When to Start Planting According to Your Hardiness Zone
The United States is broken into 13 hardiness zones. Each zone has specific requirements for when certain plants should be started. The zones were created based on the area’s lowest average temperature. Zone 7 has a medium length growing season. In general, it lasts from April to November. If you live in zone 7, we recommend starting seeds indoors before the first frost date. Knowing when to transplant these seeds will be key to having a successful harvest For more information on what plants are suitable for zone 7 and when they should be started, check out our zone 7 graph below.
| Garden Planting Chart (start seeds in a controlled environment before these dates as indicated) | ||||||
| Vegetable | Start plants this long before planting (for your region) | Zones 5 & 6 | Zones 7 & 8 | Zones 9 | Zone 10 | Days to maturity / harvest |
| Artichokes | Crown | |||||
| (globe) | pieces | |||||
| Asparagus | 1 year | Apr 5 – 25 | Jan 15 – Mar 15 Mar. 15 | 2nd seas. | ||
| Nov & Dec. | ||||||
| Beans (lima) | May 10 – 25 | Apr 1 – June 1 June 1″ | Mar – Aug | Feb – Apr | 65-75 | |
| July 1 – Aug 1 | Aug – Sep | Sep | ||||
| Beans (snap) | May 10 – 20 | Apr 1- May1 | Mar – Apr | Feb – Apr | 50-60 | |
| July 15 – Aug 10 | Aug – Sep | Aug – Sep | ||||
| Beets | Apr 1 – 15 | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Sept – Mar | Oct – Mar | 55-65 | |
| Aug 1 – Sept 20 | ||||||
| Broccoli | 6 weeks | Mar 25 – Apr 5 | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Aug – Feb | Aug – Jan | 60-80 |
| Sep 25 – 30 | Aug 1 – Sep 1 | |||||
| Brussels sprouts | 6 weeks | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Sep – Nov | Oct – Nov | ||
| Aug 1 – Sep 1 | ||||||
| Cabbage | 6 weeks | Apr 1 – 20 | Jan 15 – Mar 15 | Sep – Feb | Sep – Jan | 65-80 |
| Sep 20 – 30 | Aug 15 – Oct 1 | |||||
| Cantaloupes | 4 weeks | May 10- 20 | Mar 25 – Apr 20 | Mar – Apr | Feb – Apr | 80-90 |
| not recommened | ||||||
| Carrots | Mar 25 – Apr 10 | Jan 15 – Mar 20 | Sep – Mar | Oct – Mar | 70-80 | |
| or Sept 20-30 | Aug 20 – Sep 15 | |||||
| Vegetable | Start plants this long before planting (for your region) | Zones 5 & 6 | Zones 7 & 8 | Zones 9 | Zone 10 | Days to maturity / harvest |
| Cauliflower | 6 weeks | Apr 1 – 20 | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Jan – Feb | Oct – Jan | 55-60 |
| Sept 20 – 30 | Aug 1 – Sep 1 | Aug – Oct | ||||
| Celery | 9 weeks | Jan – Mar | Aug – Feb | |||
| Chard | ||||||
| Chinese | 4 weeks | Oct – Feb | Oct – Jan | |||
| cabbage | ||||||
| Chives | 6 weeks | |||||
| Corn (sweet) | May 1 to Jul 20 | May 15 – Jun 1 | Mar – Apr | Feb – Mar | 80-100 | |
| June 1 – Jul 20 | Aug | Aug – Sept | ||||
| Cucumbers | 4 weeks | May 10 – 30 | Apr 1 – May 15 | Feb – Apr | Feb – Mar | 60-65 |
| (slicing) | Aug 20 – Sept 1 | Aug – Sep | Sep | |||
| Cucumbers | 4 weeks | |||||
| (pickling) | ||||||
| Dill | ||||||
| Eggplants | 9 weeks | May 15 – 25 | Apr 1 – May 15 | Feb – Jul | Jan – Mar | 70-90 |
| July 10 – 15 | Aug – Sep | |||||
