Vegetables

Growing vegetables is an attractive option because there is a relatively short time from planting to harvest. For some vegetable crops, there are also relatively simple requirements for capital outlay. Use Penn State Extension’s extensive resources to increase your knowledge of soil quality, pests, diseases, marketing vegetables, business management, and more.

Vegetable Production in Pennsylvania

Agriculture is a major industry in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A census conducted in 2012 recorded more than 59,000 farms, covering an area of 7,704,444 acres.

In total, the 2012 Census of Agriculture recorded 3,968 farms producing vegetables, covering an area of 49,397 acres. The Lake Erie region is a center for growing vegetables, while the Lehigh County region is the center for potato production.

The vegetables that make the largest contribution to Pennsylvania’s economy are sweet corn, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, and cabbage. However, it’s possible to grow a much wider variety of produce, provided the conditions are right.

Best Vegetables to Grow in Pennsylvania

To get the most out of your vegetable crop it’s important to know the best vegetables to grow in your area and the best time to plant them. Knowing your first and last frost dates is a good place to start. Pennsylvania is in 5, 6, and 7 USDA plant hardiness zones, which means the first frost date can range between Sept 13 in Ridgway to Oct 28 in Philadelphia. Last frost dates range between April 14 in Philadelphia to June 7 in Ridgway. On average, Pennsylvania has approximately 150 days between the last and first frost.

Penn State Extension can provide a wealth of resources for anyone wanting to grow vegetables, whether commercially or for your own consumption. Information is available in English and Spanish.

The best vegetables to grow in Pennsylvania include:

• Potatoes: Growing potatoes is a good fit for many small growers and there are ample opportunities for marketing your crop. Potatoes are one of the world’s most important vegetable crops, with Pennsylvania potatoes supplying both the processing and fresh markets.
• Tomatoes: Tomatoes come in many different types of fruit, from fresh or beefsteak types to plum or paste. If you produce a mixture of tomato types, it expands marketing capabilities and prospects. Pennsylvania produces about 4,000 acres of fresh-market tomatoes with an annual value of between $15 and $25 million.
• Cucumbers: This is a suitable crop for growers with fewer than 5 acres. You can custom hire for many of the field operations associated with cucumber production. Pennsylvania produces more than 330 acres of cucumbers, primarily for fresh marketing. These are usually available from the end of June until the end of November.
• Pumpkins: A crop suitable for small-scale or part-time farming operations. They estimate production in the northeastern United States at around 25,000 acres, concentrating near population centers. Pumpkins are available from late August through October, depending on the cultivar grown.
• Onions: Dry onions is another crop that lends itself well to small-scale and part-time farming operations. Field operations can be custom hired and you can use most of the equipment for planting and harvesting onions for other crops. Onions are a cool-season crop and you can transplant as early as mid-March.
• Sweet Corn: The initial investment for sweet corn production is relatively low. Many field operations can be custom-hired and acreage in Pennsylvania is around 16,000 annually. Soil temperatures need to reach at least 55°F and all possibility of a hard frost must have passed.
• Broccoli: Broccoli requires a relatively low initial investment and you can grow it throughout the summer and early fall. The US is the world’s latest producer of broccoli, with most of it being sold as fresh produce. Begin planting broccoli when soil temperatures reach at least 50°F and the possibility of hard frosts has passed.
• Snap Beans: They harvest snap beans in the US for processing and fresh marketing. Pennsylvania produces more than 6,000 acres of processed snap beans with a value of $4.7 million. Two thousand acres of fresh-market beans are produced, with a value of $4 million. Production of fresh market snap beans in Pennsylvania takes place from June through October. Snaps beans are sensitive to cold temperatures and will die from a slight frost.
• Peppers: Small-scale and part-time farmers can grow peppers very successfully. In the US, harvested peppers are mostly sold as fresh produce. They produce them in Pennsylvania from the first of June to the end of October. Peppers are a warm-season crop and you should not transplant them until the soil temperature 3 inches below the surface reaches 60°F.
• Garlic: Garlic production lends itself well to small acreage farming or for farmers looking to diversify their mix of crops. It grows well in any well-drained soil. Good crop rotation is essential. You should plant garlic following a heavy cover crop such as rye or buckwheat.

Get Started With Vegetable Farming

Whether you’re growing vegetables at home or looking to become a commercial vegetable grower, there are a number of factors to consider before you start a vegetable farm. One of the first things is to have a firm idea of where you are going to sell your crop. There’s little point in growing the best vegetables if they are left sitting in the field because you can’t sell it at the price needed to recover costs.

Once you’ve got a clear idea of your market you can decide on the vegetable species and varieties you want to grow and consider factors such as soil fertility and management and vegetable pests and diseases.

Pennsylvania lends itself well to growing a variety of crops, including potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, snap beans, and sweet corn. You can also successfully grow a number of specialty vegetables such as bitter melons, ginger, watercress, and globe artichoke in the area.

When selecting a site for growing your vegetable crops, you should be looking at soil type, soil health, and fertility. There are principles such as crop rotation, using cover crops, no-till planting, and diversification that will maximize both the quality of your crop and yield. Tunnel structures can also be used to increase quality and yield as well as extend the growing season.

Whatever crop you decide to grow, there will be pests, diseases, and weed problems. Weeds are one of the most challenging aspects of growing vegetables commercially. Use integrated weed management for monitoring and controlling weeds in your vegetable crops.

You should also regularly monitor your crops for pests and diseases. Penn State Extension’s Vegetable IPM with an Emphasis on Biocontrol publication will teach you how to identify, monitor, and control insect pests using sound integrated pest management principles. It is suitable for both home and commercial vegetable growers. Using the Identifying Diseases of Vegetables guide you’ll be able to identify any diseases that might affect your crops.

