STORY AND ILLUSTRATION BY AMY FRITCH
GARDENERS KNOW THE SIGNS: The seed catalogs sprawl across the dining room table, the sketches of the garden plots begin, and the urge to get our hands in the dirt takes over. It’s time to get growing! We’ve created this spring planting calendar to help you think through your garden and your own plans—or maybe just get a little inspiration!
But when is it best to plant those tomatoes, radishes, and eggplant? In the 1960s, the USDA developed the Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which helped growers know when to start their crops based on the local average annual temperature. Last year, the map was revised, putting much of our region into Zone 7, which means that technically we are able to plant our spring vegetables sooner. (Whether or not that bears out to be the truth every year, going forward, is another question.)
Of course, it’s just a guide and most gardeners know to take note of the temperatures and frost dates, but it’s a handy bit of information to have. Whether you’re new to the world of gardening or eagerly await spring-like clockwork, the chart below will help. It shows the best dates for planting some of the most popular garden staples, and which ones to start inside so they’ll have a better chance to grow once the ground warms up. You might opt for different veggies, and that’s OK. Remember that what grows together, goes together, so chances are you’ll be able to modify this with some degree of ease. We kept this focused on spring plantings, but some of these veggies that like the cooler temperatures can be planted again later in the season. Happy planting!
