Planting calendar
Enter your ZIP code to get personalized dates to start seeds, transplant, and harvest 20 common vegetables and herbs — based on your climate zone's frost dates. Free, instant, no signup.
When to plant by crop
Planting calendar by state
Frequently asked questions
When should I start planting my garden?
It depends on your last spring frost date, not the calendar month. Cold-hardy crops like peas, spinach, and lettuce can go in the ground several weeks before the last frost. Tender crops like tomatoes, peppers, and basil should be started indoors early and only planted out after all danger of frost has passed. Enter your ZIP above to see dates for each crop.
How do I find my frost dates?
Your ZIP code maps to a climate zone, and each zone has a typical average last spring frost and first fall frost. This tool looks yours up automatically. Real dates vary by microclimate and year, so treat them as a planning guide and watch the forecast.
When do I start seeds indoors?
For crops that benefit from a head start — tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, onions — start seeds indoors about 6 to 10 weeks before your last frost, then transplant after it. The calculator gives an indoor-start date for each crop that needs one.
What can I plant before the last frost?
Hardy and semi-hardy crops: peas, spinach, kale, lettuce, radishes, carrots, beets, onions, and potatoes all tolerate cool soil and light frost, so they can be sown weeks before the last frost. This lets you start the season early and get a jump on harvest.