Knowing when to plant vegetables is the difference between a lush garden and a season of disappointment. Plant too early and cold, wet soil rots your seeds; plant too late and your tomatoes never ripen before the first fall frost. The entire system is simple once you understand two dates: your last spring frost date and your first fall frost date. This month-by-month guide walks you through both, with a planting calendar for zones 5-7 you can adjust for any area, and it plugs into the rest of our vegetable gardening guide.
Quick Answer: Find your last spring frost date from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map, then sow cool-season crops like lettuce, peas, and spinach 2-4 weeks before it, and plant warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers after it when the soil reaches about 60°F (16°C). Direct-sow root crops and beans where they will grow, transplant tomatoes and peppers, and replant quick crops every 2-3 weeks for a continuous harvest. In zones 5-7, most planting happens between late March and early June, with a second fall crop from August onward.
At a Glance
| Factor | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Zones covered | 5-7 (dates shift one way or the other in other zones) |
| Key date | Your last spring frost date |
| Cool-season crops | Sow 2-4 weeks before the last frost |
| Warm-season crops | Plant after the last frost |
| Tomatoes and peppers | Need soil of at least 60°F (16°C) |
| Direct sow | Beans, carrots, radishes, lettuce, peas |
| Transplant | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, broccoli |
| Succession planting | Small sowings every 2-3 weeks |
Know Your Last Frost Date First
Everything in vegetable timing hangs off one number: your last spring frost date, the average date of the final killing frost in spring. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map divides the country into zones by average annual extreme low temperature (Source: USDA), and the map’s zip-code lookup tool gives you your zone, which leads you to your local frost dates. Do not trust your neighbor’s calendar: zones vary even by street, and the same zone map that says you live in zone 6 might place a friend twenty miles away in zone 7.
The date matters because frost kills tender seedlings outright, and seeds planted in cold soil can rot before they ever sprout, a topic covered in depth in our soil preparation guide. Write your frost dates on a sticky note next to your seed packets; the whole planting calendar below is just those dates plus a little math.
Cool-Season vs Warm-Season Crops
Vegetables split cleanly into two temperature camps.
- Cool-season crops thrive in the mild weather of spring and fall and tolerate light frost. Think lettuce, spinach, peas, radishes, carrots, beets, broccoli, and kale. These are your early garden and your fall garden.
- Warm-season crops need heat and sulk or die in cold. Think tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, beans, corn, squash, cucumbers, and melons. These are the heart of summer.
A common beginner error is treating all vegetables like tomatoes and planting everything after the last frost, forfeiting two full months of spring harvests. Cool-season crops can go in while frost is still a possibility (Source: University of Minnesota Extension); cover them with a row cover or cloche if a hard freeze threatens.
Why Soil Temperature Matters
Air temperature is only half the story. Seeds germinate when the soil itself warms up, and cold soil is worse than cold air: seeds planted below their germination range can rot before awakening, especially in heavy, wet ground. That is why gardeners say “plant by soil temperature, not the calendar.”
Warm-season crops are the pickiest. Tomatoes and peppers need soil of at least 60°F (16°C) for reliable growth, and many gardeners aim for 65-75°F (18-24°C) (Source: University of Minnesota Extension). Planted at 50°F (10°C), they often do nothing but sit. Let the soil feel warm to your hand before you commit, or use a cheap soil thermometer at 4 inches deep.
Direct Sow vs Transplant
- Direct sow crops whose roots dislike being moved: carrots, radishes, beets, beans, peas, corn, squash, and cucumbers go straight into the garden.
- Transplant crops that need a head start on heat: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, broccoli, and cabbage. Start them indoors weeks earlier, then set them out after frost. Our starting seeds indoors guide covers raising them, including hardening them off first.
Succession Planting: Keep the Harvest Coming
Most vegetables produce everything at once and stop. Succession planting fixes that by splitting sowings into batches: plant a short row of lettuce seeds every 2-3 weeks instead of one long row, and you get a steady supply rather than a glut and a gap. It works for lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots, beans, and beets. Note that each crop’s days-to-harvest number assumes adequate water, so check our how often to water vegetables guide as the season heats up.
Plan a Fall Garden Now
Fall is the easiest harvest many gardeners skip. Cool-season crops grow beautifully late in the season, and some, like kale and Brussels sprouts, taste sweeter after a light frost. Plan backward: count the days to harvest on the seed packet, add a couple of weeks for slower fall growth, then count back from your first frost date. In zones 5-7 that usually means sowing brassicas indoors in June or July and direct-sowing lettuce, spinach, radishes, and carrots from late July through August.
