ZONE 5 – VEGETABLE PLANTING CALENDAR GUIDE
Zone 5 has a medium length growing season typically with a last frost date around May 15th and a first frost date around October 15th. However, these dates can vary by 1-2 weeks depending on weather conditions, so it's important to pay close attention to forecasts before planting. Most vegetable varieties will mature without issue before the first fall frost date. The minimum temperature in zone 5 can reach as low as -15°F during the winter. Many cool weather crops like spinach, radishes, broccoli, and kale can be planted in the spring before the last frost date. Other vegetables like carrots, lettuce, and peas can also be planted a few weeks before the last expected frost.
Zone 5 Hardiness Dates
First frost date- October 15
Last frost date- May 15
ZONE 5 PLANTING SCHEDULE
The ZONE 5 PLANTING SCHEDULE below will help you get the most out of your garden. Starting seeds indoors before your last frost date will give you a jump start on the growing season. Knowing when to transplant seedlings outdoors based on the ZONE 5 PLANTING SCHEDULE will help
JANUARY
Keep an eye out for accumulations of ice and snow on the branches of trees and shrubs, and gently remove it to avert any potential damage due to the weight. Protect the trunks of young trees and those with delicate bark, such as linden, ash, mountain ash, and maple, by wrapping them with tree wrap to shield against harsh winter conditions.
It's also a good time to attend to your indoor plants by cleaning them. Dust can gather on the foliage, obstructing light and interfering with the plants' ability to breathe and transpire, so wiping the leaves can improve their health and vigor.
Plan ahead for your garden's layout for the upcoming growing season. Consider crop rotation from the previous year to maintain soil health, and if you're handy, you can begin constructing cold frames, trellises, or setting up indoor grow lights. Embracing a more compact garden might lead to a reduction in weeds and pests, while potentially increasing your yield.
Begin the process of cold stratification for any perennial seeds that require this method to break dormancy.
Review your gardening records from the past year, including what you planted, how you fertilized, and any pest control measures you took. Take note of which plant varieties flourished and those that didn't meet your expectations, to inform your choices for the upcoming season.
Inspect all of your houseplants thoroughly for signs of insect infestations, especially any plants you received over the holidays. Isolate these new additions until you're certain they're pest-free.
Finally, consider incorporating garden record-keeping into your New Year's resolutions. Tracking the performance of different flower and vegetable varieties in your garden can be invaluable for planning future planting and ensuring success.
FEBRUARY
Ensure that your gardening implements are thoroughly cleaned and honed. If you haven't placed your seed order, do so promptly to secure the varieties you desire. Challenge yourself by cultivating at least one type of vegetable you haven't tried before; it might turn out to be a delightful addition to your garden. Exercise patience and avoid the temptation to start gardening during the early warm spells of spring, as premature exposure of perennials could lead to damage if cold weather returns.
Gather your seed-starting supplies, including grow lights, heating mats, a sterile growing medium, and your chosen types of pots, to prepare for the planting season. Now is the time to sow seeds indoors for vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, eggplant, head lettuce, onions, and parsley. Additionally, it's advisable to begin sowing perennial flowers and slow-germinating plants like rosemary, snapdragons, and begonias indoors by month's end.
For those who aren't skilled with woodwork, constructing a straw bale cold frame could be a beneficial project to undertake during this period.
When planning your landscape, consider adding trees and shrubs that not only beautify your space but also support local wildlife. Opt for varieties like crabapple and hawthorn, which offer shelter and nourishment to birds, and strategically place them to draw these creatures away from your edible crops.
MARCH
It's currently the optimal period to prune your dormant fruit trees and shrubs, as well as berry bushes, to ensure they're in prime condition for the upcoming growing season. Pruning during dormancy can prevent various physiological issues and diseases, as fresh cuts have less time exposed before the spring growth heals them (FineGardening).
For certain seeds, such as Nigella, Poppy, and Larkspur, planting them directly in the garden now can be beneficial. The cooler temperatures can help improve their germination process.
With the arrival of longer days, your indoor plants may begin to show signs of new growth. This is the ideal moment to repot those that have outgrown their current containers and provide them with a nutrient boost.
Now is also the time to start your tomato, pepper, and eggplant seedlings indoors to get a head start on the growing season.
To avoid the last-minute hustle, consider servicing your lawn mower and other garden machinery now, so they're ready for use when you need them.
Take advantage of the pleasant weather to aerate your compost pile, but remember not to work your garden soil if it's still cold and wet to avoid soil compaction.
Clear out any remaining dry plant material from your garden beds and add it to your compost to recycle the nutrients.
Keeping a dedicated gardening notebook can be incredibly useful. Document everything from the seeds you plant, their varieties, and the dates of planting and harvesting, to your observations on plant health and any treatments you apply. This record-keeping will be invaluable for future garden planning.
Lastly, if you've constructed birdhouses over the winter, now is the time to set them up outside. Birds will soon be on the lookout for nesting spots, so having houses ready can attract them to your garden.
