A planting calendar turns gardening tasks into a clear month-by-month sequence: instead of asking "what can I grow?" you ask "what do I do this month?" This guide covers the full growing year for zones 5-7 with notes for adjusting to other zones.
January and February: Planning and Ordering
These are desk months, not garden months. Decide what to grow, order seeds before popular varieties sell out, and review last season. Begin onion and leek seeds in late January or February — they need 10-12 weeks before outdoor transplanting. Peppers: 10-12 weeks. Eggplant: 8-10 weeks. Inspect seed starting trays, grow lights, and heat mats before you need them.
March and April: Seed Starting and First Outdoor Plantings
March is the busiest indoor seed-starting month for zones 5-7. Tomatoes: start 6-8 weeks before last frost. Use a heat mat — tomatoes germinate reliably at 75-80°F. Herbs: basil 4-6 weeks before transplant. Cool-season outdoor plantings begin as soon as soil works (late March to mid-April zone 6): spinach, arugula, mache, peas tolerate frost to 28°F and go out before last frost date. April: broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower go out under row cover if needed.
May: The Main Planting Push
Last frost passes in early to mid-May for zones 5-7 (zone 6: May 10-15; zone 5: May 15-25; zone 7: April 15-May 1). Warm-season transplants go out after 7-10 days of hardening off. Plant tomatoes deep — bury two-thirds of the stem, which roots along its length. Direct-seed summer squash, zucchini, and beans after last frost. Begin succession sowing every 2-3 weeks for lettuce, spinach, and radishes.
June and July: Tending, Harvesting, Fall Prep
June: thin direct-sown crops, begin harvesting early crops (radishes, peas, lettuce), trellis climbing crops, and apply 2-3 inches of mulch — this single task reduces summer watering by roughly 50%. July: peak harvest. Harvest beans and zucchini every 2-3 days — a missed zucchini signals the plant to stop producing. Sow fall brassica transplants mid-July. Direct-seed carrots, beets, and turnips. Use a planting calculator to confirm fall planting windows.
August Through December: Fall Crops and Garden Rest
Direct-seed fall greens 6-8 weeks before first fall frost — spinach, arugula, lettuce. In zone 6 (first frost mid-October), this means mid-August. Garlic goes in during October after first frost cools soil: 2 inches deep, 6 inches apart, mulch with 3-4 inches of straw. Pull spent summer crops promptly — they hold disease. Establish cover crops (winter rye, crimson clover) by early September. October: harvest remaining warm-season crops before frost. Dig root vegetables after light frost, which converts starches to sugars. November-December: clean beds, add compost, mound straw over rosemary and thyme in zones 5-6. Explore comprehensive gardening guides for crop rotation detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I adjust this calendar for my zone?
- Shift all dates by the difference in frost dates between your zone and zone 6. Zone 7 shifts spring planting 2-3 weeks earlier. Zone 4-5 shifts spring planting later. The relative timing (start tomatoes 6-8 weeks before last frost) stays accurate regardless of zone.
- Can I print this calendar and use it as is?
- This is a framework for zones 5-7. Note your local frost dates and shift each month's dates accordingly. Your local cooperative extension office provides specific average frost dates for your county.
- What are the most commonly missed planting windows?
- Fall crops. Mid-July through mid-August is the window for fall broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, and spinach. Most gardeners miss it entirely. Set a calendar reminder for July 15: "Start fall transplants."
- Is succession planting worth the effort?
- For crops that bolt in summer heat (lettuce, spinach, cilantro, arugula, radishes), succession sowing every 2-3 weeks is the only way to maintain continuous harvest. For crops that produce continuously until frost (tomatoes, cucumbers, beans), less necessary.
- When should a new gardener start using a planting calendar?
- Start with three crops in your first season: one fast and easy, one medium challenge, and one main goal. Master those three and add complexity each year. A 30-crop calendar in year one produces overwhelm.