| Endive | 6 weeks | Feb – Mar | Jan – Feb | |||
| Sep | Sept | |||||
| Garlic | ||||||
| Kale | Mar 25 – Apr 5 | Feb 1 – Mar 10 | Sep – Feb | Sep – Jan | 50-70 | |
| Aug 10 – 30 | ||||||
| Vegetable | Start plants this long before planting (for your region) | Zones 5 & 6 | Zones 7 & 8 | Zones 9 | Zone 10 | Days to maturity / harvest |
| Kohlrabi | Apr (early) | Sep – Mar | Oct – Mar | |||
| Sept (late) | ||||||
| Leeks | Sep – Mar | Sep – Feb | ||||
| Lettuce (head) | 5 weeks | Apr 1 – May 15 | Jan 15 – Mar 1 | Feb – Mar | Sep – Mar | 60-85 |
| Sep 1 – 15 | Sep 1 – Oct 1 | Sep – Oct | ||||
| Lettuce (leaf) | 5 weeks | Apr 1 – Jun 15 | Jan 15 – Mar 1 | 45-65 | ||
| Sep 1 – 15 | Sep 1 – Oct 1 | |||||
| Okra | 8 weeks | May 10 – 25 | Apr 1 – June 1 June 1″ | Mar – Jul | Mar – Aug | 55-60 |
| June 15 – July 1 | ||||||
| Onions | 10 weeks | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | Jan 1 – Mar 15 | Sep – Dec | Sep – Dec | 100-120 |
| Sep 1 – Dec 31 | Sep 1 – Dec 31 | |||||
| Parsley | 10 weeks | Sep – Mar | Oct – Feb | |||
| Parsnips | ||||||
| Peas | Mar 25 – Apr 10 | Jan 15 – Feb 15 | Mar – Aug | Mar – Sept | 60-80 | |
| Peppers | 10 weeks | May 15 – May 30 | Apr. 1 – June 1 | Feb – Apr | Jan – Mar | 65-80 |
| Jul – Aug | Aug – Sep | |||||
| Potatoes | 6 weeks | May 15 – Jun 5 | Apr 15 – Jun 15 | Mar – Jun | Feb- Jun | 90-150 |
| (sweet) | ||||||
| Vegetable | Start plants this long before planting (for your region) | Zones 5 & 6 | Zones 7 & 8 | Zones 9 | Zone 10 | Days to maturity / harvest |
| Potatoes (white) | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | Jan 15 – Mar 1 | Jan – Mar | Jan – Feb | 70-90 | |
| Pumpkins | May 15 – 30 | Apr 1 – Aug 1 | Mar – Apr | Feb – Mar | 85-90 | |
| Aug | Aug | |||||
| Radish | Mar 25 – May 1 Aug 1 – 20 | Jan 15 – Apr 1 | 25-30 | |||
| Sep 1 – Oct 15 | ||||||
| Rhubarb | Crown | |||||
| pieces | ||||||
| Rutabagas | ||||||
| Spinach | April 1 – 20 | Jan 15 – Mar 15 | Oct – Nov | Oct – Nov | 40-45 | |
| Aug 10 – Sep 20 | Sep 1 – Oct 15 | |||||
| Squash | 4 weeks | May 15 – 30 | Apr 1 – May 15 | Mar – Apr | Feb – Mar | 50-55 |
| (summer) | Aug 1 – 20 | Aug – Sept | Aug – Sept | |||
| Squash (winter) | 4 weeks | May 15 – 30 | Apr 1 – Aug 1 | March | Feb – Mar | 85-90 |
| August | Aug | |||||
| Tomatoes | 8 weeks | May 15 – 30 | Mar 25 – May 1 | Feb – Apr | Jan – Mar | 70-85 |
| June 1 – Aug 10 | Aug | Sept | ||||
| Turnips | Mar 25 – May 1 | Jan 15 – Apr 1 | Jan – Apr | Jan – Mar | 45-65 | |
| Aug 5 – Set 20 | Aug 10 – Sep 15 | Aug – Oct | Sept – Nov | |||
| Watermelons | 4 weeks | May 10 – 12 | Mar 20 – May 1 | Mar – Apr | Jan – Mar | 80-90 |
| July – Aug | Aug | |||||
| For many crops, the quantity of starts to plant should be divided into several plantings, 1 or 2 weeks apart. | ||||||
| This schedule was compiled from extension service materials and is incomplete. We will update it when possible. Look up your local USDA extension office for more information. This table cannot be republished without permission. | ||||||
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