Building your food stores the right way starts with enough canned and dried foods to last 12 months which allows time to plant our garden, harvest, prepare and preserve food for the winter.
Planting some foods that harvest early could be the difference between surviving and starving after a hard winter. Here are the Days to Harvest for a long list of foods you should consider. The ones listed in red are Heirloom varieties that you can save seeds from and grow them again next year. Seeds from hybrid varieties often will not reproduce. Having both may be a good idea, but they must be planted far apart to prevent cross pollination as Bees will carry pollen great distances. Of course, having a Green House for year-round food and/or Aquaponics represents an advanced level of preparation that most do not have and a much more reliable plan.
| Vegetable | Variety | Days to Harvest | |
| Asparagus | Jersey Gem | 300 | |
| Asparagus | Jersey Giant | 300 | |
| Asparagus | UC-157 | 300 | |
| Asparagus | UC-72 | 300 | |
| Bean - Lima | Henderson Bush | 65 | |
| Bean - Lima | Jackson Wonder Bush | 65 | |
| Bean - Lima | Dixie White | 70 | |
| Bean - Lima | Fordhook | 75 | |
| Bean - Lima | Florida Speckled Pole | 85 | |
| Bean Bush | Tendergreen | 40 | |
| Bean Bush | Greencrop | 50 | |
| Bean Bush | Long Tendergreen | 50 | |
| Bean Bush | Topcrop | 50 | |
| Bean Bush | Improved Golden Wax | 52 | |
| Bean Bush | Pencil Pod Black Wax | 53 | |
| Bean Bush | Tendercrop | 54 | |
| Bean Bush | Early Contender | 55 | |
| Bean Bush | Goldcrop Wax | 55 | |
| Bean Bush | Jumbo | 55 | |
| Bean Bush | Blue Lake | 60 | |
| Bean Bush | Roma II | 60 | |
| Bean Pole | Kentucky Wonder | 60 | |
| Bean Pole | Romano Gold | 60 | |
| Bean Pole | Dade | 65 | |
| Beet | Pacemaker II | 50 | |
| Beet | Green Top Bunching | 52 | |
| Beet | Ruby Queen | 55 | |
| Beet | Detroit Dark Red | 56 | |
| Broccoli | Green Comet | 40 | |
| Broccoli | Packman | 50 | |
| Broccoli | Southern Comet | 50 | |
| Broccoli | Premium Crop | 55 | |
| Brussel Sprouts | Jade Cross | 80 | |
| Cabbage | Early Jersey Wakefield | 53 | |
| Cabbage | Market Prize | 76 | |
| Cabbage | Ruby Ball | 78 | |
| Cabbage | Bravo | 85 | |
| Cabbage | Green Boy | 85 | |
| Cabbage | Rio Verde | 85 | |
| Cabbage | Sanibel | 90 | |
| Cabbage | Savoy King | 90 | |
| Cabbage Chinese | Jade Pagoda | 65 | |
| Cabbage Chinese | Michihili | 80 | |
| Cantaloupe | Primo | 77 | |
| Cantaloupe | Caravelle | 80 | |
| Cantaloupe | Magnum 45 | 80 | |
| Cantaloupe | Mission | 80 | |
| Cantaloupe | Hales Best | 82 | |
| Cantaloupe | Perlita | 85 | |
| Cantaloupe | TAM Uvalde | 85 | |
| Cantaloupe | Ambrosia | 86 | |
| Cantaloupe | Israeli | 90 | |
| Carrot | Royal Chantenay | 65 | |
| Carrot | Nantes Half Long | 70 | |
| Carrot | Red Core Chantenay | 70 | |
| Carrot | Imperator 58 | 75 | |
| Carrot Baby | Thumbelina | 55 | |
| Carrot Processing | Gold King | 68 | |
| Carrot Processing | Danver 126 | 75 | |
| Cauliflower | Imperial | 60 | |
| Cauliflower | Snow Crown | 60 | |
| Cauliflower | Snowball Y Improved | 60 | |
| Celeriac | Large Smooth Prague | 110 | |
| Celeriac | Marble Ball | 110 | |
| Chives | Chinese Chives | 80 | |
| Chives | Garlic Chives | 80 | |
| Collards | Blue Max | 68 | |
| Collards | Georgia Southern | 75 | |
| Collards | Vates | 75 | |
| Corn | Mirai | 70 | |
