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What To Grow in Your Arkansas Garden

Sep. 22 2020 Lifestyle By Central Arkansas Mahindra

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Growing a garden is a rewarding pastime that ensures you have fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs available to you for much of the summer and early fall. But what are you supposed to plant here in Arkansas? You know that certain crops won’t do well here, so it’s important to think about planting crops that will flourish.

Central Arkansas Mahindra is your Arkansas farm equipment dealer, located in Little Rock. Here are some tips you’ll want to follow when cultivating your garden here in the Natural State.

Frost Zone Awareness

One essential component of planting a garden is to know when the frost dates fall in your area. Due to various geographical and climatic factors, Arkansas has five Frost Zones, roughly organized with A towards the south of the state and E at the north. The mean dates of the last spring freeze are as follows:

  • Zone A: March 20
  • Zone B: March 27
  • Zone C: April 1
  • Zone D: April 10
  • Zone E: April 20

You’ll also want to know the dates of the first fall freeze so that you can plan your late summer crops and your harvest dates accordingly. These dates are:

  • Zone A: November 15
  • Zone B: November 7
  • Zone C: October 30
  • Zone D: October 24
  • Zone E: October 20

What To Plant

Obviously, the best crops to plant in your garden or on your small farm are the fruits, vegetables and herbs that you and your family enjoy consuming the most. However, not every type of fruit or vegetable will grow well in Arkansas, or they may be more challenging to plant. 

Here are some recommendations for vegetables:

  1. Lettuce. This crop is easy to grow and it may be planted anytime between February and April. You can even plant more in September to harvest in the late fall!
  2. Carrots. Sweet, crunchy and versatile, carrots are an excellent root vegetable to grow as they are ready in about 75 days. Baby carrots tolerate poorer soil than normal carrots. Plant in the spring or in early August for a fall harvest.
  3. Green Beans. Beloved in casseroles and steamed as a side dish, green beans need little care and produce a lot with a few plants. Make sure you have a trellis of some type to allow them to grow tall. Check every day for new beans once they start producing. Plant anytime between March and August.
  4. Cucumbers. These cool green veggies only need sufficient water and some support to grow plentifully. Plant in April or May and enjoy them during mid- to late-summer. Make sure you check vines often after they start to produce since cucumbers grow quickly. 
  5. Herbs. Basil, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, mint, dill and chives are just a few great herbs you can grow easily, provided you have enough sunlight. Growing them in pots allows you to move them around to find the best light. Mint will spread quickly, so containing it in a pot can be helpful if you don’t want it to grow out-of-bounds.

And here are some recommendations for fruits:

  1. Berries. Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries can all grow well in Arkansas if tended to appropriately. Pests are a large concern with growing berries. Arkansas has its own blackberry cultivars patented by the University of Arkansas that are specially adapted to grow well all across the state! Strawberry plants can produce for seven years if carefully tended. Blueberries require a more acidic soil so you may need to do soil testing to ensure you have a pH of 4.8 to 5.4 for optimal growth.
  2. Peaches & Nectarines. While these stone fruits are popular to grow in Arkansas, they can be among the most challenging due to pests. Frost is another concern with peaches, so you'll need to select a cultivar that’s appropriate for your particular location.
  3. Watermelon. Plant this hefty vine fruit in mid-to-late April in southern Arkansas or in mid-May in northern Arkansas. Ensure that soil has good drainage and that there is plenty of sunshine and heat for these plants to grow well. Watermelons take approximately three months to reach full maturity.
  4. Grapes & Muscadines. Both table grapes and muscadines, their smaller wine-ready cousins, will grow well in Arkansas. Vines will thrive if given someplace to grow and will last for many years if well-managed.
  5. Cantaloupe. This juicy fruit grows on vines and may be harvested anytime between July and October following a spring planting between April and June. Give them plenty of water.

We hope this guide helps you to cultivate a delicious and fruitful garden! Need some farm equipment? Check out our fine selection of new and used farm equipment at our Little Rock, AR, dealership on our website. Central Arkansas Mahindra is proud to serve all our Arkansas customers coming from Hot Springs, Sherwood and Conway.