Zone 5b Planting Calendar: What to Plant by Month for Your Garden

January checklist

• Inventory seeds. Check what you have before buying more.
• Test older seeds for viability using a damp paper towel in a sealed bag for 5–10 days. Replace packets with low germination.
• Replace short-lived seeds first (onions, leeks, parsley, peppers).
• Order seeds early to secure desired varieties.
• Start onions indoors. Choose long-day types for northern areas and short-day for southern regions.

February checklist

• Assemble seed-starting supplies so you’re ready when seeds need sowing.
• Use seed-starting mix rather than standard potting soil.
• Set up grow lights for sturdy seedlings.
• Choose a starting method: cell trays are common; soil blocks reduce transplant shock and root binding.
• Use a humidity cover to prevent drying in winter air.
• Add a small fan to strengthen stems by simulating wind.
• Late-winter outdoor task: cut back asparagus ferns and top with compost.

March checklist

• Start cool-season seeds indoors first: brassicas like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.
• Label everything to avoid confusion later.
• Topdress with vermiculite after sowing to reduce damping off.
• Start individual lettuce seedlings 1–2 weeks after brassicas for transplanting outdoors in April; or plan to direct sow lettuce in April when soil warms.
• Prep beds when weather allows—add about 2 inches of compost to raised beds.
• Generally avoid planting outdoors in March unless you use row covers or makeshift cloches for protection.

April checklist

• Start warm-season seeds indoors about six weeks before transplanting: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant.
• Plant brassicas outdoors in a warm window around mid-April.
• Use row covers or cloches to protect against cold nights.
• Harden off seedlings over 1–2 weeks, gradually increasing time and sun exposure.
• Direct sow: radish, kale, spinach, arugula, Swiss chard, carrots, and beets when conditions allow. Plant seed potatoes when the soil is workable.
• Plant onion sets started in January.
• Early harvests: asparagus and rhubarb when ready—harvest sparingly to allow regrowth.
• Switch row covers to insect netting for brassicas once warmth is no longer the main concern.

May checklist

• General rule: avoid warm-season planting before Mother’s Day unless the soil and forecast are reliably warm.
• Plant peppers, green beans, eggplant, and okra. Start peppers and eggplant indoors; direct sow beans and okra.
• Plant tomatoes deeply to encourage roots along the buried stem; stake or cage early for support.
• Manage tomato blight with rotation, mulch to prevent soil splash, and growing multiple plants to tolerate losses.
• Harvests begin: radishes, spinach, kale, arugula, and early lettuces. Harvest greens in the morning and store properly.
• Watering becomes a key task. Young plants dry out quickly in wind and sun.

June checklist

• Delay planting most squash, cucumbers, pumpkins until mid-June or after the solstice.
• Harvest garlic scapes when curled but before they open.
• Stop harvesting asparagus when spears start to fern out; let plants rebuild.
• Start fall garden planning in late June; begin fall brassica seedlings indoors for transplant in six weeks.
• Secure tomato supports with sturdy posts once plants are large.

July checklist

• Finish brassica harvests like cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli.
• Plant fall cabbage transplants started in June; protect with insect netting and consistent watering.
• Harvest garlic when leaves yellow and dry; cure in a dry, ventilated area for at least two weeks before storage.
• Stake peppers to prevent breakage from fruit weight.
• Prune tomatoes by removing lower leaves and selected suckers to reduce disease risk and improve airflow.
• July harvests: green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, and onions (when tops dry and bend).

August checklist

• Water deeply and less often to encourage deep roots; check moisture a few inches down.
• Mulch to conserve moisture and protect soil from heat.
• Preserve tomatoes and peppers by canning, freezing, or pickling when harvests are abundant.
• Monitor cucumbers for pests and treat early if needed.
• Grow multiple beet colors for different culinary uses—roasting and pickling.

September checklist

• Watch for tomato hornworms and check at night; they’re easier to spot with a flashlight.
• Hard-prune tomatoes a few weeks before frost to direct energy to ripening fruit.
• Plant fall greens early in the month—radishes, lettuce, spinach, arugula—and keep seedlings consistently moist.
• Harvest winter squash and pumpkins when color is fully developed and stems harden.
• Plant garlic in fall: choose top-quality bulbs, space cloves 4–6 inches apart, plant about 6 inches deep, and mulch later with leaves.

October checklist

• Expect first frost in mid- to late-October; harvest tender greens before frost. Kale often survives and continues producing.
• Sweet potatoes: dig after vines are killed by frost, cure indoors for about two weeks, and store out of sunlight.
• Winter squash: harvest before hard freeze and cure in a cool, dry area for about two weeks for storage.
• Clean beds: remove diseased annuals (especially tomatoes), leave perennial crowns like asparagus and rhubarb, and cover beds with mulch or shredded leaves for winter protection.

November checklist

• Try a late spinach crop and mulch with straw for occasional winter harvesting.
• Use plastic row covers through hard freezes and light snow to extend production.
• Plant small covered rows of greens when weather allows.
• Leave carrots and beets in the ground and mulch for winter access as needed.

December checklist

• Snow is welcome: it insulates perennials, protects roots, and provides slow-release moisture.
• Finish your garden journal: record seed-start dates, variety performance, planting dates, pest issues, and harvest timing so you can plan with confidence next spring.