Indiana CropMAPVegetable CropsPrepared by Dr. James E. Simon, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University, © 1998. This is a list of vegetable crops that are either currently grown, are recommended alternate crops, are experimental crops, or are not recommended for Indiana. Purdue University commercial vegetable and specialty crop production page ID-56 Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers 1998 pdf version
Existing Crops
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Existing Crops | |
Asparagus | Well-adapted to Indiana. Profitable crop for fresh market. Not grown in Indiana for processing. |
Beet | Adapted to Indiana for the fresh market. Limited market demand. Not grown in Indiana as a for processing. |
Broccoli | Well-adapted to all of Indiana. |
Brussels Sprouts | Well-adapted to all of Indiana. |
Cabbage | Well-adapted to all of Indiana. |
Cabbage, Chinese | Well-adapted to the state. Many varieties and types of Chinese cabbage are available from Bok Choy to Che-foo and Michihli and Napa. Napa is also called Japanese cabbage. |
Carrot | Adapted to Indiana, but performs best in the northern half of the state. |
Cauliflower | Well-adapted to all of Indiana. |
Collards | Well-adapted to all of Indiana. |
Cucumber | Well-adapted to all of Indiana. Grown both for the fresh market, and for the pickle industry. |
Dry Bean | Recommended only when a contract is available, production on mineral soils only |
Eggplant | Adapted to all of Indiana. |
Endive | Adapted to all of Indiana. |
Herbs | See the herb list |
Kale | Well adapted to all of Indiana. |
Lettuce (Head and Leaf) | Adapted to all of Indiana. |
Muskmelon | Well-adapted to all of Indiana. Largest production area is in southwestern Indiana on light sandy soils. |
Muskmelons, Green-fleshed | A specialty melon with sweet green-flesh, adapted to Indiana, but needs light very well drained soils, performs better under hot dry conditions, short shelf-life. |
Mustard | Well-adapted to all of Indiana. Mustard greens are the product of commerce. |
Onions (Bulb and Green) | Well-adapted to northern Indiana, but the profitability in large production for the wholesale market is very questionable and not recommended unless you have a buyers agreement in advance, or already in this market. |
Parsley | Well-adapted to all of Indiana, to both muck and mineral soils. See the herb list as well |
Parsnip | Adapted to Indiana, but performs best in the northern half of the state. |
Pea | Well adapted to Indiana. |
Peppers | Well-adapted to Indiana. Very promising crop. |
Peppers, Specialty | Includes the hot and colored peppers for the fresh market. Very well-adapted to Indiana. Very promising crop. |
Potato | Well-adapted to northern Indiana, in both the muck and mineral soils, but the profitability in large production for the wholesale market is very questionable and not recommended unless you have a buyers agreement in advance, or already in this market. Small acreage production is feasible for farm markets all throughout the state. Center of potato production in Indiana has been in northeast and northcentral Indiana with one pocket in the southwestern region. |
Pumpkin | Well-adapted to Indiana. A promising cash crop. |
Radish | Adapted to Indiana. Limited market. |
Rhubarb | Adapted to all of Indiana. |
Snap Bean | Well-adapted to Indiana. |
Spinach | Well-adapted to Indiana. |
Squash | Well-adapted to Indiana. |
Sweet Corn | Well-adapted to Indiana. Supersweets not recommended for the earliest plantings. |
Tomato | Processing tomatoes are grown in northcentral to northwest Indiana, and should be considered as viable only after meeting with processors and buyers of processing tomatoes. Fresh market tomatoes are well-adapted to Indiana. |
Turnip | Adapted to Indiana, would perform best in central and northern Indiana. |
Watermelon | Well-adapted to all of Indiana. Largest production area is in southwestern Indiana on light sandy soils. |
Seedless watermelons | Must be produced with pollinator variety. Adapted to same conditions as regular watermelon. |
Recommended New, Alternate or Underutilized Crops | |
Cowpea | Limited information is available. |
Gourds | Well-adapted to Indiana. Gourds come from more than one plant species. Order seeds of gourds suited to Indiana conditions. Already limited production in Indiana, shows great promise as a cash crop. Lagenaria |
Herbs | See the herb list |
Lima Bean | Limited information available. |
Melon, Honeydew | Adapted to Indiana as long as the proper variety is selected. Yield and quality could be acceptable, but ripeness can be difficult to asses, fruits do not slip as with regular melons, and shorter maturity types are needed. Market demand is limited for local production of this type of melon. |
Sweet Potato | Adapted best to southern Indiana. |
Experimental New Or Alternate Crops | |
Amaranth | Little information is available on its performance in Indiana. Select a vegetable type of amaranth to trial. Also called tampala, Chinese spinach, amaranth is really a type of pigweed grown for its edible leaves. |
Arrugula | Very promising salad herb. Also called Roquette or Rocket salad. The fresh, flavorful greens are sold as a specialty herb or salad green. A cool season crop grown similar to radishes. |
Luffa gourds | A type of gourd (Luffa cylindrica) for which the green mature fruits are processed and form a natural sponge. May be adaptable to Indiana, particular in the southern areas, and has potential as a small market niche item. |
Radicchio | A gourmet salad green, type of chicory may have potential for the fresh market. Limited market volume. |
Rocket salad | see arrugula |
Roquette | see arrugula |
Not Recommended | |
Artichoke, globe | Adapted to the coastal areas in California. These perennial frost sensitive plants have not been shown to be adapted to Indiana conditions. |
Artichoke, Jerusalem | Years ago, this plant had been grown in Indiana, and while it can be grown in state, there is no market at present for the tuber, the plant part of commerce. Has great potential for a variety of applications, but Indiana growers must be assured there is a real market for the harvested product other than as seedstock for new growers. |
Cassava | Indiana's growing season is simply far too short to grow this crop. |
Celeriac | Not suited for Indiana's growing conditions and season. |
Dasheen | Also called taro, malanga or eddo. Indiana's growing season is simply far too short to grow this tropical plant grown for its edible corms. |
Jicama | Indiana's growing season is simply far too short to grow this crop. |
The Vegetable Crop listing was compiled and written by Dr. James E. Simon, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University, © 1998. Questions related to these plants should be addressed to Dr. Simon at jesimon@aesop.rutgers.edu
last update Tuesday, October 20, 1998 by aw |