When Should I Plant? Seed Starting Calendars and Frost Date Tools

“What to plant when” depends on your zone, microclimate, and method (indoor seeding vs. direct sow). These resources take the guesswork out of timing so you sow at the optimal window for your location.

1. Know Your Zone & Frost Dates

• USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: USDA website.
• Frost date chart: Food Skills and Self Sufficiency.

2. Track with a Garden Journal

Buy one or download a free printable (e.g., About.com) to record planting dates, varieties, and observations.

3. Margaret Roach’s Planting Calculator (A Way to Garden)

Enter your last frost date; get customized indoor sow, transplant, and direct-sow dates for vegetables and annuals. Roach is a veteran garden writer (Newsday, Martha Stewart Living).

4. Vegetable Planting Cheat Sheet (Anglian Home)

Visual guide: what to plant when, container suitability, companion planting, and more.

5. Winter Harvest Calendar (Territorial Seeds)

Fall/winter planting dates for cold-season crops. Verify with local nursery in harsh climates.

Right plant, right place, right time—these tools make it possible.