What to Plant in December in Zone 5
Here is what you can sow in December if you garden in USDA zone 5. Dates use typical zone 5 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
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Quiet monthThere is not much to direct sow outdoors in December for zone 5. Use the planner to map the whole year so you never miss a window.
Zone 5 in December
December in Zone 5: Planning the Garden You Have Not Planted Yet
Seed catalogs arrive on a schedule worth using
Most seed companies release their new catalogs in December specifically because gardeners in cold zones like this one have nothing but planning time this month. Popular varieties, especially disease-resistant tomato lines and specialty peppers, sell out by February most years, so ordering in December rather than waiting for the January lull gets first pick rather than a substitute. Keep a running list through the month rather than ordering the first week, since prices and stock both shift as companies update inventory.
Map next year's beds while last year is still fresh
December is the natural month to sketch a bed map for next season, working from notes taken in November about which crops struggled and where. A simple 3-year rotation, moving nightshades, brassicas, and root crops to a different bed each year, cuts disease and pest buildup measurably, and doing that math now, on paper, avoids the on-the-fly decisions that happen in April when transplants are already crowding a windowsill and there is no time left to think it through.
Check on what is stored, not just what is coming
Stored squash, onions, and potatoes need a monthly check through winter, and December is an easy month to build the habit since there is little else demanding attention outside. Pull and use any squash showing a soft spot before it spreads to its neighbors, and check that stored potatoes are still fully dark, since any light exposure turns the skin green and bitter within a couple of weeks even in cold storage.
December in zone 5: common questions
What can I plant in December in zone 5?+
December is a quiet outdoor-sowing month for zone 5. Start warm-season seeds indoors, or plan the next window. Your exact dates depend on your ZIP code's frost, not just the zone.
What USDA hardiness zone am I in?+
Zone 5 is one band of the map, but planting time is set by your local frost dates, not the zone number. Enter your ZIP code in the free planner and it uses your actual frost dates, which can differ by weeks within a single zone.
Are these December planting dates exact?+
They are typical zone 5 windows. Two gardens in the same zone can be a week or two apart because of elevation and local climate, so treat these as a starting point and tune them to your ZIP code with the free planner.