A Guide to Fruits and Vegetables In Season in Spring - The ...

From cherries and strawberries to asparagus and pea greens, learn which fruits and vegetables reach their peak for flavor—and value—in ...  JenniferASmith/GettyImages It'salwaysbettertobuyfruitsandvegetablesinseason.That'swhentheyhavethebestflavor,andwhenpricesarefairest.Youwillfindthesefruitsandvegetablesinthemarketinspring.Notethatspecificcropsandharvestdatesdependontheclimateofyourregion(seeregionalandstate-specificseasonalityguidesfordetails). In-SeasonforSpring Apricotscomeintoseasontowardstheendofspringinthewarmerareaswheretheygrow. Artichokeshaveasecondcropinthefall,butthemainharvesttakesplaceinthespringwhenthelargestthistlesareavailable.Lookforartichokeswithtight,compactleavesandfresh-cutstemends. Arugula(aka"rocket")isacool-weathercrop.Longdaysandwarmweathermakeitbolt,orflower,andbringanunpleasantlybitterflavortotheleaves.Wildarugulaisforagedinspringandagainthefall.Cultivatedarugulaisgrownyear-round,thankstocoastal,temperategrowingareasandwintergreenhouses. AsparagusisharvestedfromMarchthroughJune,dependingonyourregion.Notethatthicknessinnowayindicatestenderness,whichisrelatedtohowtheplantisgrownandhowsoonitiseatenafterharvestratherthanspearsize. Beetsareinseasonintemperateclimatesfallthroughspring,andavailablefromstoragemostoftheyeareverywhereelse.Freshbeetsareoftensoldwiththeirgreensstillattached. Cardoons tastealotlikeartichokes;lookforfirm,heavy-feelingspecimens. Carrotsareharvestedyear-roundintemperateareas.Truebabycarrots—notthemilleddownversionsofregularcarrotssoldas"babycarrots"atgrocerystores,buttheimmaturecarrotsfarmerspullfromfieldstothintherows—areavailableinspringandearlysummer. Chardgrowsyear-roundintemperateareasandisbestharvestedinlatesummerorearlyfallincolderareas,andfallthroughspringinwarmerregions.Likeallcookinggreens,chardturnsbitterwhentheweathergetstoohot. Cherriesarereadytoharvestattheendofspringinwarmerareas.Sweetcherries,includingthepopularBingandRainiervarieties,areavailablefromMaytoAugust.Sourcherrieshaveamuchshorterseason andcanbefoundforaweekortwo,usuallyduringthemiddleofJuneinwarmerareasandaslateasJulyandAugustincolderregions. DandelionGreensareaMediterraneanfavoriteavailableintheU.S.fromearlyspringthroughsummer. FavaBeansareanotherMediterraneanfavoritewithagrowingfanbaseintheUnitedStates.Lookforfavasatmarketsstartinginthespringandthroughthesummerincoolerclimates. Fennel'sseasoncomestoanendintemperateareasandjustgetsgoingincoolerclimates.  Fiddleheadsareavailableinearlyspringthroughearlysummerdependingontheregion;theseyoungwildfernsarefoundbyforaging. GarlicScapes/GreenGarlicarebothavailableinspringandearlysummer.Greengarlicisimmaturegarlicandlookslikeaslightlyovergrownscallion.Garlicscapesarethecurledflowerstalksofhard-neckedgarlicvarietiesgrownincolderclimates. GrapefruitfromCalifornia,Texas,Florida,andArizonacomesintoseasoninJanuaryandstayssweetandjuicyintoearlysummer. Herbsarecultivatedyear-roundintemperateclimatesandcomeintoharvestinthespringinwarmerareas. Kaleofallsortscomesintoseasoninwarmerregions. Kiwisgrowonvinesandareharvestedwinterthroughspringinwarmerandtemperateareas. Kohlrabiisharvestedinthefallincoolerareas,andthroughearlyspringinmoretemperateareas. Kumquatscomeintoseasoninlatewinterandarestillavailableinveryearlyspring. Leeksmorethanabout11/2incheswidetendtohavetoughinnercores.Thetopgreenleavesshouldlookfresh—avoidleekswithwiltedtops. Lemonsareattheirjuicybestfromwinterintoearlysummer. Lettucestartscomingintoseasonincoolerclimates(itgrowsthroughthewinterintemperateandwarmerareas). Morelsarefoundbyforaginginthewildinthespring.Lookforfirmspecimensatspecialtymarketsandforagers'stallsatfarmersmarkets. Nettlesaresoldatmarketsbyforagersandfarmers,butmostpeoplegettheirstheold-fashionedway:foragingforthemthemselves.Ifyou'reluckythey'regrowingas"weeds"inyourgarden. NewPotatoesaresmall,freshlyharvestedpotatoeswithpaper-thinskins.Theyaredelicioussimplyboiledandbutteredorusedinpotatosalad. Parsleymayseemtobeseason-less,butthiscool-weatherherbflourishesinthespringinwarmandtemperateclimes. PeaGreensaresoldinbigtumbledmassesinspringandearlysummer.Lookforbrightvineswithfresh,vibrantlookingleaves.Avoidvineswithbrownormushyendsordamagedleaves. Peas(garden,snap,snow,etc.)comeintoseasoninthespringandcontinueinmostareaswellintosummer. Radishesareattheirsweet,crunchybestinthespring. Rampsarefoundbyforaginginthespringandearlysummerandsometimesavailableatfarmersmarketsandspecialtystores. Rhubarbisthefirstfruitofspringinmanyareas—lookforheavystalkswithshinyskin. Spinachseasonvarieswithclimates—it'savailableyear-roundintemperateareas,insummerandfallincoolerareas,andinfallthroughspringinwarmerregions. SpringOnionsaresimplyregularonionsthatfarmerspullfromthefieldtothintherowsinspringandearlysummer. StrawberriesaremostlygrowninCaliforniaorFlorida,wherethestrawberrygrowingseasonrunsfromJanuarythroughNovember.PeakseasonisAprilthroughJune.Otherareasofthecountryhaveshortergrowingseasonsthatrangefromfivemonthstoasshortasafewweeksinthecoldestareas. Turnipshaveasharpbutbrightandsweetflavor.Lookforturnipsthatfeelheavyfortheirsizeand,ideally,withfresh,vibrantgreensstillattached. TheUltimateGuidetoSeasonalFruitsandVegetables FallFruitsandVegetables SummerFruitsandVegetables FallVegetables What'sinSeasoninDecember? YourGuidetoSeasonalFruitsandVegetables WinterFruitsandVegetables SeafoodByTheSeason CaliforniaSeasonalFruitsandVegetables SouthernSeasonalFruitsandVegetables WinterFruits—FromBloodOrangestoTangerines WhatAreChicories? WhatIsAsparagus? NevadaSeasonalFruitsandVegetables AllAboutLettuce WhatAreFiddleheadFerns? WhatIsaBloodOrange?