How to Use a Planting Calendar

Timing is everything in food production. Plant too early and frost kills your seedlings. Plant too late and crops don't mature before fall. A planting calendar based on your local frost dates removes the guesswork.

Your two key dates are the last spring frost and first fall frost. The days between them are your frost-free growing season. Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce, broccoli) can go out 2-4 weeks before last frost. Warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) must wait until after.

See how states compare: States Ranked by Growing Season Length

Your USDA zone (based on average annual minimum temperature) tells you which perennials survive winter and which crops are viable. Zone 5a (-20°F) is very different from Zone 9a (20°F) — the crop lists barely overlap.

Browse all zone guides to see crop lists, survival priorities, and beginner recommendations for your climate.

Don't plant everything at once. Stagger plantings of fast-maturing crops (lettuce, radishes, beans) every 2-3 weeks for continuous harvest. This is especially important for survival gardens where you need consistent production, not a single glut.

Cold frames, row covers, and hoop houses can extend your season by 4-8 weeks on each end. In Zone 5-6, this can mean the difference between a 5-month and 8-month growing season. In southern zones (8+), you can grow year-round with minimal protection.

Our zip code tool generates a planting calendar specific to your location — based on your exact frost dates, USDA zone, and elevation. It includes timing for 40+ crops, marking which ones are viable for your zone.