When to Plant Vegetables: Month-by-Month Guide

You’ve got seeds, soil, and enthusiasm—but every time you try to figure out WHEN to plant, you fall down a rabbit hole of frost dates, hardiness zones, and conflicting advice. Should tomatoes go in now? Is it too late for lettuce? Will these beans survive if you plant this weekend?

The quick answer: Timing depends on your local frost dates and whether crops are “cool-season” (plant in spring/fall, tolerate light frost) or “warm-season” (plant after frost danger passes, need heat to thrive). Most vegetables fall clearly into one category, making planning straightforward once you know your area’s frost dates.

Here’s your complete month-by-month guide to vegetable planting—plus how to adapt it to your specific climate.

Understanding Your Frost Dates

Before any planting calendar makes sense, you need two critical dates for your location:

• Last spring frost date: The average date after which frost is unlikely
• First fall frost date: The average date when frost typically returns

These dates define your growing season and determine when to plant everything. Search “[your city] frost dates” or check with your local extension office to find yours.

What Frost Dates Mean in Practice

“Average last frost” doesn’t mean frost is impossible after that date—it means there’s roughly a 50% chance of frost occurring before then. Many gardeners wait an extra week or two for warm-season crops to be safe.

Your frost dates also tell you your growing season length. A location with an April 15 last frost and October 15 first frost has a 180-day season—plenty for almost any vegetable. A mountain location with June 1 and September 1 dates has only 90 days—requiring fast-maturing varieties and careful timing.

Cool-Season vs. Warm-Season Vegetables

All vegetables fall into one of two categories, and understanding this distinction simplifies everything.

Cool-Season Crops

These vegetables actually prefer cooler temperatures (60-70°F) and can tolerate light frost:

• Lettuce and salad greens
• Spinach
• Peas
• Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage
• Carrots
• Beets
• Radishes
• Onions and garlic
• Kale and Swiss chard

Plant cool-season crops in early spring (4-6 weeks before last frost) and again in late summer for fall harvest. They bolt (go to seed) and turn bitter in summer heat.

Warm-Season Crops

These need heat to thrive and die at the first touch of frost:

• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Squash and zucchini
• Beans
• Corn
• Melons
• Eggplant

Plant warm-season crops only after all frost danger has passed AND soil has warmed (typically 2 weeks after last frost date).

Month-by-Month Planting Guide

This guide assumes a moderate climate with a mid-April last frost and mid-October first frost. Adjust earlier or later based on your actual frost dates.

January

Outdoors: In most regions, nothing goes in the ground. Focus on planning.

Indoors: Order seeds early for best selection. In mild climates (zones 9-10), you may start cool-season crops.

Planning tasks:

• Review last year’s garden notes
• Order seeds
• Sketch garden layout
• Test and sharpen tools (see our garden tool maintenance guide for tips)

February

Outdoors: Still too early for most areas. In mild climates, plant peas and prepare beds.

Indoors: Start slow-growing transplants:

• Onions (10-12 weeks before transplanting)
• Peppers (8-10 weeks before last frost)
• Tomatoes in late February for early varieties

Preparation tasks:

• Build or repair raised beds
• Order compost and soil amendments
• Clean and organize seed starting supplies

March

Outdoors (4-6 weeks before last frost):

• Direct sow peas
• Plant onion sets
• Direct sow spinach and lettuce
• Start hardening off indoor seedlings

Indoors:

• Start tomatoes (6-8 weeks before transplant)
• Continue peppers if not started
• Start broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower

Bed preparation:

• Add compost to beds
• Turn soil in in-ground gardens
• Install supports and trellises

April

Early April (2-4 weeks before last frost):

• Direct sow carrots, beets, radishes
• Transplant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower
• Plant more lettuce and greens
• Direct sow Swiss chard

Mid-to-Late April (around last frost):

• Direct sow beans (after last frost)
• Plant potatoes
• Transplant tomatoes if protected

Tasks:

• Harden off all remaining seedlings
• Prepare tomato cages and stakes
• Set up drip irrigation if using

May

Early May (1-2 weeks after last frost):

• Transplant tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
• Direct sow cucumbers and squash
• Plant sweet corn
• Direct sow more beans

Mid-to-Late May:

• Plant melons and watermelons
• Second planting of beans
• Succession plant lettuce (in shade)

Maintenance:

• Mulch around transplants
• Begin regular watering schedule
• Watch for pests

June

Early June:

• Final planting of warm-season crops
• Succession plant beans
• Plant herbs (basil, dill, cilantro)

Mid-to-Late June:

• Focus shifts from planting to maintenance
• Start seeds for fall brassicas indoors
• Last succession planting of corn

Tasks:

• Stake or cage tomatoes
• Train cucumbers up trellises
• Side-dress heavy feeders with fertilizer

July

Outdoor planting:

• Direct sow fall carrots and beets
• Plant fall broccoli and cabbage transplants
• Succession plant beans (final round)

Indoors:

• Start more brassicas for fall
• Start fall lettuce indoors (it’s too hot outside)

Maintenance focus:

• Consistent watering is critical
• Monitor for heat stress
• Harvest regularly to encourage production

August

Outdoor planting:

• Direct sow fall lettuce and spinach
• Plant fall peas
• Final brassica transplants
• Direct sow turnips and radishes

Important timing: Count backward from your first frost date. Most fall crops need to mature before hard frost, so August plantings are critical.

