Ever wondered when you should be starting seeds outdoors? Well, here is a simple resource to document roughly when you should be planting common vegetables by zone.
Approximate outdoor planting/transplant dates for common garden vegetables by USDA hardiness zone bands. These are general guidelines based on typical average last spring frost dates (which correlate with zones but vary by exact location, elevation, microclimate, and year). Always check your local last frost date (via tools like the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, or extension services) and soil temperatures for the best results. Dates can shift 1–3 weeks earlier or later depending on location and based on what is happening with the weather!
- Cool-season crops (tolerate light frost): often 2–8 weeks before your last frost date.
- Warm-season crops (frost-sensitive): at or after the last frost date, once soil is warm enough (typically 50–70°F+ depending on crop).
Approximate Last Spring Frost by Zone Band
| USDA Hardiness Zone Band | Typical Last Spring Frost | Typical Growing Season |
|---|---|---|
| 3–4 | Mid-May to early June | ~90–150 days |
| 5–6 | Mid-April to mid-May | ~150–195 days |
| 7–8 | Mid-March to mid-April | ~200–260 days |
| 9–10+ | Early Feb to mid-March (or rare/no frost) | ~270–365 days (often year-round with seasonal shifts) |
Outdoor Planting / Transplant Dates (Approximate)
| Vegetable | Zones 3–4 | Zones 5–6 | Zones 7–8 | Zones 9–10+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peas | Apr–early May | Mar–Apr | Feb–Mar | Oct–Feb (cool season preferred) |
| Spinach / Lettuce | Apr–May (succession) | Mar–May (succession) | Feb–Apr & Aug–Oct | Sep–Mar (cool season main window) |
| Broccoli / Cabbage (transplants) | Apr–May | Mar–May | Feb–Apr & Jul–Aug (fall) | Aug–Feb (mainly fall/winter) |
| Carrots / Beets | Apr–May | Mar–May | Feb–Apr & Jul–Sep | Sep–Mar |
| Onions (sets/transplants) | Apr–May | Mar–Apr | Feb–Mar | Oct–Feb |
| Potatoes | May | Apr–May | Mar–Apr | Jan–Mar |
| Beans (bush/snap) | Late May–Jun | Mid-May–Jun | Apr–May | Mar–Apr & later successions |
| Corn | Late May–Jun | May | Apr–May | Feb–Apr |
| Cucumbers / Summer Squash / Zucchini | Late May–Jun (after soil ~60–70°F) | Mid–late May | Apr–May | Feb–Apr & Aug–Sep |
| Tomatoes (transplants) | Late May–early Jun | Mid–late May | Apr–May | Feb–Mar & fall plantings possible |
| Peppers / Eggplant (transplants) | Late May–early Jun | Mid–late May | Apr–May | Feb–Mar & fall |
| Garlic | Fall (Oct) for next summer | Fall (Oct) | Fall (Oct–Nov) | Fall (Oct–Nov) or mild-winter options |
Additional Notes:
- Indoor seed starting (common for tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, etc.): Count backward from your last frost date—typically 6–8 weeks for tomatoes, 8–10 weeks for peppers/eggplant, 4–6 weeks for brassicas. Direct-sow many cool-season and some warm-season crops. saltandprepper.com
- In Zones 9–10+, the main cool-season window is often fall through winter/spring; summer heat can limit warm-season crops (use heat-tolerant varieties or provide shade).
- Succession planting (every 1–3 weeks) works well for lettuce, radishes, beans, etc., within the safe window.
- Fall plantings of cool-season crops are more reliable in Zones 6+; count back from the first fall frost using days-to-maturity.
- Soil temperature often matters more than calendar date for germination. Use row covers or protection for earlier starts or late frosts.
Find your exact USDA zone at here. Local conditions (urban heat, slope, proximity to water) can shift dates significantly.
Recent Posts
Alright - so if you have ever researched vegetable gardening, or planting certain species of flowers (like orchids or hydrangeas) then you've probably come across some comments talking about soil pH,...
One of the prettiest of shrubs one can landscape with is American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), which produces tight clusters of brilliant purple berries in the fall. It isn't too difficult to...