Spring Planting Guide by USDA Zone: What to Plant and When

Spring Planting Starts with Your Last Frost Date

Every planting schedule in this guide is anchored to one number: your average last frost date. This is the date after which the chance of a killing frost (28°F or below) drops below 10% in your area. Everything else — when to start seeds indoors, when to direct sow, when to transplant — is calculated as weeks before or after that date.

If you do not know your last frost date, your county extension office or the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map can tell you. It is the single most important number in your gardening calendar.

New to gardening? Start with our beginner's guide to sustainable gardening for the fundamentals before diving into timing.

Understanding the Two Waves

Spring planting happens in two distinct waves:

Wave 1: Cool-Season Crops (Hardy)

These crops tolerate frost and actually prefer cool soil and air temperatures (40–70°F). Plant them 2–6 weeks before your last frost date:

Direct sow outdoors: peas, spinach, radishes, carrots, beets, lettuce, arugula, kale, turnips
Transplant outdoors: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, onion sets

These crops can handle light frost (28–32°F) without damage. Some, like spinach and kale, actually taste sweeter after a frost because the cold triggers sugar production in the leaves.

Wave 2: Warm-Season Crops (Tender)

These crops die at the first touch of frost and need soil temperatures above 60°F to germinate and grow:

Transplant outdoors (after last frost): tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, melons
Direct sow outdoors (after last frost): beans, corn, squash, cucumbers, sunflowers, basil

Do not rush warm-season crops. Planting tomatoes into 50°F soil does not give you a head start — it gives you stunted plants that sit and sulk for weeks until the soil warms up. Wait until nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50°F.

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone 4 — Last Frost: May 15–30

Zone 4 gardeners (northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, interior New England) have a short but intense growing season. Make it count:

March 15–April 1: Start tomatoes, peppers, eggplant indoors under grow lights. These need 6–8 weeks of indoor growth before transplanting.
April 1–15: Start broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage indoors (4–6 weeks before transplant).
April 15–May 1: Direct sow peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce outdoors. The soil is still cold, but these crops do not mind. If snow is still on the ground, wait — but do not wait for warm weather.
May 1–15: Transplant broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage outdoors. Harden off seedlings for 7–10 days first.
May 20–June 5: Transplant tomatoes, peppers, squash outdoors after all frost risk has passed. Direct sow beans, corn, cucumbers, basil.

Zone 4 tip: Use raised beds — they warm up 2–3 weeks faster than in-ground soil, effectively extending your season. A black or dark-colored bed absorbs even more heat.

Zone 5 — Last Frost: April 30–May 15

Zone 5 covers a huge swath of the country — much of the Midwest, parts of the Northeast, and higher elevations in the Mid-Atlantic and West.

March 1–15: Start tomatoes, peppers, eggplant indoors.
March 15–April 1: Start broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale indoors.
April 1–15: Direct sow peas, spinach, radishes, carrots, beets, lettuce outdoors. Transplant onion sets and bare-root strawberries.
April 15–30: Transplant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower outdoors.
May 10–25: Transplant tomatoes, peppers, squash. Direct sow beans, corn, cucumbers, basil, sunflowers.

Zone 6 — Last Frost: April 15–30

Zone 6 (central Mid-Atlantic, southern Midwest, parts of the Pacific Northwest) offers a long, productive growing season.

February 15–March 1: Start tomatoes, peppers, eggplant indoors.
March 1–15: Start broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage indoors. Direct sow peas, spinach, radishes outdoors if soil is workable (not frozen or waterlogged).
March 15–April 1: Direct sow carrots, beets, lettuce, arugula, kale outdoors. Transplant onion sets.
April 1–15: Transplant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower outdoors.
April 25–May 10: Transplant tomatoes, peppers. Direct sow beans, corn, cucumbers, squash, basil.

Zone 7 — Last Frost: April 1–15

Zone 7 (Virginia, North Carolina piedmont, Tennessee, parts of the Pacific Northwest) gets an early start and a long tail into fall.

February 1–15: Start tomatoes, peppers, eggplant indoors.
February 15–March 1: Direct sow peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, arugula outdoors. Start broccoli and cauliflower indoors.
March 1–15: Direct sow carrots, beets, kale, chard. Transplant onion sets. Plant potatoes (St. Patrick's Day is the traditional date in many zone 7 areas).
March 15–April 1: Transplant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower outdoors.
April 10–25: Transplant tomatoes, peppers. Direct sow beans, corn, cucumbers, squash, basil, sunflowers.

Zone 8 — Last Frost: March 15–April 1

Zone 8 (Deep South, Gulf Coast, parts of the Pacific Northwest, central Texas) has mild winters and hot summers — the challenge here is getting cool-season crops finished before heat arrives.

January 15–February 1: Start tomatoes, peppers, eggplant indoors. Direct sow peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce outdoors.
February 1–15: Direct sow carrots, beets, kale, chard, onion sets, potatoes.
February 15–March 1: Transplant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower outdoors.
March 15–April 15: Transplant tomatoes, peppers. Direct sow beans, corn, cucumbers, squash, basil.
April: Sow okra, southern peas (cowpeas), sweet potatoes — warm-season crops that thrive in zone 8 heat.