Growing vegetables is a very attractive option because there is a relatively short time from planting to harvest. For some vegetable crops, there are also relatively simple requirements for capital outlay. Use Penn State Extension’s extensive resources to increase your knowledge of soil quality, pests, diseases, marketing vegetables, business management, and more.

Vegetable Production in Pennsylvania

Agriculture is a major industry in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A census conducted in 2012 recorded more than 59,000 farms, covering an area of 7,704,444 acres.

In total, the 2012 Census of Agriculture recorded 3,968 farms producing vegetables, covering an area of 49,397 acres. The Lake Erie region is a center for growing vegetables, while the Lehigh County region is the center for potato production.

The vegetables that make the largest contribution to Pennsylvania’s economy are sweet corn, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, and cabbage. However, it’s possible to grow a much wider variety of produce, provided the conditions are right.

Best Vegetables to Grow in Pennsylvania

To get the most out of your vegetable crop it’s important to know the best vegetables to grow in your area and the best time to plant them. Knowing your first and last frost dates is a good place to start. Pennsylvania is in 5, 6, and 7 USDA plant hardiness zones, which means the first frost date can range between Sept 13 in Ridgway to Oct 28 in Philadelphia. Last frost dates range between April 14 in Philadelphia to Jun 7 in Ridgway. On average, Pennsylvania has approximately 150 days between the last and first frost.

Penn State Extension can provide a wealth of resources for anyone wanting to grow vegetables, whether commercially or for your own consumption. Information is available in English and Spanish.

The best vegetables to grow in Pennsylvania include:

• Potatoes: Growing potatoes is a good fit for many small growers and there are ample opportunities for marketing your crop. Potatoes are one of the world’s most important vegetable crops, with Pennsylvania potatoes supplying both the processing and fresh markets.
• Tomatoes: Tomatoes come in many different types of fruit, from fresh or beefsteak types to plum or paste. If you produce a mixture of tomato types, it expands marketing capabilities and prospects. Pennsylvania produces about 4,000 acres of fresh-market tomatoes with an annual value of between $15 and $25 million.
• Cucumbers: This is a suitable crop for growers with fewer than 5 acres. You can custom hire for many of the field operations associated with cucumber production. Pennsylvania produces more than 330 acres of cucumbers, primarily for fresh marketing. These are usually available from the end of June until the end of November.
• Pumpkins: A crop suitable for small-scale or part-time farming operations. They estimate production in the northeastern United States at around 25,000 acres, concentrating near population centers. Pumpkins are available from late August through October, depending on the cultivar grown.
• Onions: Dry onions is another crop that lends itself well to small-scale and part-time farming operations. Field operations can be custom hired and you can use most of the equipment for planting and harvesting onions for other crops. Onions are a cool-season crop and you can transplant as early as mid-March.
• Sweet Corn: The initial investment for sweet corn production is relatively low. Many field operations can be custom-hired and acreage in Pennsylvania is around 16,000 annually. Soil temperatures need to reach at least 55°F and all possibility of a hard frost must have passed.
• Broccoli: Broccoli requires a relatively low initial investment and you can grow it throughout the summer and early fall. The US is the world’s latest producer of broccoli, with most of it being sold as fresh produce. Begin planting broccoli when soil temperatures reach at least 50°F and the possibility of hard frosts has passed.
• Snap Beans: They harvest snap beans in the US for processing and fresh marketing. Pennsylvania produces more than 6,000 acres of processed snap beans with a value of $4.7 million. Two thousand acres of fresh-market beans are produced, with a value of $4 million. Production of fresh market snap beans in Pennsylvania takes place from June through October. Snaps beans are sensitive to cold temperatures and will die from a slight frost.
• Peppers: Small-scale and part-time farmers can grow peppers very successfully. In the US, harvested peppers are mostly sold as fresh produce. They produce them in Pennsylvania from the first of June to the end of October. Peppers are a warm-season crop and you should not transplant them until the soil temperature 3 inches below the surface reaches 60°F.
• Garlic: Garlic production lends itself well to small acreage farming or for farmers looking to diversify their mix of crops. It grows well in any well-drained soil. Good crop rotation is essential. You should plant garlic following a heavy cover crop such as rye or buckwheat.

Get Started With Vegetable Farming

Whether you’re growing vegetables at home or looking to become a commercial vegetable grower, there are a number of factors to consider before you start a vegetable farm. One of the first things is to have a firm idea of where you are going to sell your crop. There’s little point in growing the best vegetables if they are left sitting in the field because you can’t sell it at the price needed to recover costs.

Once you’ve got a clear idea of your market you can decide on the vegetable species and varieties you want to grow and consider factors such as soil fertility and management and vegetable pests and diseases.

Pennsylvania lends itself well to growing a variety of crops, including potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, snap beans, and sweet corn. You can also successfully grow a number of specialty vegetables such as bitter melons, ginger, watercress, and globe artichoke in the area.

When selecting a site for growing your vegetable crops, you should be looking at soil type, soil health, and fertility. There are principles such as crop rotation, using cover crops, no-till planting, and diversification that will maximize both the quality of your crop and yield. Tunnel structures can also be used to increase quality and yield as well as extend the growing season.

Whatever crop you decide to grow, there will be pests, diseases, and weed problems. Weeds are one of the most challenging aspects of growing vegetables commercially. Use integrated weed management for monitoring and controlling weeds in your vegetable crops.

You should also regularly monitor your crops for pests and diseases. Penn State Extension’s Vegetable IPM with an Emphasis on Biocontrol publication will teach you how to identify, monitor, and control insect pests using sound integrated pest management principles. It is suitable for both home and commercial vegetable growers. Using the Identifying Diseases of Vegetables guide you’ll be able to identify any diseases that might affect your crops.