| Corn | Merit (Yellow) | 75 | |
| Corn | Honey n Pearl (Bicolor) | 78 | |
| Corn | Snowbelle (White) | 79 | |
| Corn | Summer Sweet | 81 | |
| Corn | Sugar Loaf | 83 | |
| Corn | Crisp-N-Sweet (Yellow) | 85 | |
| Corn | White Lightning (White) | 86 | |
| Corn | How Sweet It Is (White) | 87 | |
| Corn | Kandy Korn (Yellow) | 89 | |
| Corn | Sweet G-90 (Bicolor) | 90 | |
| Corn | Silver Queen (White) | 91 | |
| Cucumber Pickling | County Fair 87 | 48 | |
| Cucumber Pickling | Carolina | 49 | |
| Cucumber Pickling | Calypso | 52 | |
| Cucumber Pickling | Homemade | 55 | |
| Cucumber Pickling | Little Leaf | 55 | |
| Cucumber Pickling | National | 55 | |
| Cucumber Slicing | Burpless | 55 | |
| Cucumber Slicing | Sweet Success | 55 | |
| Cucumber Slicing | Dasher II | 60 | |
| Cucumber Slicing | Poinsett 76 | 60 | |
| Cucumber Slicing | Straight Eight | 60 | |
| Cucumber Slicing | Sweet Slice | 62 | |
| Cucumber Slicing | Ashley | 65 | |
| Daikon | Misato Rose Red Meat | 60 | |
| Daikon | Myashige | 65 | |
| Eggplant | Easter Egg | 52 | |
| Eggplant | Black Magic | 72 | |
| Eggplant | Early Long Purple | 75 | |
| Eggplant | Black Beauty | 80 | |
| Eggplant | Florida Hibush | 85 | |
| Eggplant | Florida Market | 85 | |
| Eggplant | California White | 120 | |
| Eggplant Oriental | Tycoon | 54 | |
| Eggplant Oriental | Ichiban | 61 | |
| Eggplant Oriental | Long Tom | 75 | |
| English Pea | Sugar Bon | 55 | |
| English Pea | Dwarf Gray Sugar | 60 | |
| English Pea | Little Marvel | 63 | |
| English Pea | Green Arrow | 65 | |
| English Pea | Sugar Mel | 65 | |
| English Pea | Wando | 68 | |
| English Pea | Sugar Snap | 72 | |
| English Pea | Sugar Daddy | 75 | |
| Garlic | California Early | 120 | |
| Garlic | California White | 120 | |
| Garlic | Elephant | 120 | |
| Garlic | French Mild Silverskin (Heirloom) | 120 | |
| Garlic | Mexican Purple | 120 | |
| Greens | Early Wonder Tall Top | 55 | |
| Greens | Malabar Spinach | 70 | |
| Greens | New Zealand Spinach | 70 | |
| Honeydew Melon | TAM Dew | 100 | |
| Kale | Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch | 55 | |
| Kale | Green Curled | 75 | |
| Kohlrabi | Grand Duke | 45 | |
| Kohlrabi | Early Purple Vienna | 55 | |
| Kohlrabi | Early White Vienna | 55 | |
| Leek | American Flag | 130 | |
| Lettuce Butterhead/Bibb | Tom Thumb | 45 | |
| Lettuce Butterhead/Bibb | Bibb | 60 | |
| Lettuce Butterhead/Bibb | Buttercrunch | 70 | |
| Lettuce Crisphead/Iceberg | Mission | 75 | |
| Lettuce Crisphead/Iceberg | Classic | 85 | |
| Lettuce Looseleaf | Black Seeded Simpson | 45 | |
| Lettuce Looseleaf | Simpson Elite | 45 | |
| Lettuce Looseleaf | Salad Bowl (green) | 49 | |
| Lettuce Looseleaf | Oakleaf | 50 | |
| Lettuce Looseleaf | Ruby Red | 50 | |
| Lettuce Looseleaf | Red Sails | 52 | |
| Mustard | Florida Broadleaf | 40 | |
| Mustard | Green Wave | 45 | |
| Mustard | Large Smooth Leaf | 49 | |
| Mustard | Southern Giant Curled | 50 | |
| Okra | Cajun Delight | 49 | |
| Okra | Lee | 50 | |
| Okra | Clemson Spineless | 55 | |
| Okra | Louisiana Green Velvet | 55 | |
| Okra | Emerald | 58 | |
| Okra | Burgundy | 60 | |
| Okra | Dwarf Green Long Pod | 60 | |
| Onion Bulb | Crystal Wax (Short Day) | 60 | |
| Onion Bulb | Early Grano 502 (YWR, Short Day) | 80 | |
| Onion Bulb | Eclipse (White, Short Day) | 80 | |
| Onion Bulb | Granex (YWR, Short Day) | 100 | |
