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The Daily Insight

What can I grow in Alabama

Author

Emily Dawson

Published Mar 13, 2026

VegetableDays to MaturitySpacing, Rows/Plants (inches)Broccoli55 – 7536x18Brussels Sprouts90 – 12036x18Cabbage60 – 8536x12Oriental Cabbages45 – 6036×12

What crops can be grown in Alabama?

Though Alabama only produces about 4% of the nation’s total crop today, cotton is still an important field crop in the state. Other valuable crops are peanuts, corn for grain and soybeans. Peaches, apples, nectarines, plums, grapes, strawberries, and blueberries are grown in the state.

What plants do well in Alabama?

Flowers that tend to do well include azaleas, hyacinths, geraniums and wisteria. Vegetable gardens generally produce well due to the humid, warm summers and rich soil. Some popular crops that thrive in Alabama include beans, cabbage, greens and peppers.

What fruits and vegetables grow well in Alabama?

  • Asparagus. Asparagus is one of the most valuable of the early garden vegetables and is adaptable to freezer storage. …
  • Beans. Both bush and pole are commonly grown in Alabama. …
  • Broccoli. Broccoli is one of the best fall vegetables. …
  • Cabbage. Cabbage grows best during cool temperatures. …
  • Cantaloupes. …
  • Carrots. …
  • Cauliflower. …
  • Collards.

What can I plant now in Alabama?

Peppers, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, eggplants and parsley can now be planted all over the state. Seeds for corn, squash, cucumbers and the various beans and melons can now be planted.

Do avocados grow in Alabama?

Avocado plants are semitropical and grow the avocado fruit, which comes in a few different varieties. Alabama ranges from USDA plant hardiness zones 7 to 8, which can be a little too cold for most kinds of avocados. … Plant the tree in the spring once the weather warms to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

What is Alabama number one crop?

Cotton will remain the top crop grown in Alabama, if NASS predictions materialize. Farmers reported intentions to plant 530,000 acres of cotton, down 2% from last year’s 540,000 acres. Corn is still a staple crop for Alabama farmers, who say they’ll plant 370,000 acres this year.

Do potatoes grow in Alabama?

Potatoes. There are different types of potatoes to grow in Alabama. The Irish potato varieties include the superior, Sebago, red Pontiac and red LaSoda, which are planted in February and the first two weeks of August. It takes about 70 to 90 days for the plants to mature.

Can you grow bananas in Alabama?

Here in Alabama, we can expect one crop per year. Banana plants are rela- tively easy to grow. They like ample water, but do not tolerate “wet feet,” so plant them in well drained, compost rich soil. They grow best in full or partial sun and will benefit from protections against violent wind.

Can you grow carrots in Alabama?

Alabama’s climate allows us to grow carrots and many other root vegetables as both spring and fall crops. And now is the ideal time for a fall planting.

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What flowers can I grow in Alabama?

  • Deciduous Azaleas – Azaleas are great for spring planting.
  • Alabama Azaleas.
  • Col. Mosby.
  • American Wisteria.
  • Carolina Yellow Jessamine.
  • Crested Iris.
  • Hyacinths.
  • Geraniums.

What plants can grow all year?

  • Tomatoes. evegou/Shutterstock. …
  • Peppers. …
  • Eggplant. …
  • Okra. …
  • Chayote Squash. …
  • Jerusalem Artichoke. …
  • Horseradish. …
  • Onions/Leeks.

What flowers grow wild in Alabama?

Many species found in Alabama are also common throughout the southeastern United States, including spring-blooming flowering trees and shrubs such as the southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), the many varieties of azalea (Rhododendron spp …

What vegetable is easiest to grow?

  • Peas. …
  • Radishes. …
  • Carrots. …
  • Cucumbers. …
  • Kale. …
  • Swiss Chard. …
  • Beets. …
  • Summer Squash (Zucchini) Summer squash and zucchini like well-composted soil and need plenty of space (plant them 3 to 6 feet apart in warm soil and lots of sun.)

How do strawberries grow in Alabama?

  1. Loosen the garden soil with a shovel to a depth of 12 inches and amend with compost to improve drainage.
  2. The crown of the strawberry plant should be above the soil line.

When's the best time to plant a garden?

