Month-by-month: exactly when to start seeds, transplant outside, and harvest — for your specific zone. 30+ vegetables covered.
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Find your zone at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov or enter your ZIP at the USDA map.
Start indoors Direct sow / transplant outdoors Harvest window
Zones 5–7: plan seed orders and prep grow lights. Order heirloom seeds early — the best ones sell out by February.
Pepper seeds need 80–85°F soil to germinate. Use a heat mat — cold soil means no germination, no matter how long you wait.
March is the highest-variance month: a late storm can kill weeks of seedlings. Harden off brassicas gradually — 7–10 days, starting with 1-hour stints outside.
Full April planting guide: tended.app/guides/april-planting
Full May guide: tended.app/guides/may-garden-tasks
Mulch deeply in June — a 3" layer of straw around tomatoes cuts watering frequency in half and dramatically reduces soil-splash blight.
Check for squash vine borers weekly in July — the adults lay eggs at stem bases. Catch early: slit the stem, remove the borer, bury the wound with soil to re-root.
August is your second spring for cole crops. Broccoli and kale planted now will be far more productive in cool fall weather than anything grown in summer heat.
Plant garlic in September–October for the biggest bulbs. Soft-neck varieties store 12+ months; hard-neck varieties have the best flavor but store only 6–8 months.
Light frost (28–32°F) actually improves kale, Brussels sprouts, and parsnips — converts starches to sugar. Hold off harvesting until after the first frost hit.
Zones 5–7: put the garden to bed — clear debris, add 3–4" compost, plant cover crops in empty beds. Bare soil in winter loses nutrients and structure.
Best seed catalogs: Baker Creek (heirlooms), Fedco (Z5–6 hardy), Johnny's (professional varieties), Territorial (Z7–9 West Coast).
Weeks before/after last frost. Negative = before last frost. Positive = after last frost.
| Vegetable | Start Indoors | Transplant / Direct Sow | Days to Harvest | Zone Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | 6–8 wks before last frost | 1–2 wks after last frost | 60–85 | Z9: Feb transplant; Z5: late May |
| Pepper | 8–10 wks before last frost | 2 wks after last frost | 70–90 | Need heat mat to germinate |
| Eggplant | 8–10 wks before last frost | 2 wks after last frost | 65–80 | Needs warm soil 60°F+ |
| Cucumber | 2–3 wks before last frost | At last frost / direct sow | 50–65 | Direct sow preferred in Z7+ |
| Zucchini | 2–3 wks before last frost | At last frost / direct sow | 45–55 | Direct sow is faster than transplant |
| Winter Squash | 2–3 wks before last frost | At last frost / direct sow | 80–110 | Needs 100+ frost-free days (Z5 direct sow) |
| Watermelon | 3–4 wks before last frost | 2 wks after last frost | 75–90 | Z5–6: short-season varieties only |
| Cantaloupe | 3–4 wks before last frost | 2 wks after last frost | 75–85 | Z5–6: start indoors, short-season |
| Broccoli | 6–8 wks before last frost | 3–4 wks before last frost | 55–80 | Cool crop; also fall crop (Aug start) |
| Cabbage | 6–8 wks before last frost | 3–4 wks before last frost | 70–90 | Tolerates frost; good fall crop |
| Cauliflower | 6–8 wks before last frost | 3–4 wks before last frost | 55–80 | Bolt-sensitive; needs cool temps |
| Kale | 4–6 wks before last frost | 2–4 wks before last frost | 50–65 | Best after frost; overwinters Z6+ |
| Lettuce | 4–6 wks before last frost | 2–4 wks before last frost | 30–60 | Succession sow every 2–3 wks; bolt in heat |
| Spinach | Direct sow only | 4–6 wks before last frost | 40–50 | Overwinters Z6+; fall crop Z5+ |
| Arugula | Direct sow only | 4 wks before last frost | 30–40 | Quick; bolts in heat; succession sow |