| Onion Bulb | Yula (Intermediate Day) | 103 | |
| Onion Bulb | Candy Super Star (Intermediate Day) | 110 | |
| Onion Bulb | Red Burgandy (Short Day) | 110 | |
| Onion Bulb | Yellow TX Supersweet 1015 (Short Day) | 110 | |
| Onion Bulb | Ringmaster | 120 | |
| Onion Bunching | Evergreen Long White | 65 | |
| Parsley | Moss curled | 75 | |
| Parsley | Plain Italian | 78 | |
| Parsley | Banquet | 80 | |
| Parsley | Champion Moss Curled | 80 | |
| Pea Snap | Sugar Ann | 60 | |
| Pea Southern | Texas Pinkeye | 60 | |
| Pea Southern | Blackeye #5 | 65 | |
| Pea Southern | Mississippi Silver | 65 | |
| Pea Southern | Pink Eye Purple Hull | 65 | |
| Pea Southern | Champion Cream | 70 | |
| Pea Southern | Knuckle Purple Hull | 70 | |
| Pea Southern | Texas Cream 8 | 75 | |
| Pea Southern | Zipper Cream | 75 | |
| Pea Southern | Brown Sugar | 80 | |
| Pepper Hot | Long Red Cayenne | 65 | |
| Pepper Hot | Cayenne | 70 | |
| Pepper Hot | Hungarian Yellow Wax | 70 | |
| Pepper Hot | Jalapeno | 70 | |
| Pepper Hot | Super Cayenne | 70 | |
| Pepper Hot | Anaheim (Chile) | 75 | |
| Pepper Hot | Big Jim (Chile) | 85 | |
| Pepper Hot | Hidalgo Serrano | 85 | |
| Pepper Hot | Hot Portugal | 85 | |
| Pepper Hot | Red Chili | 85 | |
| Pepper Hot | Super Chili | 85 | |
| Pepper Hot | Habanero | 100 | |
| Pepper Sweet | Golden Summer (Bell) | 65 | |
| Pepper Sweet | Gypsy (Bell, YOR) | 65 | |
| Pepper Sweet | Sweet Banana | 68 | |
| Pepper Sweet | Bell Tower (Bell) | 70 | |
| Pepper Sweet | Big Bertha (Bell, Green) | 70 | |
| Pepper Sweet | Summer Sweet (Bell, Yellow) | 70 | |
| Pepper Sweet | TAM Mild Jalapeno | 70 | |
| Pepper Sweet | Emerald Giant (Pimento, Red) | 75 | |
| Pepper Sweet | Jupiter (Bell, Red) | 75 | |
| Pepper Sweet | Yolo Wonder (Bell) | 75 | |
| Pepper Sweet | Keystone Giant (Bell) | 78 | |
| Pepper Sweet | Senorita (Mild Jalapeno) | 80 | |
| Pinto | UI 114 | 85 | |
| Potato Irish | Kennebec (White) | 80 | |
| Potato Irish | Norland (Red) | 80 | |
| Potato Irish | Purple Viking | 90 | |
| Potato Irish | Superior (White) | 90 | |
| Potato Irish | Yukon Gold | 90 | |
| Potato Irish | Red LaSoda | 100 | |
| Pumpkin Large | Big Max | 120 | |
| Pumpkin Large | Big Tom | 120 | |
| Pumpkin Large | Connecticut Field | 120 | |
| Pumpkin Medium | Jack O’Lantern | 110 | |
| Pumpkin Small | Jack Be Little | 95 | |
| Pumpkin Small | Lady Godiva | 95 | |
| Pumpkin Small | Small Sugar | 95 | |
| Pumpkin Small | Munchkin | 100 | |
| Pumpkin Small | Triple Treat | 110 | |
| Radish | Champion | 20 | |
| Radish | Cherry Belle | 22 | |
| Radish | Early Scarlet Globe | 24 | |
| Radish | Scarlet Globe | 24 | |
| Radish | Easter Egg | 25 | |
| Radish | Sparkler | 25 | |
| Radish | Summer Cross | 25 | |
| Radish | White Icicle | 30 | |
| Rutabaga | American Purple Top | 90 | |
| Shell | French Horticultural | 70 | |
| Squash Summer | Early Prolific (Yellow, Straightneck) | 40 | |
| Squash Summer | Senator (Zucchini) | 41 | |
| Squash Summer | Dixie (Yellow, Cookneck) | 45 | |
| Squash Summer | Hyzini (Zucchini) | 45 | |
| Squash Summer | Earl’s White Bush (Scallop) | 47 | |
| Squash Summer | Butterbar (Yellow, Straightneck) | 49 | |
| Squash Summer | Hyrific (Yellow, Straightneck) | 49 | |
| Squash Summer | Pavo (Crookneck) | 49 | |
| Squash Summer | Sure Thing (Zucchini) | 49 | |
