When to Plant Vegetables in San Bernardino, CA

60-85 days · 10-15 lbs per plant · moderate

Companions: basil, marigold, parsley, carrot

Harvest: Harvest tomatoes when color begins to change from green to their mature color — they will continue to ripen on the counter. For best flavor, never refrigerate tomatoes; instead, place them stem-side down on a countertop out of direct sunlight. If frost threatens, pick all remaining fruit including green tomatoes and ripen them indoors in a paper bag with a banana.

70-90 days · 5-10 peppers per plant · easy

Companions: tomato, basil, carrot, onion

Harvest: Peppers can be picked green for a milder flavor or left on the plant to fully ripen to red, orange, or yellow for maximum sweetness and vitamin C content. Use sharp pruners or scissors to cut the stem rather than pulling, which can damage the branch. Frequent harvesting encourages the plant to produce more fruit throughout the season.

90-120 days · 4-10 lbs per plant · easy

Companions: bean, lettuce, radish, thyme

Harvest: Dig sweet potatoes before the first frost, or when leaves begin to yellow and vines start dying back, typically 90-120 days after transplanting slips. Dig carefully with a garden fork 12-18 inches away from the central stem to avoid slicing the tubers. Cure harvested sweet potatoes at 85°F and high humidity for 7-10 days to develop sweetness and heal skin wounds for long storage.

65-80 days · 4-6 fruits per plant · moderate

Companions: bean, pepper, spinach, thyme, marigold

Harvest: Harvest eggplant when the skin is glossy and firm — press your thumb gently into the fruit, and if the indentation springs back, it is ready. Once the skin turns dull or brownish and seeds inside are dark, the fruit is overripe and will taste bitter. Cut the stem with pruners leaving about an inch of stem attached, and wear gloves if working with prickly varieties.

50-70 days · 10-20 cucumbers per plant · easy

Companions: bean, pea, nasturtium, radish, lettuce

Harvest: Harvest cucumbers before they turn yellow, when they are firm and dark green — overripe cucumbers become bitter and seedy. Pick slicing varieties at 6-8 inches and pickling types at 2-4 inches. Check plants daily during peak production, as cucumbers can double in size in just 24 hours and overgrown fruit signals the plant to stop producing.

50-65 days · 1/2 lb per plant per picking · easy

Companions: corn, cucumber, carrot, lettuce, radish

Harvest: Pick green beans when pods snap cleanly and before seeds visibly bulge through the pod walls. Harvest bush beans every 2-3 days to keep plants producing, and pole beans every day during peak season. Never harvest when foliage is wet, as this spreads bacterial diseases between plants.

45-80 days · 1/2-1 lb per plant · easy

Companions: carrot, radish, onion, strawberry, chive

Harvest: Use the cut-and-come-again method: snip outer leaves at the base when they reach 4-6 inches, leaving the central growing point intact to produce new leaves. For head lettuce, harvest the entire plant when it feels firm. Always harvest in the cool morning hours for the crispest leaves, and watch for bolting — once the central stem elongates, leaves turn bitter.

240-270 days (fall planted) · 1 bulb per clove planted · easy

Companions: tomato, pepper, lettuce, beet, carrot

Harvest: Harvest garlic when the lower 3-4 leaves have turned brown but 4-5 green leaves remain at the top — each green leaf represents one intact wrapper on the bulb. Dig rather than pull the bulbs to avoid breaking the stems. Cure bulbs in a warm, dry, shaded area with good air circulation for 3-4 weeks, then trim the roots and store in mesh bags or braids.

24-28 days to first harvest · 1/2-1 cup fresh leaves per week per plant · easy

Companions: tomato, pepper, oregano, lettuce

Harvest: Pinch or cut stems just above a leaf pair to encourage branching — each cut stem will produce two new growing tips, creating a bushier, more productive plant. Always remove flower buds as soon as they appear, because once basil flowers, the leaves lose their essential oils and turn bitter. For the best flavor, harvest in the morning after dew has dried but before the midday heat.

45-60 days · 6-10 lbs per plant · easy

Companions: corn, bean, nasturtium, radish

Harvest: Harvest zucchini at 6-8 inches long for the best texture and flavor — larger fruit become watery and seedy. Check plants every other day because zucchini grows incredibly fast in warm weather. Use a knife to cut the stem rather than twisting, and leave about an inch of stem attached to help prevent rot.