Zone 9 — Last Frost: February 1–15

Zone 9 (southern Florida, Gulf Coast, southern California, low desert Southwest) has an almost year-round growing season, but summer heat replaces winter cold as the main limiting factor.

January 1–15: Direct sow peas, spinach, radishes, carrots, lettuce, beets outdoors. Start tomatoes and peppers indoors or in a greenhouse.
January 15–February 1: Transplant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower. Plant potatoes and onion sets.
February 15–March 15: Transplant tomatoes, peppers, eggplant. Direct sow beans, corn, cucumbers, squash.
March–April: Sow okra, sweet potatoes, southern peas, melons — the heat lovers that define zone 9 summer gardens.
May onward: Many cool-season crops bolt or die back. Focus on heat-tolerant crops and plan your fall garden.

Seed Starting vs. Direct Sowing vs. Transplants

When to Start Seeds Indoors

Start seeds indoors for crops that need a long, warm growing season to produce fruit — tomatoes (6–8 weeks before transplant), peppers (8–10 weeks), eggplant (8–10 weeks), broccoli and cauliflower (4–6 weeks). These plants need a head start that outdoor conditions cannot provide in most zones.

When to Direct Sow

Direct sow crops that germinate quickly, do not transplant well, or grow fast enough that starting indoors is unnecessary: peas, beans, corn, carrots, radishes, beets, spinach, lettuce, arugula, squash, cucumbers, sunflowers. These seeds go straight into the bed.

When to Buy Transplants

If you do not have indoor growing space or grow lights, buying transplants from a local nursery is perfectly fine. You will pay $3–5 per plant instead of $3–5 per seed packet (which yields dozens of plants), but you skip the 6–10 weeks of indoor care. For tomatoes and peppers, buying 4–6 transplants is practical for most home gardeners.

Common Spring Planting Mistakes

Planting too early: Warm-season crops in cold soil grow slowly, are more susceptible to disease, and do not produce earlier than crops planted at the right time. Patience pays off.
Skipping hardening off: Seedlings grown indoors need 7–10 days of gradually increasing outdoor exposure before transplanting. Skip this and you will sunburn and wind-damage your plants on day one.
Planting everything at once: Succession planting — sowing small batches every 2–3 weeks — gives you a continuous harvest instead of a glut followed by nothing.
Ignoring soil temperature: Air temperature is not soil temperature. Use a soil thermometer. Tomatoes need 60°F soil to thrive; beans need 65°F; corn needs 65°F. Cool-season crops germinate in soil as cool as 40°F.
Forgetting to label: You will not remember which tomato variety is in which spot by July. Label everything at planting time.

Your Spring To-Do List

Here is the short version, in order:

Look up your USDA zone and average last frost date
Count backward from that date to determine indoor seed starting times
Order seeds by late January (popular varieties sell out)
Start warm-season seeds indoors 6–10 weeks before last frost
Direct sow cool-season crops 4–6 weeks before last frost
Harden off and transplant warm-season crops after last frost
Mulch everything after the soil has warmed (not before — mulch insulates cold soil too)

Browse our full library of gardening guides for more seasonal advice. And when you are ready to build or expand your raised bed garden, our raised bed kits ship ready to assemble — just add soil and seeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I miss my planting window?

For cool-season crops, you can often plant a fall crop instead — most cool-season vegetables actually produce better in fall because they mature in cooling rather than warming temperatures. For warm-season crops, planting 2–3 weeks late is usually fine; you will just harvest later. The exception is in short-season zones (4–5), where a late start can mean crops do not mature before first frost.

Can I plant earlier if I have raised beds?

Yes. Raised beds warm up faster than in-ground soil because the soil is elevated and exposed to air on all sides. In practice, raised beds gain you 1–3 weeks of earlier planting compared to in-ground gardens. Adding a cold frame or row cover extends that advantage even further.

How do I know when my soil is warm enough to plant?

Use a soil thermometer pushed 3–4 inches deep. Take readings in the morning (soil is coolest then) for the most accurate picture. Cool-season crops germinate at 40–50°F soil temperature. Warm-season crops need 60–70°F. Do not trust air temperature alone — soil lags behind air by 2–3 weeks in spring.

Should I start seeds indoors or buy transplants?

Start seeds indoors if you have a sunny south-facing window or grow lights, enjoy the process, and want access to more varieties than your local nursery carries. Buy transplants if you lack indoor space, want fewer plants, or are in your first year and want to keep things simple. Either approach works — the important thing is getting plants in the ground at the right time.

What is the most important crop to plant first in spring?

Peas. They go in the ground 4–6 weeks before last frost, they fix nitrogen in the soil (benefiting whatever you plant after them), and sugar snap peas straight from the vine are one of the great pleasures of spring gardening. Direct sow them 1 inch deep, 3 inches apart, along a trellis or fence. Varieties like 'Sugar Snap' and 'Cascadia' are reliable producers in zones 4–9.

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