Seasonal Planting Calendar by Zone (2026)
Month-by-month planting calendar for zones 3-10. Know exactly what to plant each month based on your USDA hardiness zone. 40+ vegetables covered.
This is the master reference for when to plant vegetables in the US. It covers zones 3 through 10 — which is about 95% of gardeners — and breaks down each month by what you should be starting indoors, sowing directly, transplanting, or harvesting.
Not sure which zone you're in? Check our USDA hardiness zone guide or enter your zip in our planting calendar tool below.
Try our Free Vegetable Planting Calendar by ZIP Code
Enter your ZIP code for a free, personalized planting calendar. See when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest 45+ vegetables, herbs, and flowers based on your USDA hardiness zone and frost dates.
Open Planting CalendarZones 3–4 (Northern US: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, Vermont)
| Month | Indoors | Direct Sow | Transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Plan & order seeds | — | — | — |
| February | Onions, leeks, celery | — | — | — |
| March | Peppers, eggplant, tomatoes (late) | — | — | — |
| April | Squash, melons, cucumbers | Peas, spinach (late April, zone 4) | — | — |
| May | — | Lettuce, radishes, carrots, beets, beans (after frost) | Broccoli, cabbage, kale (early May) | — |
| June | — | Beans, corn, squash (zone 3) | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant | Radishes, lettuce |
| July | — | Fall lettuce, radishes (late July) | — | Peas, lettuce, beets |
| August | — | Spinach for fall | — | Beans, cucumbers, early tomatoes |
| September | — | Garlic (late Sept) | — | Tomatoes, peppers, squash, corn |
| October | — | Garlic (zone 3) | — | Root vegetables, kale, late squash |
| Nov–Dec | — | — | — | Storage crops from root cellar |
Zones 5–6 (Central US: Chicago, Denver, St. Louis, Nashville)
| Month | Indoors | Direct Sow | Transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Plan & order seeds | — | — | — |
| February | Onions, peppers, eggplant | — | — | — |
| March | Tomatoes, herbs, squash (late) | Peas, spinach, lettuce (zone 6) | — | — |
| April | — | Radishes, carrots, beets, lettuce, peas | Broccoli, cabbage, kale | — |
| May | — | Beans, corn, squash, cucumbers (after frost) | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant | Lettuce, radishes, spinach |
| June | — | Succession lettuce, beans | — | Peas, strawberries |
| July | — | Fall beets, carrots, beans, kale | — | Beans, cucumbers, early tomatoes |
| August | — | Spinach, lettuce, radishes for fall | Fall broccoli, cabbage | Tomatoes, peppers, corn, melons |
| September | — | Garlic | — | Squash, late tomatoes, beans |
| October | — | Garlic (zone 5) | — | Root vegetables, kale, fall greens |
| Nov–Dec | — | — | — | Kale (frost-sweetened), storage crops |
Detailed guides: Tomatoes zone 5 · Tomatoes zone 6 · March planting · April planting · May planting
Zones 7–8 (Southern US: Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, Raleigh)
| Month | Indoors | Direct Sow | Transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Peppers, eggplant, tomatoes (zone 8) | Peas, spinach (zone 8) | — | Overwintered kale, spinach |
| February | Tomatoes, herbs | Peas, lettuce, radishes, carrots | Broccoli, cabbage (zone 8) | — |
| March | — | Beans (late), beets, chard | Tomatoes (zone 8), broccoli, kale | Lettuce, radishes |
| April | — | Beans, corn, squash, cucumbers | Tomatoes, peppers | Peas, broccoli, cabbage |
| May | — | Sweet potatoes, melons, okra | — | Strawberries, early beans |
| June | — | Succession beans, squash | — | Tomatoes, cucumbers, beans |
| July | Fall tomatoes (zone 8) | Fall beans, squash | — | Tomatoes, peppers, corn, melons |
| August | — | Kale, broccoli, lettuce, carrots | Fall tomatoes (zone 8) | Okra, peppers, sweet potatoes |
| September | — | Spinach, peas, radishes, garlic (late) | Broccoli, cabbage | Fall beans, squash |
| October | — | Garlic, overwintering onions | — | Sweet potatoes, fall greens |
| Nov–Dec | — | Cover crops | — | Kale, chard, root vegetables, fall lettuce |
Detailed guides: Tomatoes zone 7 · Tomatoes zone 8 · Fall planting zone 7 · Fall garden guide
Zones 9–10 (Gulf Coast, Southern Florida, Southern California)
| Month | Indoors | Direct Sow | Transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | — | Peas, lettuce, radishes, carrots, beets | Tomatoes, peppers (zone 10) | Citrus, winter greens |
| February | — | Beans, corn, squash, cucumbers | Tomatoes, peppers | Lettuce, radishes |
| March | — | Melons, okra, sweet potatoes | Eggplant | Peas, carrots, broccoli |
| April–May | — | Sweet potatoes, southern peas | — | Tomatoes, beans, cucumbers |
| June–Aug | — | Heat-tolerant: okra, southern peas, sweet potatoes | — | Tomatoes (early), peppers, okra, melons |
| September | — | Beans, cucumbers, squash (fall round) | Tomatoes (fall) | Sweet potatoes |
| Oct–Nov | — | Lettuce, spinach, peas, carrots, beets, broccoli, kale | Broccoli, cabbage | Fall beans, peppers |
| December | — | Cool-season crops continue | — | Fall/winter greens, root vegetables |
Quick Tips for Using This Calendar
- Microclimates matter. South-facing walls, raised beds, and urban heat islands can shift your effective zone by half a zone warmer.
- Succession plant lettuce, radishes, and beans every 2–3 weeks for continuous harvest.
- "After frost" means after your last frost date, not after the last cold day. Soil temperature matters too — tomatoes need 60°F+ soil.
- Use row covers to extend your season 2–4 weeks in either direction.
- Always check companion planting compatibility when planning your layout.
Our free planting calendar tool automatically calculates planting windows for 40+ crops based on your exact location.
Try our Free Vegetable Planting Calendar by ZIP Code
Enter your ZIP code for a free, personalized planting calendar. See when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest 45+ vegetables, herbs, and flowers based on your USDA hardiness zone and frost dates.
Open Planting CalendarPlanting windows based on USDA hardiness zone data, NOAA frost date averages, and cooperative extension service recommendations. Updated March 2026.
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