When to plant

• Start seeds indoors about 10 weeks before planting out.
• Plant outdoors about 1 week before your average last spring frost.
• Ready to harvest about 110 days after planting out.

In cold zones grow an annual variety like Imperial Star. Perennial in zone 7+.

Frost dates depend on where you live. Enter your ZIP code to get exact dates.

Dates by zone: 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b

Growing basics

Sun

Full sun (6+ hours)

Spacing

36–48 in

Soil temperature

At least 45°F

Time to harvest

About 110 days

Plant family

Lettuce and daisy family

Harvest per plant

About 2 lb

Seeds keep

About 3 years

Companions

Keep apart: Horseradish. Horseradish spreads aggressively. Give it its own spot.

Keep apart: Mint. Mint spreads aggressively into neighbors. Keep it in a pot.

Keep apart: Fennel (bulb). Fennel slows the growth of most garden plants. Grow it on its own.

Keep apart: Sunchoke (Jerusalem artichoke). Sunchokes spread aggressively and shade neighbors.

Grow it well

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