{
  "name": "Vegetable Crop Sowing, Spacing & Harvest — open table",
  "description": "Open reference table for common vegetable and herb crops: when to start seeds indoors, when to sow or transplant relative to your last frost, days to harvest, germination soil temperature, light needs, plant spacing, and frost tolerance. Free CSV + JSON, CC-BY 4.0.",
  "url": "https://www.getgrowli.app/data/vegetable-crop-sowing-spacing",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "creditText": "Vegetable crop sowing/spacing reference table compiled by Growli (getgrowli.app), CC-BY 4.0, from US university extension planting guides and the RHS sowing calendar; timing is relative to local frost dates.",
  "sources": [
    "US university Cooperative Extension planting guides (UNL, UMN, NC State, Texas A&M, UF/IFAS)",
    "RHS sowing calendar (en-GB cross-reference)",
    "USDA / NOAA last- and first-frost averages"
  ],
  "methodology": "Timing offsets are expressed relative to the average last spring frost (or, for fall-planted crops like garlic, the first fall frost) so they apply in any USDA zone. Values are calibrated against US university extension planting guides (Nebraska, Minnesota, NC State, Texas A&M, UF/IFAS) cross-referenced with the RHS sowing calendar; days-to-harvest is a mid-range estimate that varies by cultivar.",
  "spatialCoverage": "US, GB",
  "lastVerified": "2026-05-15",
  "recordCount": 10,
  "data": [
    {
      "crop": "Basil",
      "category": "Warm-season",
      "startIndoors": "6 weeks before last spring frost",
      "outdoorTiming": "7 days after last spring frost",
      "daysToHarvest": 60,
      "germTempC": "20-25 °C (68-77 °F)",
      "lightRequirement": "Full sun — 6+ hours direct",
      "spacingInches": "8-12 inches (20-30 cm)",
      "frostTolerance": "tender"
    },
    {
      "crop": "Bush beans",
      "category": "Warm-season",
      "startIndoors": "Direct-sow only",
      "outdoorTiming": "10 days after last spring frost",
      "daysToHarvest": 55,
      "germTempC": "18-29 °C (65-85 °F)",
      "lightRequirement": "Full sun — 6-8 hours direct",
      "spacingInches": "4-6 inches (10-15 cm)",
      "frostTolerance": "tender"
    },
    {
      "crop": "Carrots",
      "category": "Cool-season",
      "startIndoors": "Direct-sow only",
      "outdoorTiming": "17 days before last spring frost",
      "daysToHarvest": 70,
      "germTempC": "10-29 °C (50-85 °F)",
      "lightRequirement": "Full sun — 6+ hours direct",
      "spacingInches": "2-3 inches (5-8 cm)",
      "frostTolerance": "half-hardy"
    },
    {
      "crop": "Cucumbers",
      "category": "Warm-season",
      "startIndoors": "3 weeks before last spring frost",
      "outdoorTiming": "14 days after last spring frost",
      "daysToHarvest": 60,
      "germTempC": "21-30 °C (70-85 °F)",
      "lightRequirement": "Full sun — 6-8 hours direct",
      "spacingInches": "12-18 inches (30-45 cm)",
      "frostTolerance": "tender"
    },
    {
      "crop": "Garlic",
      "category": "Fall-planted",
      "startIndoors": "Direct-sow only",
      "outdoorTiming": "35 days before first fall frost",
      "daysToHarvest": 240,
      "germTempC": "Soil 10-15 °C (50-60 °F) at planting",
      "lightRequirement": "Full sun — 6+ hours direct",
      "spacingInches": "4-6 inches (10-15 cm)",
      "frostTolerance": "fall-planted"
    },
    {
      "crop": "Lettuce",
      "category": "Cool-season",
      "startIndoors": "4 weeks before last spring frost",
      "outdoorTiming": "21 days before last spring frost",
      "daysToHarvest": 50,
      "germTempC": "10-21 °C (50-70 °F)",
      "lightRequirement": "Full sun in cool weather, light shade in heat",
      "spacingInches": "6-12 inches (15-30 cm)",
      "frostTolerance": "hardy"
    },
    {
      "crop": "Peas",
      "category": "Cool-season",
      "startIndoors": "Direct-sow only",
      "outdoorTiming": "35 days before last spring frost",
      "daysToHarvest": 65,
      "germTempC": "7-24 °C (45-75 °F)",
      "lightRequirement": "Full sun in cool weather",
      "spacingInches": "2-3 inches (5-8 cm)",
      "frostTolerance": "hardy"
    },
    {
      "crop": "Peppers",
      "category": "Warm-season",
      "startIndoors": "9 weeks before last spring frost",
      "outdoorTiming": "14 days after last spring frost",
      "daysToHarvest": 80,
      "germTempC": "24-29 °C (75-85 °F)",
      "lightRequirement": "Full sun — 6-8 hours direct",
      "spacingInches": "18-24 inches (45-60 cm)",
      "frostTolerance": "tender"
    },
    {
      "crop": "Summer squash",
      "category": "Warm-season",
      "startIndoors": "3 weeks before last spring frost",
      "outdoorTiming": "14 days after last spring frost",
      "daysToHarvest": 55,
      "germTempC": "21-29 °C (70-85 °F)",
      "lightRequirement": "Full sun — 6-8 hours direct",
      "spacingInches": "24-36 inches (60-90 cm)",
      "frostTolerance": "tender"
    },
    {
      "crop": "Tomatoes",
      "category": "Warm-season",
      "startIndoors": "6 weeks before last spring frost",
      "outdoorTiming": "10 days after last spring frost",
      "daysToHarvest": 75,
      "germTempC": "21-27 °C (70-80 °F)",
      "lightRequirement": "Full sun — 6+ hours direct",
      "spacingInches": "24-36 inches (60-90 cm)",
      "frostTolerance": "tender"
    }
  ]
}