soil temperatures

SOIL TEMPERATURE CONDITION FOR VEGETABLE SEED GERMINATION1 VEGETABLE MIN. (°F) RANGE (°F) OPTIMUM (°F) MAX (°F) DAYS TO GERMINATION ASPARAGUSa 50° 60° - 85° 75° 95° 21 - 30 BEANd 60° 60° - 85° 80° 95° 7 - 14 BEAN LIMAe 60° 65° - 85° 85° 85° 10 - 14 BEETb 40° 50° - 85° 85° 95° 7 - 14 CABBAGEa, b 40° 45° - 95° 85° 100° 7 - 10 CARROTb 40° 45° - 85° 80° 95° 10 - 21 CAULIFLOWERa, b 40° 45° - 85° 80° 100° 3 - 10 CELERYa 40° 60° - 70° 70° 85° 14 - 21 CHARD SWISSb 50° 50° - 85° 85° 95° 7 - 14 CORNd 50° 60° - 95° 95° 105° 7 - 10 CUCUMBERc, d 60° 75° - 95° 95° 105° 7 - 10 EGGPLANTc 60° 40° - 80° 85° 95° 7 - 12 LETTUCEa 35° 40° - 80° 75° 85° 7 - 14 MUSKMELONe 60° 75° - 95° 90° 100° 7 - 10 OKRAe 60° 70° - 95° 95° 105° 8 - 12 ONIONa 35° 50° - 95° 75° 95° 10 - 14 PARSLEYb 40° 50° - 85° 75° 90° 10 - 21 PARSNIPb 35° 50° - 70° 65° 85° 14 - 21 PEAb 40° 40° - 75° 75° 85° 8 - 10 PEPPERc 60° 65° - 95° 85° 95° 14 - 21 PUMPKINd 60° 70° - 90° 95° 100° 7 - 10 RADISHb 40° 45° - 90° 95° 95° 3 - 7 SPINACHb 35° 45° - 75° 70° 85° 7 - 10 SQUASHd 60° 70° - 95° 95° 100° 9 - 12 TOMATOc 59° 60° - 85° 85° 95° 5 - 14 TURNIPb 40° 60° - 105° 85° 105° 6 - 7 WATERMELONe 60° 70° - 95° 95° 105° 7 - 10

1Compiled by J.F. Harrington, Dept. of Vegetable Crops, University of California, Davis. 2Daily fluctuation to 60° or lowers at night is essential

aHardy vegetables to grow as transplants. bHardy vegetables for direct seeding. cTender vegetables to grow as transplants. dTender vegetables for direct seeding. eTender vegetables for direct seeding, 2 weeks after last frost.