VEGETABLE PLANTING CALENDAR
FIND OUT WHEN TO PLANT VEGETABLES WITH THE ALMANAC'S PLANTING GUIDE!
We'll tell you the earliest dates to plant vegetables in the spring and the last dates that you can plant for a fall harvest, based on average frost dates for your location.
The gardening experts at The Old Farmer's Almanac have done the homework for you! Our planting tool is personalized down to your zip code, pulling from a database of thousands of weather station reports, and using the "days until harvest" for the most popular vegetables grown in the home garden. Then, we determine when to sow indoors, transplant, and seed outdoors based on what's best for each vegetable. (Note: Our chart takes into account the average "days until harvest" for the most common varieties of each vegetable. However, your seed packet will tell you the exact days to maturity for the variety you are growing. For spring planting dates, you can always calculate the planting dates yourself using our Frost Dates Calculator.)
For an autumn harvest, however, it's a little more complicated, since you will need to harvest many vegetables before winter frosts begin. Our fall planting dates consider which crops are more hardy versus tender, and we've also made adjustments for the harvesting period. (If you find that the veggie or fruit you wish to grow doesn't leave you enough days to harvest in the fall, perhaps you can find a special variety with a shorter growing season!)
Note: Frost dates are based on 30-year rolling averages, so they are only a guide of what is "typical." Every year can be different. Also, every garden can have what we call "microclimates" (e.g., an area in the dip of a valley or on the slope of a mountain) which differ. You'll need to use your best judgement and this guide as a good starting place. Over time, you'll gain experience and learn what works best in your garden!
SPRING AND FALL PLANTING GUIDES
Our vegetable planting charts are not only personalized to your zip code, but are also printable so that you can take them with you! In case you missed it, look at the top of this page and enter your "City, State" or Zip Code in the field. (If you live in Canada, enter your "City, Province" or Postal Code.)