Calendar is the key to a bountiful harvest
This is a part of the Home & Garden 2025, a yearly supplement to the Sanpete Messenger. To view the rest of the articles, click this banner.
Sanpete County gardeners face a multitude of challenges, but with the right knowledge, attitude and dedication, a successful yield is possible.
One obstacle for gardeners is the county’s short growing season – only about 120 days from the last spring frost to first fall frost, compared to 170 days in Salt Lake City and more than 190 days in St. George.
Thankfully, Utah State University and its Sanpete County Extension Office provide a plethora of information to help determine when and what to plant.
As the weather warms and the winter snow melts, the USU Extension has classified vegetables such as peas, onion and asparagus as the “hardy group,” which can be planted earliest in the growing season.
“As soon as the soil dries out, you can get those in the ground right away,” says Matt Palmer, agriculture extension agent for the county.
After the hardy vegetables go in the ground, next up is the “semi-hardy” group, which includes vegetables such as beets, carrots and lettuce. The USU extension recommends planting the semi-hardy group a week or two after the hardy group, or about two weeks before the average last spring frost. According to USU data, the average last spring frost for Manti is May 24.
With the occurrence of frost varying over a short distance due to changes in elevation and topography, USU recommends keeping records for your own garden area.
On the date of the last spring frost, the “tender” vegetables are ready to plant. The extension office includes vegetables such as cucumbers, sweet corn, summer squash, and dry and snap beans in this “tender” group.
Palmer gave more insight into selecting the right varieties of fruits and vegetables for the Sanpete climate. “What I key in on,” he said, “is watch(ing) your days to maturity and selecting [varieties] that are bred to grow well in Utah but also will be able to ripen and produce in a short amount of time.”
Another key to a successful harvest is covering plants in the fall when the frost hits to extend the growing season: “What we find in this valley is that we’ll have a cold front come through and freeze in the fall, and then it’ll be warm for another maybe two, three, maybe even four weeks before we get another heavy frost,” Palmer said.
“So if you can cover those plants… protect them for a couple nights when one of those cold fronts comes through, you’ll have another few weeks of growth after that.”
Palmer said many vegetables can grow here, but the soil is high in pH, or less acidic than typical soils. Palmer advised against planting anything that likes acidic soil, such as blueberries.
“Our waters are basic (high in pH) as well,” Palmer said. “Even if you do manipulate the soil to get it less basic, the water you’re adding to it is hard water, which is a basic substance that’s going to turn [the soil] basic again.”
Nature doesn’t always agree with your garden. As evidenced by the late winter storms this year, timing your first planting can be a tricky process. Alternatively, fall frosts can hit earlier than expected. According to Extension office data, the earliest fall freeze recorded for Sanpete County was Sept. 2.
The actual length of the harvest season can also vary: The shortest harvest season, according to the data, was just 79 days in 1916. The longest season was 175 days in 1952.
Uncertainties can make planting and harvesting feel like a herculean task, but Palmer says a positive attitude can help your garden succeed.
“You have to keep learning and trying,” he says. Every year is a new experience, the weather, the insects, the diseases. Every year brings new challenges and issues, but if you are persistent, you learn how to handle those issues and are able to generate good yearly production.
For gardeners who would like to learn more about when and what to plant, Palmer teaches a six-week gardening course in partnership with the Snow College Continuing Education program, beginning each year in February.
