Free tool
Planting calendar by ZIP code.
A planting calendar tells you when to sow each vegetable based on your local frost dates. Enter your ZIP code to get your typical last and first frost, your growing season length, and what you can sow this month.
Typical frost dates by USDA zone
Every sow window keys off two dates. Tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) are sown after the last spring frost. Hardy crops (peas, kale, carrots) can go in 2 to 6 weeks before it. Fall crops are counted backward from the first fall frost.
| USDA zone | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Season length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 15 | September 15 | about 123 days |
| Zone 4 | May 10 | September 25 | about 138 days |
| Zone 5 | April 30 | October 5 | about 158 days |
| Zone 6 | April 20 | October 15 | about 178 days |
| Zone 7 | April 5 | October 25 | about 203 days |
| Zone 8 | March 25 | November 15 | about 235 days |
| Zone 9 | February 20 | December 5 | about 288 days |
| Zone 10 | January 31 | December 15 | about 318 days |
Typical dates for planning. Your microclimate can shift them by a week or two.
Month-by-month sow lists for your zone
Pick your zone and month for the full list of vegetables you can sow, with exact date ranges calculated from typical frosts.
Planting calendar questions
How does the planting calendar work?+
Every sow window is calculated backward or forward from your frost dates. Enter your ZIP code and the calendar looks up your area's typical last spring frost and first fall frost, then shows which vegetables can be sown each month. The timing engine covers over 130 crops across every US ZIP code.
What are frost dates and why do they matter?+
The last spring frost is the average date of the final freeze in spring; the first fall frost is the average date of the first freeze in autumn. Tender crops like tomatoes and peppers go in after the last frost. Hardy crops like peas and kale can be sown weeks before it. Almost every planting decision keys off these two dates.
How accurate are the dates for my garden?+
Dates are planning estimates based on your ZIP code area's typical frosts. Your own yard can run a week or two earlier or later depending on elevation, shade, and microclimate. Treat the calendar as a well-informed starting point and adjust with local experience or your county extension office's numbers.
Can I plant in fall and winter too?+
Yes. Many crops have a second, fall sow window counted backward from the first fall frost, and mild zones (8 to 10) can grow greens and roots through winter. The month-by-month lists below include both spring and fall windows for each zone.
Is the planting calendar free?+
Yes. The ZIP lookup and all zone-by-month sow lists are free with no account. If you want a full garden plan built around what you actually eat, with plant counts, spacing, and a season calendar you can subscribe to on your phone, PlotToTable's planner is free to start too.
A calendar is the start. A plan is the payoff.
PlotToTable turns your frost dates into a complete garden plan: what to grow for the meals you actually eat, how many plants, how much space, and a week-by-week schedule. Free to start, no credit card.