Month-by-Month Planting Calendar for Zones 5-7
A warning before the table: your zone varies. This calendar is written for USDA zones 5-7. Gardeners in zone 7 run about 2-3 weeks ahead of zone 5, and gardeners in zone 4 or 8 should shift everything accordingly. The dates assume a last frost between early April (zone 7) and mid-May (zone 5).
| Month | What to do in zones 5-7 |
|---|---|
| January | Plan the season: order seeds, review last year’s notes, build new beds. |
| February | Start slow crops indoors late in the month: onions, leeks, celery if you grow them. |
| March | Start tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant indoors. Late in the month in zone 7, sow peas, spinach, and lettuce outdoors. |
| April | Zones 5-6: sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, carrots, and beets as soil dries; zone 7: transplant cool crops. Begin hardening off indoor seedlings. |
| May | After the last frost: transplant tomatoes and peppers, sow beans, corn, squash, and cucumbers. Begin succession sowings of lettuce and radishes. |
| June | Keep succession-sowing beans and greens. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) indoors late in the month. |
| July | Sow fall carrots, beets, and bush beans; transplant fall brassicas early in the month. Harvest summer crops steadily. |
| August | Direct-sow fall lettuce, spinach, radishes, and kale in the cooler days of late August; plant a second round of peas for fall. |
| September | Keep harvesting; sow a last round of greens in warmer zones. Clean up tired plants to cut pest and disease pressure. |
| October | Plant garlic in mid-to-late October for next summer’s harvest. Mulch beds and add compost. |
| November | Finish cleanup, cover beds with mulch or leaves, and put the garden to bed for winter. |
| December | Rest, plan, and order next year’s seeds before the popular ones sell out. |
Common Mistakes
- Planting warm-season crops too early. Cold soil rots seeds and stalls transplants. Fix: wait until the soil holds at 60°F (16°C) or warmer for tomatoes and peppers.
- Ignoring your zone. Advice from a friend two zones south does not apply to you. Fix: check your zone and frost dates at the start of every season.
- Planting everything at once. One giant sowing means one giant harvest, then nothing. Fix: succession-plant small batches every 2-3 weeks.
- Skipping the fall garden. The garden lies idle after August in many yards. Fix: plant fall lettuce, spinach, and brassicas by the math in this guide.
- Misreading days-to-harvest. That number assumes ideal conditions. Fix: add 1-2 weeks for fall planting and cold springs.
- Not hardening off transplants. Indoor seedlings scorch in direct sun and wind. Fix: give them 7-10 days of gradual exposure, as covered in the seeds indoors guide.
Seasonal Considerations
Cool crops early and late, warm crops in the middle. In a cool, wet spring, delay rather than force: one week of patience beats replanting everything in June. In a hot summer, expect greens to bolt (flower and turn bitter) - that is your signal to stop sowing lettuce until fall. And when you harvest each crop, note it in a journal: next year’s exact dates for your own yard will beat any calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happens if I plant vegetables before the last frost?
A: Cool-season crops like lettuce and peas tolerate light frost and usually survive. Warm-season crops do not: frost kills them, and cold soil rots seeds. Check the soil temperature before you decide.
Q: How do I find my last frost date?
A: Look up your USDA hardiness zone with the USDA’s zip-code tool, then search your state extension service for a local frost date table. The date is an average, so keep row covers handy.
Q: Do tomatoes and peppers really need 60°F soil?
A: Yes. Below about 60°F (16°C) soil, they stall instead of growing and are prone to root disease. Check the soil at 4 inches deep before planting.
Q: What is the best month to plant a vegetable garden?
A: In zones 5-7, the busy window runs mid-April through mid-June: cool crops first, warm crops after the last frost. Fall planting runs August through September.
Q: When should I start tomato seeds indoors?
A: About 6-8 weeks before your last frost date. See our starting seeds indoors guide for the full step-by-step, including when to transplant.
Q: Is it too late to plant in June or July?
A: Not at all. Warm-season crops like beans, squash, and cucumbers still have time, and it is the right moment to start fall brassicas. For the heaviest-hitting summer crops, read our tomato growing guide and pepper growing guide to squeeze out every ripe fruit before frost.
Related Articles
- How to Start Seeds Indoors
- How to Start a Vegetable Garden for Beginners
- How to Prepare Soil for Planting
- How Often to Water Vegetables
- How to Grow Tomatoes
- How to Grow Peppers
- Our Vegetable Gardening Guide