Mexico Vegetable Planting Calendar: Month-wise Chart, Schedule Guide

Vegetable gardening is not only a pleasurable and relaxing hobby but also a sensible way to ensure a steady supply of healthy, locally-grown food for the family table. Tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, and other vegetables can all be easily grown. Fresh tomatoes and chiles are essential for authentic Mexican salsa or pico de Gallo.

Because of this, a Mexican vegetable garden is a need and a great opportunity for you to share your heritage and interests with others. Below we learn about Mexico’s vegetable planting calendar, month-wise vegetable planting guide, and seasonal vegetable sowing chart.

Mexico vegetable planting calendar

Mexican green vegetables

Chard is one of the most sought-after greens in Mexico; chard can be purchased all year long from any of the country’s many marketplaces despite its origins in the Mediterranean basin. Chard is related to the beet, but unlike its close relative, it is produced for its leaves rather than its root. Watercress is a plant that grows in temperate climates all over the globe.

It is eaten and used medicinally because of its high iodine, iron, and potassium content. Traditional Mexican cuisine often features watercress and potatoes prepared in several forms, including the popular crema de Barros, a potato-based cream soup. You can usually find a watercress salad in restaurants specializing in “nouveau” Mexican cuisine. Spinach is an excellent option for pregnant women.

Soups, creams, sauté with onion and garlic, and a delicate mousse-like delicacy called pastel de espinacas are just some of the ways it is utilized in Mexican cuisine. Beta vulgaris rubra, or beet greens, are a herbaceous plant cultivated largely for its edible larger root. However, greens are also utilized in Mexican cuisine, particularly in rural areas where nothing is wasted.

All modern lettuce varieties originated from wild lettuces that grew in North America (including Mexico) and Northern Europe/North Africa. The milky white sap in the stems is the inspiration for the plant’s Latin name, Lactus. Although Lechuga orejona (romaine) and Lechuga sangria (blood romaine) are the most popular types of lettuce sold in Mexican mercados and supermarkets.

Other types of lettuce are becoming more popular as garnish for corn-based foods like tostadas (red leaf lettuce). Before the Spaniards arrived, Mexicans depended on amaranth for its leaves and seeds. The seeds, which are rich in the amino acid lysine, are now often used in confections such as algebras, as well as in moles, soups, and even as a breakfast cereal.

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Common plants to grow in a Mexican garden

Bell pepper ‘Sweet Heat’ has a smoky, gently spicy taste, whether green or red. Stuff it with rice, Mexican cheese, ground meat, and spicy tomatoes in the chili style, and you have a delicious meal. Green tomatoes, sometimes called tomatillos, contain fruit about the size of a cherry tomato but surrounded by an inedible papery husk. These vegetables are key ingredients in traditional Mexican meals, such as soups, salsas, and roasted pork. Mojitos are made using spearmint, or Mentha spicata, a simple-to-grow fragrant plant.

The plants can survive from full sun to partial shade and like moist soil. Mints are aggressive spreaders; to stop them, you can either remove them from the ground or confine them to pots. Pickled, stuffed, chopped, stirred into chili, or eaten raw, jalapeno peppers are versatile ingredients. Plant the seeds in the garden when the temperature is consistently above freezing, or start them inside before the final frost.

Cilantro is a plant that is either adored or despised by the people who use it, and the kind called ‘Santo’ is notable because it bolts more slowly than other types. While the leaf’s flavor is strong (almost soapy to some), they lend depth to many Mexican dishes. Cajun Belle is a mildly spicy bell pepper that won first place in its category in All-America Selections.

It’s ideal for a Mexican container garden since it only grows to be around 2 feet tall and broad. Cumin is a popular annual herb that belongs to the parsley family and is often used in Mexican cuisine. Wait for the seed pods to become brown before picking them, and then remove the pods from the plants, cut off the stems, and store them in a paper bag with the opening facing up.

Once the pods have opened and the seeds have been released, you may either store them for later use or utilize them immediately. Peppers of the orange-red kind known as “Tangerine Dream” are as attractive as they are tasty. You’ll notice a predominant sweetness with just a touch of spice. Growing the bushy, compact plants in pots makes for a convenient, moveable Mexican garden.

Can you grow carrots in Mexico?

