Even though we are in bitter cold of Wisconsin winter, it is not too early for planning ahead to the 2025 vegetable garden. Gardening catalogs and websites provide opportunities to research the best vegetables to grow in your garden this upcoming season.

One mistake to avoid is simply picking a cultivar without knowing its specific features or characteristics. The terms cultivar and variety each refer to some genetic difference within the species that is an asset when growing plants. The two terms are often interchanged and mean the same thing, although technically cultivars have been developed through man-made crop breeding processes while varieties are natural variations that occur within a species.

Genetic differences in cultivars or varieties often are visible traits, such as flower color or form, fruit color, or plant size. They are also traits not readily visible yet particularly important for garden success, such as cold hardiness, disease resistance, or other stress tolerances. These are the characteristics to focus on when choosing your 2025 vegetable crops.

Start with disease resistance, as this is the most important. Simply put, disease resistant cultivars (varieties) are the best single defense against major diseases of vegetable crops. Although not actually immune to disease, disease-resistant plants have genetic resistance that allow them to produce crops even when conditions are very favorable for disease. Choosing disease resistant drastically increases your chances of successful crops. Research crops you plan to grow to see what disease concerns exist and what resistant cultivars or varieties are available.

If you grow tomatoes, you are aware of VF or VFN designations associated with various tomato cultivars. Verticillium and fusarium wilt are serious fungal diseases in the soil that can kill entire plants but there are verticillium (V) and fusarium (F) resistant tomatoes. Look for VF resistance when choosing tomatoes in catalogs or in the garden center this spring. Root-knot nematodes also exist in soil and infect tomatoes, but resistant tomatoes are available, designated by the letter N. So, a VFN tomato cultivar offers significant resistance to major soil borne problems tomatoes may face.

Mosaic viruses are another major disease affecting many vegetable crops, including beans, cucumbers, and peppers. Viruses cause stunted and deformed plants with reduced yields and spread from plant to plant by insects. The best defense is mosaic resistant cultivars.

Carefully selecting cultivars can also help for limited space gardens, or when growing vegetables in containers. Look for compact or dwarf cultivars, especially for crops that usually take lots of space, such as squash, cucumbers, melons, and pumpkins.

Wise cultivar selection is the important first step to a successful vegetable garden in 2025!