When to Plant — Complete Calendar by Zone
A simple month-by-month playbook. Cross-reference with your USDA zone for the right windows.
Universal rule of thumb
Group plants by their relationship to frost. Cool-season crops handle frost; warm-season crops don't. Within each group, time them off your local last/first frost — not the calendar.
Cool-season (frost-tolerant)
- Spinach, kale, lettuce, arugula
- Peas, fava beans
- Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts
- Beets, carrots, radishes, turnips
- Onions, leeks, garlic (fall plant)
When: 4–6 weeks before last spring frost; or in fall, 8–10 weeks before first frost.
Warm-season (frost-sensitive)
- Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
- Beans, corn, squash, cucumbers, melons
- Basil, sweet potatoes
When: 1–2 weeks after last spring frost, when soil is 60°F+.
Approximate calendar by zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant out | Direct sow |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3–4 | March | Late May/early June | Mid-May (cool); June (warm) |
| 5 | Late February | Mid-May | April (cool); late May (warm) |
| 6 | Mid-February | Early May | March (cool); mid-May (warm) |
| 7 | Late January | Mid-April | Feb (cool); late April (warm) |
| 8 | January | Late March | Feb (cool); April (warm) |
| 9 | December | Mid-March | Year-round; pause warm crops mid-summer |
| 10+ | Year-round | Year-round | Skip summer for tomatoes — they pause in extreme heat |
The honest truth about timing
Even within one ZIP code, microclimates can shift planting windows by 2 weeks. South-facing walls warm faster. Low-lying spots are frost pockets. The only way to nail timing is to track YOUR yard for a year — or use a service like SproutZip that adapts to your ZIP and microseason.
Skip the spreadsheets
SproutZip Pro emails your weekly to-do list, calibrated to your ZIP. $4.99/mo.
Start 7-day free trial →