blue varieties
Potatoes for storage	mid Aug	early Nov	Red, white, yukon gold, fingerling. yellow Finn
Potatoes, new	early July	mid Aug
Pumpkins	mid Aug	early Nov	Green pumpkins in August; orange pumpkins best in October.
Rhubarb	early May	mid June	We sell rhubarb by appointment. Call 608 798 2286.
Salad greens	early July	20-Oct
Snake gourd	early Sept	Frost	Striped Indian snake gourd, pale green cucuzzi
Snap peas	late June	late July
Spinach	early Sept	early Nov	Spinach may also be available by appointment in late April and early May some years.
Squash, summer	early July	early Sep	Zucchini, crookneck, Middle eastern zucchini
Squash, winter	late Sep	early Nov	Acorn, blue hubbard, buttercup, butternut, kabocha, delicata, spaghetti, sweet dumplings
Swiss chard	early July	early Nov	Small leaves for salad greens in July, large leaves later
Tomatillos	early Aug	Frost
Tomatoes	mid July	Frost	Red, yellow, paste (Roma), pink, beefsteak, cherry, grape plum types. Best supply and price for canning quantities in September.
Turnips and turnip greens	October		Best after the weather turns cool.
Wax gourd	early Aug	Frost	See Gourd, wax.
Wintermelon	late Sep	Frost
Zucchini	early July	early Sep	See summer squash

Vegetables

Herbs

Flowers

	Available
Herbs	Start	End	Remarks
basil, purple	early July	Frost
basil, sweet	early July	Frost
basil, Thai	early July	Frost
cilantro	early May	early Nov
dill, headed	late July	Frost	Flowers and/or seeds.
dill weed	early July	Frost
lovage	early May	early Nov
mint, peppermint, spearming	early May	early Nov
oregano	early May	Frost
parsley	early Aug	early Nov	Curly and flat-leaf types.

Herbs

Flowers

Vegetables

	Available
Flowers	Start	End	Remarks
Baby's Breath	early July	mid July	See gypsophilia.
Black Eyed Susans	10-July	Frost
Butterfly bush	early July	Frost
Celosia	early July	Frost
Cone flowers	early July	early Aug
Cosmos	early July	Frost
Cupid's darts	early July	Frost	Pretty as fresh or dried flowers.
Daisies, gloriosa	mid June	Frost	Rudbeckia
Daisies, shasta	late June	late July
Delphinium	mid May	Frost
Flamingo feathers	early July	Frost	These are a variety of celosia with feathery pink flowers.
German statice	early July	early Aug	Great as dried flowers.
Gladioli	mid July	Frost
Gomphrena	mid July	Frost
Gypsophilia	early Jul	mid July	Baby's breath. Excellent for dried flowers.
Helichrysum	early Aug	Frost	Also known as straw flowers. Make great dried flowers.
Marigolds	early July	Frost
Lavender	early July	Frost
Rudbeckia	mid June	Frost
Snapdragons	mid July	mid Oct
Statice	mid July	Frost	Excellent dried flowers.
Statice, German	early July	early Aug	Good as dried flowers.
Sunflowers	early Aug	mid Sept
Yarrow	early July	Frost
Zinnias	mid July	Frost

*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 3, 2013