Seed Starting: When to Plant Vegetables – Zones 5 and 6
The following table is Susan's personal guide and shows suggested vegetable seed-starting guidelines for USDA zones 5 and 6. If you live in a warmer climate, check the seed packets for the timing of your plantings. The "Indoors" column refers to the date you would start seeds indoors. If a crop is only listed under "Outdoors," that means it should be sown directly into the garden. If it states to plant in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked, that means you should wait until it's dry and crumbly before working with it.
| Crop | Indoors | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|
| Arugula | sow directly Apr. 15 and/or Aug. 15 | |
| Artichoke | Mar. 6 (note: vernalize seeds first in refrigerator starting Feb. 15, then plant seeds indoors) | transplant May 15-21 |
| Basil | Apr. 15 | transplant May 30 OR sow directly outdoors May 30 |
| Bean (pole or bush) | May 7-10 | transplant May 21-30 OR sow directly outdoors May 21-30 |
| Beet | Apr. 7 and/or Aug. 15 | |
| Broccoli | Mar. 1 to Mar. 15 | transplant Apr. 21 to May 1 |
| Carrot | sow directly Apr. 15 | |
| Celery | Mar. 15 | transplant May 15 |
| Cilantro | Apr. 1 OR the first week of August so leaves are plentiful during tomato harvest | |
| Corn | May 1 | transplant May 21-30 OR sow directly outdoors May 21-30 |
| Cucumber | May 1 | transplant May 21-30 (with protection) to June 1 |
| Eggplant | Mar. 1 | transplant May 21-30 (with protection) to June 1 |
| Kale | Mar. 1 or July 1 (winter crop) | transplant Apr. 15 or Aug. 15 (for winter crop) |
| Leek | Feb. 1 to Mar. 1 | transplant May 1 |
| Lettuce | sow directly Apr. 15 | |
| Melon | May 1-15 | transplant May 21-30 (with protection) to June 1 |
| Onions | Seeds: March 1 | Transplant seedlings or direct-plant onion starts: Apr. 15 |
| Parsley | Mar. 1 | transplant Apr. 15-May 1 |
| Parsnip | sow directly Apr. 15 | |
| Pea | Apr. 8 (note: if you intend to transplant individual pea seedlings outdoors, follow this timing. If starting "gutter peas" indoors, start them around mid-March and transplant each gutter of them in mid-April.) | transplant Apr. 15 OR sow directly outdoors Apr. 15 |
| Pepper | Mar. 10 | transplant May 21-30 (with protection) to June 1 |
| Potato (seed potatoes) | approx. Apr. 15 | |
| Potato, sweet | Start your own "slips" in mid- to late March | approx. May 21-30 |
| Pumpkin | May 1-15 | transplant May 21-30 (with protection) to June 1 |
| Radish | Apr. 7-10 | |
| Spinach | sow directly Apr. 15 and/or Aug. 15 | |
| Squash (summer or winter varieties) | May 1-15 | transplant May 21-30 (with protection) to June 1 |
| Swiss chard | sow directly Apr. 15 | |
| Tomatillo | Mar. 15-30 | transplant May 21-30 (with protection) to June 1 |
| Tomato | Apr. 1 | transplant May 21-30 (with protection) |