The United States relies almost exclusively on prepared frozen carrots from Mexico. You can keep fresh carrots in the fridge for longer than most other veggies. Carrots that are darker orange in color have more beta carotene, so choose those that are firm, smooth, and brilliant while shopping. Carrots without their tops should be evaluated for an end of the stem that isn’t too dark green since this coloration denotes ripeness.

Pre-packaged carrots should be avoided if their stem ends have discolored to become black. Carrots with their tips still attached will wilt more quickly in the fridge. With their mild flavour, Carrots pair particularly well with spicy ingredients like jalapeos. You may also pair them with other Mexican staples like cumin and cilantro.

They are great in salads, soups, and stews. Budn is a traditional Mexican vegetable pudding, and carrots make a great foundational ingredient. Typically cooked with peas, carrots can also create a delicious but when paired with cheese for a savory side dish or with brown sugar, almonds, and raisins for a sweet treat.

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Is the soil good in Mexico?

More than half of Mexico’s soils are degraded, and 25% of production units say soil fertility is their biggest crop-growing issue. This analysis describes the necessity for Mexico’s effective and long-term soil governance. It is crucial to understand the present state of soils throughout the nation and to appreciate the variety of soils and the interests of the people who manage them. The functions of soils, how soils are conceived in various industries, and the connections between national and international policy tools for soil management should all be part of this body of knowledge.

What is in season in Mexico?

The Spaniards were responsible for bringing tomatoes to Europe from their native South America. In Mexico, the round red tomato, or automate, and the sour green tomatillo, or tomate, are used interchangeably. The Roma, Beefsteak, Cherry, and Grape are just some of the numerous commercially accessible kinds. The tomatillo is another edible member of the tomato family; it’s a tiny, green vegetable with a papery shell. Beginning in June, tomato harvesting lasts through August. However, early September can yet bring a few minor ones.

Since May is the start of the tomatillo season and November is the conclusion of it, this vegetable has a rather long harvest window. Humans domesticated corn so it won’t grow in the wild without special attention. Corn was brought back to Europe by Christopher Columbus after he found it in the New World. The Indian corn known as “Flint” (used to make popcorn) has white, red, or brown kernels. Animal feed is manufactured from “field” corn. “Sweet” corn, the variety sold in grocery shops, is suitable for direct consumption.

Yellow “sweet” corn has bigger kernels and is less sweet than its white counterpart, which has smaller kernels. The huitlacoche fungus, which develops on corn cobs, is considered a delicacy in Mexico and is used in various meals, including succotash and omelets, and as a stuffing for tacos and tamales. From May to the end of September, corn can be harvested. Sugars in maize quickly convert to starch, reducing its sweetness if it is not consumed soon after harvest.

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What is Mexico’s growing season?

The major crop is planted between April and August and mostly depends on monsoon rainfall; roughly 85 percent of the main crop is fed by natural rainfall. Corn harvesting typically starts in September and continues through February of the following year.

How do Mexican tomatillos grow?

The ideal growth location would include plenty of sunlight and relatively rich, well-drained soil. Although tomatillos are hardy semi-wild plants, they do not thrive in waterlogged, poorly-drained soil due to their reduced feeding requirements compared to tomatoes; before sowing seeds, till in a few inches of compost and fork the soil to increase drainage. If your garden’s soil is dense and clay-like, tomatillo plants do well in raised beds.

It’s best to start tomatillo seeds six to eight weeks before the final frost date. If you’ve been starting your plants inside, you’ll need to harden them off first before putting them in the yard. Plant at the same time you do tomatoes when the risk of frosting has passed, and the soil has warmed up. Like their tomato relatives in the nightshade family, Tomatillos benefit from being planted deeply since the plant produces new roots along its stems.

Plants of this indeterminate variety should be set three feet apart in rows three to four feet apart to accommodate their eventual height and spread. If you don’t want to pick the ripe fruits off the ground, you should plan on giving them support using gardening trellises or tomato cages. No need for more than four plants if you want to utilize them for fresh purposes. Tomatillos are very productive plants that keep yielding until they are killed off by cold.

To begin, spread 2–3 inches of organic mulch (such as grass clippings) over the area to be planted to prevent weed growth and retain soil moisture. Tomatillos can survive mild drought when given an inch or two of water once a week. Pinch off the sprouts’ tips to slow their growth if you’re short on room. No fertilizer is required. Don’t let your ripe tomatillos go to waste, or you could be surrounded by a thicket of self-sown seedlings next season. Put the spoiled tomatillo on the heated compost pile.