For most of the United States, the best time to start spring crops is, well, now. But to get more exact planting recommendations based on your area, use this handy calendar. (As a general rule, you should plant hardy greens and cole crops a few weeks before your final frost.)

What food grows in Alabama?

Alabama’s top commodities include poultry, cattle and calves, greenhouse and nursery, cotton, and soybeans. The state makes its mark nationally, ranking second in the country in broilers, catfish and quail; third for forestland, peanuts and sod; and sixth for pecans.

What is Alabama nickname?

Nickname: Alabama does not have an official nickname, but is often referred to as the “Heart of Dixie.” It has also been called the “Cotton State” and the “Yellowhammer State.”

What is Alabama known for?

The state is known for its iron and steel natural resources, Southern hospitality, sweet tea, and football—especially the fierce rivalry between the Auburn Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Do lemons grow in Alabama?

Lemons (Citrus limon) are generally hardy only in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9a through 11, and they may die if exposed to temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. … Only a very small part of extreme southern Alabama, the coastal area south of Mobile, falls into USDA zone 9a.

What beans grow in Alabama?

Bush beans, pole beans and lima beans all are grown in Alabama. A first planting can be done in April with a second planting in July. Bush bean varieties that grow well in Alabama include Contender, Green Crop and Derby. Pole bean varieties for Alabama include Dade, Kentucky Wonder and Kentucky Blue.

What zone do avocados grow in?

Generally, avocado trees need lots of moisture and nutrients from the soil. Because of the specific growing requirements for avocado trees, you won’t find them in most of the United States. They only grow in the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11, but they don’t thrive in them.

Can you grow an olive tree in Alabama?

The Arbequina olive is ideally suited to Alabama’s climate. … Arbequina, says Powell, is ideally suited to Alabama because it is cold hardy through zone 7, can handle the heat in the southern part of the state and is self-fruiting, so it does not require cross pollination from another olive variety to produce fruit.

Can you grow kiwi in Alabama?

From mid-October through mid-February, kiwis require 750 hours to 850 hours of “chill time” – temperatures below 45 degrees – to flower. Without those dormant hours, the vines won’t produce well. Price said central Alabama’s mostly frost-free temperatures are “just about right” to allow kiwis to flower.

Do pawpaws grow in Alabama?

There are a number of grafted cultivars of paw paw trees, but their range of adaptation is very narrow, and many cultivars that produce heavy crops of large fruit in Kentucky, Indiana or West Virginia do not perform satisfactorily in Georgia, Florida, Carolina or Alabama.

How do you grow onions in Alabama?

To reduce risk of loss from freeze damage in colder areas of Alabama, set onions in January to early February. Set plants 1 inch deep, and about 3 to 4 inches apart. Watering is critical to the development of onions. Onions should receive about 1 inch of water per week (2 inches in sandy soils).

Can you grow lettuce in Alabama?

Leaf and butterhead lettuces are great choices for gardens in Alabama. They mature in 40 to 50 days, many have good heat tolerance, and are a good choice for a spring or fall garden. In addition to the standard green leaf types, hundreds of cultivars with various leaf colors are available for you to try.

Do sweet potatoes grow in Alabama?

Sweetpotato production is centered in Baldwin and Cullman counties. Economically, the sweet- potato is one of the most impor- tant vegetable crops produced in Alabama. … Being of tropical origin, sweetpotatoes can only be grown during the warmest months in Alabama.

How do you grow tomatoes in Alabama?

Tomatoes plants should be spaced 18 to 24 inches apart. Rows should be 3 feet to 4 feet apart. Mulch is not required for growing tomato plants, but placing it around your plants can help them better conserve moisture, which can be difficult at the height of summer in Alabama.

How do you grow potatoes?

Dig straight, shallow trenches, 2 to 3 feet apart, in prepared soil. Plant seed potatoes 12 inches apart and cover with about 3 inches of soil. When the shoots reach 10 to 12 inches tall, use a hoe or shovel to scoop soil from between rows and mound it against the plants, burying the stems halfway.

Do apple trees grow in Alabama?

Apple trees in Alabama are mainly spur-type trees. … Today, Alabama continues to make great strides in apple production, including producing Red Delicious varieties that were previously thought of as inferior to Washington State apples. Choose an apple variety that will grow well in your part of the state.