A simple month-by-month guide to planting vegetables and setting up raised garden beds across East Coast growing zones.
Choose your East Coast zone below.
Colder Northeast
New England, inland New York, Pennsylvania and colder northern areas
Moderate Northeast & Mid-Atlantic
Long Island, Westchester, coastal Connecticut, New Jersey and nearby areas
Warmer Mid-Atlantic & Southeast
Virginia, North Carolina and surrounding areas.
Warm Southeast
Coastal Southeast and Florida
Spring: March–May
Fall: September–October
Spring: February–May
Fall: September–November
Spring: February–April
Fall: September–November
Spring: January–March
Fall: October–December
Zones 5–6
Plan your garden. Start onions and leeks indoors late in the month.
Zone 7
Plan your garden. Start onions, leeks and some herbs indoors.
Zone 8
Start onions, leeks, broccoli and cool-season vegetables indoors.
Zones 9–10
Plant lettuce, spinach, kale, carrots and radishes outdoors where conditions allow.
Zones 5–6
Start onions, leeks, celery, peppers and eggplant indoors.
Zone 7
Start onions, peppers, eggplant and broccoli indoors.
Zone 8
Plant peas, lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots and broccoli.
Zones 9–10
Continue cool-season vegetables and begin warm-season transplants indoors.
Zones 5–6
Late month: plant peas, spinach and radishes outdoors. Start tomatoes indoors.
Zone 7
Plant peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, carrots and beets. Start tomatoes indoors.
Zone 8
Plant lettuce, carrots, peas and greens. Begin tomatoes and peppers as temperatures warm.
Zones 9–10
Begin tomatoes, peppers, beans and cucumbers as local weather allows.
Zones 5–6
Plant peas, spinach, lettuce, kale, broccoli, cabbage, radishes, carrots, beets, onions and potatoes.
Zone 7
Plant peas, spinach, lettuce, kale, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, beets, onions and potatoes.
Zone 8
Plant beans, cucumbers and squash as temperatures warm. Continue lettuce and other greens.
Zones 9–10
Plant tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans and squash. Harvest cool-season vegetables.
Zones 5–6
Continue cool-season crops. After frost danger passes, plant tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers and squash.
Zone 7
Plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, corn and basil.
Zone 8
Plant tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, squash, corn and melons.
Zones 9–10
Continue warm-season vegetables. Provide water and mulch as temperatures rise.
Zones 5–6
Plant tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, basil, corn and melons.
Zone 7
Great month for beans, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, basil and corn.
Zone 8
Continue tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers and squash. Replant beans for another harvest.
Zones 9–10
Maintain summer vegetables and begin planning heat-tolerant or later-season crops.
Zones 5–6
Plant another crop of beans, cucumbers and zucchini. Start fall broccoli, cabbage, kale, carrots and beets.
Zone 7
Continue beans and squash. Mid-to-late month, start fall broccoli, cabbage, kale, carrots and beets.
Zone 8
Plant fall tomatoes where appropriate. Start broccoli, cabbage, carrots and other fall crops later in the month.
Zones 9–10
Focus on heat-tolerant vegetables. Begin planning and starting fall crops indoors.
Zones 5–6
Plant spinach, lettuce, arugula, kale, radishes, turnips, beets, broccoli and cabbage for fall.
Zone 7
Plant lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale, radishes, beets, carrots, turnips, broccoli and cabbage.
Zone 8
Start your fall garden with broccoli, cabbage, kale, carrots, lettuce, spinach and radishes.
Zones 9–10
Begin planting fall tomatoes, peppers and cool-season vegetables as temperatures start to ease.
Zones 5–6
Early month: plant spinach, arugula, lettuce and radishes. Continue harvesting kale.
Zone 7
Plant spinach, lettuce, arugula, radishes and cilantro. Great month for leafy greens.
Zone 8
Plant broccoli, cabbage, kale, lettuce, spinach, carrots, radishes and other fall vegetables.
Zones 9–10
Excellent month to begin fall vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, beans, broccoli and leafy greens.
Zones 5–6
Harvest fall crops. Plant garlic late in the month. Protect kale and spinach as temperatures drop.
Zone 7
Harvest fall vegetables. Plant garlic. Continue kale, spinach, carrots and radishes.
Zone 8
Plant broccoli, cabbage, kale, lettuce, spinach, carrots, radishes and garlic.
Zones 9–10
Prime planting season for many cool-season vegetables, including lettuce, broccoli, kale, carrots and radishes.
Zones 5–6
Plant garlic while the soil is still workable. Protect kale and spinach with row cover.
Zone 7
Excellent month for garlic. Kale and spinach can continue growing with protection.
Zone 8
Plant garlic, onions, leafy greens, broccoli, carrots and other cool-season vegetables.
Zones 9–10
Plant lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, carrots, radishes and other winter vegetables.
Zones 5–6
Little to plant outdoors. Harvest protected kale, spinach, carrots and leeks.
Zone 7
Harvest protected kale, spinach, carrots and other cold-hardy greens.
Zone 8
Continue cool-season vegetables such as lettuce, kale, spinach, carrots and radishes.
Zones 9–10
Continue planting and harvesting cool-season vegetables during mild winter weather.
