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Andalusia Vegetable Garden Planting Date Calendar and Climatology
Andalusia and Covington County, Alabama have a long, frost free growing season. Many crops can be planted and harvested twice. Crops that are considered early or late cool season crops in the north winter over in the garden here. Many culinary and medicinal herbs remain green and harvestable all winter. The unstoppable lawnflower named chickweed can be harvested for salads or cooking greens throughout the cold season. Leaf lettuce also brightens the winter salad and winter garden. Winter in Andalusia is like late autumn and early spring in the north.
At the bottom of this page is a Vegetable Garden Planting Date Calendar for Andalusia. It was adapted from a chart found in a publication called “The Alabama Vegetable Gardener, ANR-47” by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. This document was revised in 2005, but there is no indication of the original chart was updated. It may not have been corrected to reflect recent global warming climate change. The original chart was made for central Alabama, the adaptation on this webpage is for the Andalusia area The growing season in the Andalusia area starts approximately 10 days earlier in spring than in central Alabama, and ends about 10 days later in autumn. There is approximately a twenty day difference on both ends of the growing season when comparing the Andalusia area to northern Alabama. Higher elevations in certain upper Alabama counties shorten the growing season there even further. Coastal Alabama has a slightly longer growing season than Andalusia due to the warming and moderating influence of the Gulf of Mexico.
The Garden Vegetable Planting Date Calendar is an approximation of when to plant. It is based on averaging long term weather data collections. The final determining factors of when to plant are the Soil Signs and the Weather Signs. Plant when the soil is the correct temperature for the crop. Plant when the soil has sufficient moisture for germination. Plant when the short term and long term weather forecasts are favorable for germination and seedling survival.
Click Here to view a chart showing germination rates for vegetables at varying soil temperatures. A soil temperature thermometer is a useful garden tool.
Click Here to view maps showing various aspects of Alabama’s climate. These maps show no dates, so they may not reflect recent Global Warming climate changes.
Click Here to view tabular summaries of weather measurements and averages of Andalusia’s climate from 1948 through 2007.
Click Here to view the 2006 Hardiness Zone Map issued by the National Arbor Foundation. This is an updated version of the United States Department of Agriculture's 1996 Hardiness Zone Map. The addition of climate data from 1996 through 2006 yields Map adjustments reflecting Global Warming climate changes. Click Here to your find your garden's 2006 Hardiness Zone designation. Below are the current weather predictions for Andalusia, Alabama:
Andalusia, AL
Updated Friday, November 21, 2008 11:56 PM
Clear | 33°F | High: 59°F
Low: 25°F
Wind: 0 mph
Humidity: 47%
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Sunday
64° / 34° | 
Monday
70° / 45° | 
Tuesday
63° / 35° |
Wednesday
65° / 35° |
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To explore more in depth weather information for Andalusia, Alabama, go to: Below is a current moon phase calender for gardeners who garden by the moon.
NOTE: This planting date calendar is expected to change due to global warming. So keep some papaya seeds handy.
Vegetable Planting Date Calendar for Andalusia, Alabama
Latitude 31.29 North, Longitude 86.49 West, Elevation 354 feet above Sea Level
NOV 20 > JAN 05 - cabbage: start seeds indoors
NOV 20 > JAN 05 - cauliflower: start seeds indoors
DEC 05 > FEB 05 - onions: start seeds indoors
DEC 15 > FEB 05 - lettuce: start seeds indoors
DEC 20 > FEB 05 - cabbage: transplant to garden
DEC 20 > FEB 05 - cauliflower: transplant to garden
JAN 05 > FEB 20 - lettuce: transplant to garden
JAN 05 > MAR 05 - onions: transplant to garden
JAN 20 > FEB 20 - peppers: start seeds indoors
JAN 20 > FEB 20 - beets
JAN 20 > FEB 20 - English peas
JAN 20 > FEB 20 - Irish potatoes
JAN 20 > MAR 05 - mustard
JAN 20 > MAR 05 - turnips
FEB 05 > MAR 05 - chard
FEB 05 > MAR 05 - spinach
FEB 10 > MAR 10 - tomatoes: start seeds indoors
FEB 15 > MAR 20 - carrots
MAR 01 > JUN 20 - sweet corn
MAR 20 > APR 20 - snap beans
MAR 20 > APR 20 - watermelons
MAR 20 > APR 20 - muskmelons
MAR 20 > APR 20 - summer squash
MAR 20 > APR 20 - winter squash
MAR 20 > APR 20 - tomatoes: transplant to garden
MAR 20 > APR 30 - peppers: transplant to garden
MAR 20 > JUL 20 - Southern peas
APR 01 > APR 20 - pole beans
APR 01 > APR 20 - sweet potato
APR 01 > APR 30 - lima beans
APR 05 > MAY 05 - pole lima beans
MAY 25 > JUN 25 - peppers, 2nd crop: start seeds
JUN 15 > JUL 15 - tomatoes, 2nd crop: start seeds
JUN 25 > JUL 10 - watermelons 2nd crop
JUL 10 > AUG 10 - peppers 2nd crop: transplant to garden
JUL 10 > AUG 10 - tomatoes 2nd crop: transplant to garden
JUL 10 > SEP 25 - collards
JUL 25 > AUG 10 - pole lima beans, 2nd crop
JUL 25 > AUG 10 - winter squash, 2nd crop
JUL 30 > 15 AUG 15 - pole beans, 2nd crop
JUL 30 > 15 AUG 15 - lima beans, 2nd crop
JUL 30 > SEP 30 - carrots, 2nd crop
AUG 5 > AUG 20 - cabbage, 2nd crop
AUG 5 > AUG 20 - cauliflower, 2nd crop
AUG 10 > AUG 25 - broccoli, 2nd crop
AUG 10 > AUG 25 - Chinese cabbage
AUG 10 > AUG 25 - Irish potatoes, 2nd crop
AUG 10 > AUG 25 - summer squash, 2nd crop
AUG 10 > SEP 10 - beets, 2nd crop
AUG 10 > SEP 10 - Brussels sprouts
AUG 15 > AUG 30 - snap beans, 2nd crop
AUG 20 > OCT 10 - turnips, 2nd crop
AUG 25 > SEP 10 - lettuce, 2nd crop
AUG 25 > SEP 25 - kale
AUG 25 > SEP 25 - mustard, 2nd crop
SEP 10 > OCT 25 - radishes, 2nd crop
SEP 10 > OCT 10 - chard, 2nd crop
SEP 10 > OCT 10 - spinach, 2nd crop
SEP 25 > OCT 25 - onion sets
NOV 1 > DEC 30 - garlic sets In Lower Alabama, gardens are year round entertainment. Below you will find links to albums of photgraphs taken in our Andalusia, Alabama garden. Winter Garden on October 27 and 29, 2008.
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