Maintenance:

• Begin harvesting storage crops (onions, garlic)
• Continue regular harvest of summer crops
• Remove spent plants

September

Outdoor planting:

• Plant garlic (for next year’s harvest)
• Final lettuce and spinach sowings
• Plant cover crops in empty beds

Harvest focus:

• Main tomato, pepper, and squash harvest
• Begin pulling summer crops before frost
• Continue harvesting beans

Season extension:

• Prepare row covers or cold frames
• Harvest green tomatoes before frost

October

Final plantings:

• Garlic (prime planting month in many areas)
• Cover crops for soil improvement
• Spring-blooming bulbs (not vegetables, but garden planning)

Harvest and cleanup:

• Final harvest before hard frost
• Remove and compost spent plants
• Clean up garden beds

Storage:

• Cure winter squash
• Store root vegetables properly
• Process and preserve harvest

November

Outdoor activity:

• Finish garlic planting in mild climates
• Mulch garlic beds heavily
• Cover fall greens with row covers

Season wrap-up:

• Pull remaining plants
• Add compost to beds
• Mulch empty beds with leaves

December

In most climates: The garden rests. Focus on:

• Planning next year’s garden
• Reviewing notes on what worked
• Ordering seed catalogs
• Maintaining tools for storage

In mild climates: Continue harvesting cold-hardy greens under protection.

Succession Planting: Extend Your Harvest

Instead of planting everything at once, sow small amounts every 2-3 weeks for a continuous harvest. This works especially well for:

• Lettuce: Plant every 2 weeks spring through fall
• Beans: Plant every 3 weeks from last frost to midsummer
• Radishes: Plant every 2 weeks spring and fall
• Corn: Plant every 2 weeks for staggered maturity

In my experience: Succession planting took my garden from feast-or-famine harvests to steady production. Instead of 50 radishes ripening at once, I get 10-15 every week for months.

Adapting to Your Climate

Short-Season Climates (90-120 days)

If your growing season is under 120 days:

• Choose fast-maturing varieties (“days to maturity” under your season length)
• Start more crops indoors to get a head start
• Use row covers to extend the season on both ends
• Focus on cool-season crops that thrive in your temperatures
• Consider raised beds—they warm faster in spring

Hot Climates

If summers are scorching:

• Plant tomatoes and peppers earlier to fruit before peak heat
• Use shade cloth during hottest months
• Focus on heat-tolerant varieties
• Grow cool-season crops in fall/winter instead of spring
• Some areas can garden year-round with careful variety selection

Mild Winter Climates

If your winters rarely freeze:

• Grow cool-season crops through winter
• Plant garlic and onions in fall for spring harvest
• Summer may be your “off season” due to heat
• Focus on heat-tolerant varieties for summer growing

Reading Seed Packets

Seed packets tell you exactly when to plant—if you know how to read them.

Key Information

• “Days to maturity”: Time from planting (or transplanting) to harvest
• “Direct sow”: Plant seeds directly in the garden
• “Start indoors X weeks before last frost”: Self-explanatory timing
• “Transplant after danger of frost”: Warm-season crop, wait until it’s safe

Calculating Planting Dates

Example: Your last frost is April 15. Tomato packet says “start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost.”

Counting back 6-8 weeks from April 15 means starting seeds between February 18 and March 4.

For fall planting: Count backward from your first frost date. If carrots need 70 days to mature and your first frost is October 15, plant by August 6 at the latest.

Common Planting Timing Mistakes

Planting Warm Crops Too Early

Tomatoes, peppers, and squash planted in cold soil just sit there—or worse, suffer setback. Soil temperature matters as much as air temperature. Wait until soil reaches 60°F+ for these crops.

Planting Cool Crops Too Late

Lettuce, spinach, and peas planted in warm weather bolt immediately, turning bitter and going to seed. Get them in early spring or wait for fall.

Forgetting Fall Planting

Many gardeners plant furiously in spring, then forget that fall is prime time for cool-season crops. Fall-grown lettuce and broccoli are often better than spring crops because they mature in cooling rather than warming temperatures.

Not Hardening Off Transplants

Seedlings grown indoors need gradual exposure to outdoor conditions before planting. Skip this step and you’ll shock plants, setting back growth or killing them entirely.

Quick Reference: Planting Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most important date to know for vegetable gardening?

Your last spring frost date. Everything else—indoor seed starting, outdoor planting, variety selection—revolves around this date. Find it through your local extension office or by searching “[your city] last frost date.”

Can I plant tomatoes before the last frost if I cover them?

With protection, yes—but it’s risky. Cold soil stunts growth even if frost doesn’t kill plants. Most gardeners get better results waiting until 1-2 weeks after the last frost date when soil has warmed.

Why did my lettuce turn bitter?

Heat stress. Lettuce is a cool-season crop that bolts (flowers and goes to seed) when temperatures exceed 75-80°F consistently. Plant early spring or fall, or grow heat-tolerant varieties in summer shade.

Is it too late to plant [vegetable] this year?

Check the “days to maturity” on the seed packet and count forward from today. If the crop would mature before your first fall frost (plus a buffer for harvest), you’re fine. Many crops can still be planted in mid-summer for fall harvest.

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

Use a soil thermometer, available at garden centers. Insert 4 inches deep and check morning temperature. Most warm-season crops need soil at least 60°F; some (melons, peppers) prefer 65-70°F.

What vegetables can I plant in fall?

All cool-season crops: lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, peas, carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, and garlic. Plant 8-10 weeks before your first frost date for most crops.

Final Thoughts

Vegetable planting timing seems complicated until you understand the basic principle: cool-season crops go in early (and again in fall), warm-season crops wait for reliable warmth. Everything else is refinement.

Start by finding your frost dates. Then use this guide as a framework, adjusting based on your specific climate and the varieties you choose. Keep notes on what works—your personal planting calendar will be more valuable than any generic guide.

Ready to start your garden? Our complete beginner’s guide to starting a vegetable garden walks through everything from site selection to harvest. Or if you’re working with limited space, check out our container gardening guide for growing vegetables anywhere.