| Squash Summer | Blondie (Zucchini) | 50 | |
| Squash Summer | Burpee’s Butterstick (Yellow, Straightneck) | 50 | |
| Squash Summer | Hybrid (Zucchini) | 50 | |
| Squash Summer | Multipik (Yellow Straightneck) | 50 | |
| Squash Summer | Peter Pan (Green, Scallop) | 50 | |
| Squash Summer | Sunburst (Scallop) | 50 | |
| Squash Summer | Supersett (Yellow Straightneck) | 50 | |
| Squash Summer | GoIdfinger (Zucchini) | 51 | |
| Squash Summer | Storrs Greer (Zucchini) | 51 | |
| Squash Summer | Gold Rush (Zucchini) | 52 | |
| Squash Summer | Aristocrat (Zucchini) | 53 | |
| Squash Summer | St. Patrick (Scallop) | 55 | |
| Squash Summer | Yellow Summer (Crookneck) | 55 | |
| Squash Summer | Patty Pan (White, Scallop) | 60 | |
| Squash Summer | Smoothie (Straightneck) | 60 | |
| Squash Summer | Sundrop (Yellow) | 62 | |
| Squash Summer | Bennings Green Tint (Scallop) | 63 | |
| Squash Winter | Royal (Acorn) | 70 | |
| Squash Winter | TabIe King (Acorn) | 75 | |
| Squash Winter | Butternut Types | 90 | |
| Squash Winter | Improved Butternut | 90 | |
| Squash Winter | Table Queen (Acorn) | 90 | |
| Squash Winter | Burgess Buttercup | 95 | |
| Squash Winter | WaItham (Butternut) | 95 | |
| Squash Winter | Ebony (Acorn) | 100 | |
| Squash Winter | Spaghetti Types | 100 | |
| Squash Winter | Vegetable Spaghetti Types | 100 | |
| Sweet Potato | Vardaman | 100 | |
| Sweet Potato | Beauregard | 150 | |
| Sweet Potato | Centennial | 150 | |
| Sweet Potato | Jewel | 150 | |
| Swiss Chard | Fordhook Giant | 50 | |
| Swiss Chard | Bright Lights | 55 | |
| Swiss Chard | Rhubarb Red | 59 | |
| Swiss Chard | Ruby | 59 | |
| Tomato Large > 12 oz | Better Boy (I) | 70 | |
| Tomato Large > 12 oz | Mountain Glory (I) | 72 | |
| Tomato Large > 12 oz | Big Beef (I) | 75 | |
| Tomato Large > 12 oz | Pik Rite (D) | 75 | |
| Tomato Large > 12 oz | Brandywine (Heirloom) | 80 | |
| Tomato Large > 12 oz | Floradade (D) | 80 | |
| Tomato Large > 12 oz | Early Big Red (I) | 90 | |
| Tomato Medium 4 - 11 oz | Ultra Sweet (I) | 62 | |
| Tomato Medium 4 - 11 oz | Carnival (D) | 70 | |
| Tomato Medium 4 - 11 oz | Celebrity (D) | 70 | |
| Tomato Medium 4 - 11 oz | Golden Jubilee (I) | 72 | |
| Tomato Medium 4 - 11 oz | Mountain Spring (D) | 72 | |
| Tomato Medium 4 - 11 oz | Porter Improved (I) | 78 | |
| Tomato Paste | Chico III (D) | 70 | |
| Tomato Paste | Roma (D) | 75 | |
| Tomato Small < 3 oz | Sunsugar (Cherry, I) | 62 | |
| Tomato Small < 3 oz | Small Fry (D) | 65 | |
| Tomato Small < 3 oz | Cherry Grande (D) | 74 | |
| Turnip | White Lady | 40 | |
| Turnip | Royal Globe | 45 | |
| Turnip Greens | All Top | 35 | |
| Turnip Greens | Purple Top | 55 | |
| Turnip Roots & Greens | Tokyo Cross | 35 | |
| Turnip Roots & Greens | Shogoin | 42 | |
| Turnip Roots & Greens | Purple Top White Globe | 50 | |
| Watermelon | Bush Sugar Baby | 75 | |
| Watermelon | Petite Sweet | 75 | |
| Watermelon | Prince Charles | 80 | |
| Watermelon | Calhoun Grey | 85 | |
| Watermelon | Charleston Gray | 85 | |
| Watermelon | Crimson Sweet | 85 | |
| Watermelon | Mirage | 85 | |
| Watermelon | Tendersweet (Orange) | 85 | |
| Watermelon | Allsweet | 90 | |
| Watermelon | Supersweet | 90 | |
| Watermelon | Jubilee | 95 | |
| Watermelon | Royal Jubilee | 95 | |
| Watermelon Seedless | Tri-X 313 | 85 | |
For more information Table of Contents |
RED = Heirloom visit our |