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Mexico vegetable planting calendar/chart/guide/schedule

Fall vegetable calendar/chart/guide/schedule for Mexico

Plant	Start seeds indoors at this time	Plant seeds outdoors at this time	Start seeds outdoors at this time
Jalapeno Peppers	May 8	July 3	–
Kale	July 10	August 7	–
Kohlrabi	–	–	August 12
Lettuce	–	–	August 22
Okra	–	–	June 23
Parsnips	–	–	June 28
Peas	–	–	July 28
Potatoes	–	–	July 18
Pumpkins	–	–	June 7
Radishes	–	–	August 27
Spinach	–	–	September 6
Sweet Potatoes	April 29	June 14	–
Swiss Chard	–	–	August 22
Tomatoes	April 23	June 18	–
Arugula	–	–	August 27
Beets	–	–	August 17
Bell Peppers	April 18	June 13	–
Broccoli	Jun 20	Jul 18	–
Cabbage	June 10	July 8	–
Cantaloupes	–	–	June 7
Carrots	–	–	August 12
Cauliflower	June 20	July 18	–
Celery	April 9	June 18	–
Corn	–	–	June 23
Cucumbers	–	–	June 28
Eggplants	April 18	June 13	–
Green Beans	–	–	June 28
Winter Squash	–	–	June 21
Zucchini	–	–	July 3
Winter Squash	–	–	June 21

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Spring vegetable planting calendar/chart/guide/schedule for Mexico

Plant	Start seeds indoors at this time	Plant seeds outdoors at this time	Start seeds outdoors at this time
Cucumbers	Apr 12-19	May 24-Jun 7	–
Dill	–	–	May 10-Jun 14
Eggplants	Mar 15-29	May 24-Jun 7	–
Green Beans	–	–	May 17-Jun 7
Jalapeño Peppers	Feb 28-Mar 15	May 17-31	–
Kale	Mar 15-29	Apr 12-May 3	–
Kohlrabi	Mar 29-Apr 12	Apr 19-26	–
Lettuce	Mar 29-Apr 12	Apr 26-May 24	–
Okra	–	–	May 24-Jun 7
Onions	–	–	Apr 12-May 3
Oregano	Feb 28-Mar 29	May 10-31	–
Parsley	–	–	Apr 12-26
Parsnips	–	–	Apr 19-May 10
Peas	–	–	Mar 29-Apr 19
Potatoes	–	–	May 3-24
Pumpkins	Apr 19-May 3	May 24-Jun 7	–
Radishes	–	–	Mar 15-Apr 5
Rosemary	Feb 28-Mar 15	May 17-Jun 7	–
Sage	Mar 15-29	May 10-24	–
Spinach	–	–	Mar 29-Apr 19
Sweet Potatoes	–	–	May 31-Jun 14
Swiss Chard	Mar 29-Apr 12	Apr 19-26	–
Thyme	Feb 28-Mar 29	May 10-31	–
Tomatoes	Mar 15-29	May 17-Jun 7	–
Turnips	–	–	Apr 12-May 3
Watermelons	Apr 12-19	May 24-Jun 7	–
Winter Squash	–	–	May 24-Jun 21
Zucchini	–	–	May 24-Jun 21
Arugula	–	–	Apr 26-May 10
Basil	Mar 15-29	May 10-31	–
Beets	–	–	Apr 26-May 17
Bell Peppers	Feb 28-Mar 15	May 17-31	–
Broccoli	Mar 15-29	Apr 12-May 3	–
Cabbage	Mar 15-29	Apr 12-26	–
Cantaloupes	Apr 12-19	May 24-Jun 7	–
Carrots	–	–	Apr 5-19
Cauliflower	Mar 15-29	Apr 12-May 3	–
Celery	Feb 28-Mar 15	May 17-31	–
Chives	–	–	Apr 12-19
Cilantro (Coriander)	–	–	May 10-24
Corn	–	–	May 24-Jun 14

Conclusion

A big part of what makes gardening enjoyable and satisfying is when you have some success at it. It’s fascinating to see the garden develop, and the appearance of the first fruit is a sure indicator that you’ll soon be eating fresh vegetables.

Mexico Vegetable Planting Calendar: Month-wise Chart, Schedule Guide

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