Planting Calendar by ZIP Code: When to Plant Vegetables
Your location & frost dates
Enter your ZIP code, or pick your zone. You can fine-tune both frost dates with your local extension office's figures.
Your planting calendar
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant out | Sow outdoors | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enter your ZIP code or zone above to see your dates. | ||||
Highlighted = do it now. Struck through = window passed this season. Fall crop = sow or transplant for a fall harvest (counted back from your first fall frost).
Plan your vegetable garden around your average last spring frost date. Start tomatoes and peppers indoors 6–10 weeks before it, plant cool-season crops like peas, spinach and lettuce outdoors 2–6 weeks before it, and wait until 1–3 weeks after it to set out tomatoes, beans, squash and other warm-season crops. Enter your ZIP code above to get exact dates.
How this planting calendar works
The calendar looks up your USDA plant hardiness zone from your ZIP code, using the 2023 USDA map, and estimates your average last spring and first fall frost dates. Every planting window is then counted in weeks from those two dates, the same method university extension services use in their regional planting guides.
Zones are based on winter low temperatures, not frost dates, so two places in the same zone can have frost dates a couple of weeks apart. If your local extension office or weather service publishes average frost dates for your town, type them into the two date boxes and every date in the table updates instantly.
When to plant vegetables: weeks from your last frost
| Timing | What to do | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 10–12 weeks before last frost | Start slow crops indoors | Onions from seed, peppers, parsley |
| 6–10 weeks before | Start most transplants indoors | Tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant |
| 2–6 weeks before | Sow and plant hardy crops outdoors | Peas, spinach, lettuce, kale, potatoes, onion sets |
| 0–2 weeks before | Sow half-hardy crops | Carrots, beets, radishes, Swiss chard, cilantro |
| 1–3 weeks after | Plant warm-season crops | Tomatoes, beans, corn, cucumbers, squash, basil |
| 2–5 weeks after | Plant heat lovers once soil is warm | Peppers, eggplant, melons, okra, sweet potatoes |
Average frost dates by USDA zone
These are typical averages used as a starting point. Your exact local dates can differ by 1–3 weeks, especially near large lakes, coasts or at elevation.
| Zone | Average last spring frost | Average first fall frost |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | mid to late May | early to mid September |
| 4 | early to mid May | late September |
| 5 | late April | early to mid October |
| 6 | mid April | mid to late October |
| 7 | late March to early April | early November |
| 8 | mid March | mid to late November |
| 9 | mid to late February | early December |
| 10 | late January (frost is rare) | mid to late December |
When to plant tomatoes
Tomatoes are killed by frost and stall in cold soil, so timing matters more than for almost any other crop. Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost, and transplant outside 1–3 weeks after it, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is at least 60°F. In zone 6 that usually means starting seeds in mid to late February and planting out in late April to early May. In zone 8, start in January and plant out from late March.
Planting calendar FAQ
How do I find my last frost date?
Enter your ZIP code above for an estimate based on your USDA zone. For the most precise date, check your state's cooperative extension service or NOAA climate normals for the weather station nearest you, then type that date into the calendar.
What is the difference between a hardiness zone and a frost date?
A hardiness zone is based on the average coldest winter temperature and tells you which perennials survive winter. A frost date is when the last spring or first fall frost typically happens, and it tells you when to plant annual vegetables.
Can I plant before my last frost date?
Yes, for hardy crops. Peas, spinach, lettuce, kale, radishes, onions and potatoes tolerate light frost and are planted 2–6 weeks before the last frost. Wait until after it for tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers, squash and basil.
When should I start seeds indoors?
Most vegetables are started 4–10 weeks before your last frost: peppers and onions earliest (8–12 weeks), tomatoes and cabbage-family crops 6–10 weeks, and cucumbers, squash and melons only 3–4 weeks before, because they grow fast and dislike root disturbance.
When should I plant a fall garden?
Count back from your first fall frost. Broccoli and cabbage transplants go out 10–12 weeks before it, carrots and peas are sown 10–12 weeks before, and fast crops like lettuce, spinach and radishes 4–8 weeks before.
Does this calendar work outside the US?
The ZIP lookup is US-only, but the calendar works anywhere: pick the zone that matches your climate or simply type your own average last and first frost dates into the two date boxes.
More free garden tools
- Plant Spacing Calculator: how many plants fit in your beds
- Soil Calculator: fill raised beds before planting
- Mulch Calculator: mulch after the soil warms
- Irrigation Runtime Calculator: water new plantings correctly
Method & sources: Zones from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (USDA Agricultural Research Service and the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University). Frost dates are typical averages by zone and are estimates. NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals and your state cooperative extension service give station-level dates. Planting windows follow common US university extension guidance. Weather varies year to year; always check the forecast before planting out. Last reviewed: October 2026.