What Vegetables Grow In North Carolina? North Carolina is a state located in the United States’ southeastern region. The state ranks 28th in size and 9th in population among the 50 states.
It is bounded on the north by Virginia, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Georgia and South Carolina, and on the west by Tennessee.
Understanding what hardiness zone North Carolina belongs to is essential for determining the finest veggies to plant.
It might mean the difference between your vegetable garden blooming and producing a bumper crop or producing nothing at all. North Carolina is generally classified as Hardiness Zone 7, with some lower-level areas classified as Hardiness Zone 8.
The long growing season in North Carolina allows gardeners to cultivate both cool-season foods like greens and heat-loving garden mainstays like maize and tomatoes.
Plant veggies from seeds or transplants, then irrigate them throughout the summer heat to keep the soil moist rather than dry and crumbly.
What Vegetables Grow In North Carolina?
Cabbage
North Carolina is the ninth-largest producer of cabbage in the United States. Although California is the leading producer, North Carolina farmers raise about 70 million pounds of headed cabbage each year. In Piedmont, they have the best cabbage output in coastal Pasquotank County and Wilson County.
Squash and Watermelon
North Carolina is the eighth-largest producer of both of these crops in the United States.
Squash production in Michigan is first, and watermelon production in Florida is top. Each year, North Carolina produces around 21 million pounds of squash and 144 million pounds of watermelon.
If you’re seeking such crops in North Carolina, start with squash in Cleveland County and watermelon in Wayne County. These are North Carolina’s top-producing counties for these vegetables.
Read also: Best Vegetables To Grow On Windowsill
Sweet Corn
Corn grows well in the hot summers of North Carolina and comes in white, yellow, and bi-color ears. Plant sugary enhancer corn, according to the University of Illinois, for a superior ear of corn with a sweet flavor and creamy texture.
Corn can be planted starting April 15 in North Carolina. Corn grows best in full sun; plant seeds 1/2 inch deep and 9 to 12 inches apart in the soil.
Collards
Collards can be planted in North Carolina beginning on August 1; this cool-season vegetable does not do well in the summer heat. Seeds should be sown 1/4 inch deep in the soil, and seedlings should be thinned out as they grow, leaving 6 inches between plants.
Collards usually mature in 60 to 75 days. Individual leaves or the entire collard plant can be harvested. Collards, a cabbage family member, are rough and fibrous by nature and must be braised or steamed before eating.
Okra
Fried, boiled, stewed, or plucked, okra is a versatile vegetable. The little green pods thrive in warm weather and can be sown as early as May 1 in North Carolina. Plant the okra seeds in the soil, spacing them out 12 to 24 inches apart and 1 inch deep.
Plants should be harvested when they are 2 to 3 inches long; keeping them on the plant for longer allows the vegetable to become hard.
Green Beans
If you like green beans, include them in your garden! Beans come in bush and pole varieties, so they can fit into any garden. Both varieties are quite easy to grow and will provide a plentiful supply throughout the summer.
Simply plant three beans every few inches in the ground (see the seed packaging for correct spacing), water them, and watch them grow!
Read also: Best Vegetables To Grow Indoors Under Lights
Lettuce
It’s still cool enough to plant more lettuce, particularly fast-growing varieties. If you wait too long, it will become too hot, the plants will flower, and they will begin to taste bitter.
So don’t wait any longer and seed some more. Arugula and mesclun blends are two of our favorite fast-growing cultivars.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a common warm-weather food that can be planted in succession in North Carolina during the summer months.
Tomatoes exist in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors; gardeners can choose from cherry tomatoes, paste tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, and cluster tomatoes, among others.
To provide support to growing plants, plant tomatoes in full light and stake them with a tomato cage. While Early Girl tomatoes take 55 days to mature, most types take 65 to 70 days.
Can You Grow Vegetables Year Round In North Carolina?
From late winter through late fall, vegetables can be grown outdoors in southeastern NC. Harvesting through the winter is also achievable if you purchase a low-cost cold frame or frost protection fabric.