| Swiss Chard | 3–4 wks before last frost | 2 wks before last frost | 50–60 | Heat tolerant; harvests all season |
| Beets | Direct sow only | 4–6 wks before last frost | 55–70 | Fall sow Z6–9 for best flavor |
| Carrots | Direct sow only | 4–6 wks before last frost | 70–80 | Leave in ground until frost in Z6+ |
| Radishes | Direct sow only | 4–6 wks before last frost | 22–30 | Succession sow every 10 days |
| Turnips | Direct sow only | 4–6 wks before last frost | 35–60 | Fall crop best in Z5–7 |
| Parsnips | Direct sow only | 4–6 wks before last frost | 100–120 | Long season; leave in ground through frost |
| Peas | Direct sow only | 4–6 wks before last frost | 55–70 | Z8–9: plant Oct–Feb; Z5–7: Apr |
| Beans (Bush) | Direct sow only | At last frost / soil 60°F | 50–60 | Succession sow every 2–3 wks thru Jul |
| Corn | Direct sow only | At last frost / soil 65°F | 70–90 | Plant in blocks; needs pollinators |
| Potatoes | Direct sow only | 2–4 wks before last frost | 70–120 | Soil 45°F; Z9: plant Jan–Feb |
| Sweet Potatoes | Start slips indoors | 3–4 wks after last frost | 90–110 | Need 100+ warm days; Z7+ best |
| Garlic | — | Plant cloves in fall | 240 (overwinter) | Plant Sep–Oct; harvest Jun–Jul |
| Onions | 10–12 wks before last frost | 4–6 wks before last frost | 90–120 | Long day vs. short day by zone |
| Basil | 4–6 wks before last frost | 2 wks after last frost | 60–75 | Cold kills it; plant with tomatoes |
| Sunflowers | Direct sow only | At last frost | 70–100 | Direct sow preferred; succession for cut flowers |
Skip the generic advice. These are the things most gardeners learn the hard way.
Most planting guides give air temperature — but seeds care about soil temperature. A $12 soil thermometer prevents weeks of frustration. Beans won't germinate below 60°F soil, no matter what the air is doing.
Never plant the same family in the same bed two years running. Tomatoes/peppers/eggplant are one family. Brassicas another. Rotation breaks pest cycles — especially for clubroot and early blight.
7–10 days of transition from indoor to outdoor. Start with 1 hour in dappled shade. Skip this step and your seedlings get stressed, stall, or die. There's no shortcut that works.
Plant a small row every 2–3 weeks rather than all at once. Continuous harvests beat one giant glut you can't eat before it bolts or gets woody.
Your best fall garden crops — broccoli, kale, spinach — need to be planted in July–August. Most gardeners miss this window. Count backwards from your first frost date to know your transplant date.
3–4 inches of compost worked in before planting outperforms synthetic fertilizer every season. Healthy soil biology creates healthy plants. Fertilizer is a workaround, not a solution.
Good neighbors, bad neighbors. Planting the wrong combination can cut yields by 20–40%.
| Plant | Good Companions | Keep Away From | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Basil, marigolds, carrots, parsley | Fennel, brassicas, corn | Basil repels aphids; fennel inhibits growth |
| Peppers | Basil, carrots, tomatoes, parsley | Fennel, brassicas | Same family as tomatoes; same companions |
| Beans | Carrots, squash, corn, cucumbers | Onions, garlic, leeks | Alliums inhibit bean growth |
| Corn | Beans, squash, cucumbers | Tomatoes | Three Sisters: mutual benefit; tomato attracts corn earworm |
| Squash | Corn, beans, nasturtiums | Potatoes, brassicas | Nasturtiums deter squash bugs |
| Carrots | Tomatoes, lettuce, onions, leeks | Dill (mature) | Onions deter carrot fly; dill attracts carrot fly |
| Lettuce | Carrots, radishes, strawberries, chives | Celery, parsley | Shade from taller plants extends lettuce season |
| Brassicas | Dill, celery, onions, nasturtiums | Tomatoes, peppers, strawberries | Dill and celery deter imported cabbage worm |