Spring is an amazing time, especially if you live in a northern climate
Spring eating is lighter after long winters of craving heavier meals. Wild spring greens tend to be bitter, as are many homegrown greens or ones available at the farmers market. Bitter greens are full of vitamins and help in digestion.
One thing to note for seasonal spring eating is a trend of lighter eating: baby salad leaves, bitter greens, fresh herbs & certain fruit
This post will show you what spring vegetables and spring fruits are in season
First of all, what spring vegetables or fruit are in season greatly depends on your climate.
If you live in zone 3, spring might not arrive until May. If you are lucky and live in a zone 8 then your spring is much sooner. The first ‘day’ of spring is in March, but some have snow then and some are able to purchase foods that are in season already. I live in zone 5, somewhat in the middle of these two.
There are different ways to get spring veggies
- Eating veggies that were directly sown in the springtime from your garden or farmers market
- Harvesting perennials and offer early harvests
- Using spring season extenders like hoop tunnels or cold frames to get extra early harvests. We’re thankful we grow food year-round in a greenhouse
- Overwintering veggies for late winter and early spring harvests
- Foraging for wild edibles like dandelions, nettles, wild leeks & more
List of veggies that are in season during the spring
Overwintered veggies: Parsnips, arugula, spinach, mache, overwintered greens (learn how to grow greens year-round with my 60 page guide), even forgotten about baby potatoes!
Early Spring Gardening with Season Extenders: Arugula, spinach, mache, mustards, baby greens, radishes.
Seasonal spring vegetables
Seasonal spring vegetables- Asparagus
- Spring garlic shoots
- Baby greens
- Lettuce leaves like mesclun greens
- Wild bitter greens like dandelions, lambs quarters, nettles
- Arugula/ Rocket Leaves
- Spinach
- Kale (see some kale varieties & how to grow)
- Baby turnips like Hakurei or Tokyo
- Turnip greens
- Mustard greens
- Baby beets & beet greens
- Komatsuna
- Radishes
- Fava beans
- Kohl Rabi
- Asian crops like pac choi
- New potatoes (baby potatoes)
- Herbs like chives, cilantro, overwintered herbs like oregano, sage, anything that’s starting to grow again
- Mint, lemon balm and many other kitchen herbs
Spring fruits
- Strawberries
- Rhubarb
- Cherries
My name is Isis Loran, creator of the Family Food Garden. I’ve been gardening for over 10 years now and push the limits of our zone 5 climates. I love growing heirlooms & experimenting with hundreds of varieties, season extending, crunchy homesteading and permaculture.
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