APRIL
Initiating the hardening off process for your onions, parsley, and other cool-season crops should be safely undertaken in the middle to latter part of April, provided these plants are at least five weeks old. It's advisable to choose younger, more modestly-sized plants for the cole crop family, which includes broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. This is because larger, more mature specimens are prone to premature bolting, or flowering, if they experience cold temperatures too early in their development.
For an early summer display of vibrant blooms, now is the time to distribute annual poppy seeds across your flower beds. These seeds are so fine they require no soil cover and will swiftly grow into full-fledged plants.
To ensure a robust growth season, apply fertilizer to your grapevines, raspberry bushes, and blueberry plants before they begin to bud.
For those who haven't yet started, now is also the opportune moment to plant seeds indoors for warm-season crops like eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes.
With the growing season on the horizon, it's an excellent opportunity to have your soil tested to ensure optimal conditions for planting. Your local Extension Agency can provide guidance and instructions for soil testing.
Outdoor seed sowing can begin for a variety of crops, including asparagus, beets, carrots, chard, kohlrabi, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, onion sets, parsnips, peas, potatoes, radish, spinach, and turnips.
Take the chance to establish new plantings of perennial fruits such as grapes, strawberries, raspberries, asparagus, and rhubarb as soon as you can work the ground.
For raspberries, it's essential to prune back this year's fruit-bearing canes by about one-quarter before the new growth starts. If you didn't remove last year's fruiting canes after their yield, make sure to do so now to prepare for the upcoming season.
MAY
Install a rain gauge in proximity to your garden to monitor precipitation levels accurately. This allows you to determine the necessity for supplemental watering. It's essential to ensure that your garden receives approximately one inch of water weekly from the onset of spring through to the end of summer.
Before embarking on new garden designs or installations, it's advisable to meticulously plan on paper. Avoid overcrowding by being aware of the full-grown size of the plants and providing adequate space for their expansion.
For those plants that fare better when started indoors, such as okra, pumpkin, cucumber, winter squash, melons, eggplant, pepper, and tomato, now is a good time to begin. It's particularly important to plant vine crops like cucumbers and melons in individual peat pots, as they tend to suffer when transplanted if their roots are disrupted.
For direct seeding in the garden, the following vegetables are suitable: beets, carrots, chard, kohlrabi, late cabbage, leaf lettuce, mustard, collards, turnips, radish, spinach, onion sets, seeds for bunching onions, and peas.
Potatoes benefit from a process called "hilling," which involves periodically piling soil around the base of the plants as they grow.
For tomato cultivation, it's beneficial to set up a trellis system before the plants start to spread out too much, which supports their growth and facilitates easier harvesting.
Now is also an opportune time to plant new trees and shrubs, taking advantage of the spring growth period.
Begin the process of "hardening-off" or gradually exposing indoor-started plants like vegetables, herbs, and flowers to outdoor conditions to prepare them for transplanting.
Initiate fertilization of perennial flowers as they commence their growth cycle. Generally, these plants require fertilizing once every three years, exclusively during this time of year.
When the weather forecast is favorable, it's time to begin direct sowing of various seeds in your garden, including beans, okra, pumpkins, sweet corn, and watermelon. To ensure a continuous harvest, it's advisable to plant beans and sweet corn in staggered intervals, sowing short sections of rows every one to two weeks. For optimal pollination, sweet corn should be sown in either paired rows or in a block formation.
As the month progresses, the likelihood of frost diminishes, making it an appropriate time to transfer a wide array of plants outdoors. This includes delicate annual blooms such as impatiens and robust vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Additionally, houseplants can benefit from the warmer weather by being relocated to a shaded area outside, where they can enjoy a "summer holiday."
For young vegetable seedlings that have been recently transplanted, it's crucial to provide protection against cutworms. An effective method is to create protective collars from cardboard. Cut the cardboard into strips measuring two inches in width and eight inches in length, then shape them into circles with staples to form collars. These should be placed around the seedlings, inserting them one inch into the soil. These homemade cardboard collars act as a barrier, safeguarding the tender stems of your vegetable plants from the damaging cutworms.
JUNE
For a vibrant display in areas with direct sunlight and infertile soil, consider cultivating nasturtiums. These flowers thrive in warm, well-drained soil and typically start to flower around 50 days after planting. It is important to note that overwatering and over-fertilizing can lead to lush foliage but fewer blooms. To safeguard Brassica vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli against common pests like cabbage moths and flea beetles, it's advisable to use floating row covers as a preventive measure.
To manage Colorado potato beetles, which can be identified by their yellow and black stripes, as well as their yellow eggs clustered on the undersides of leaves and red, humpbacked larvae at the stem tips, physical removal or the application of an organic insecticide containing spinosad may be necessary. These pests are active for most of the growing season.
Keep a lookout for striped and spotted cucumber beetles, which are notorious for spreading bacterial wilt to squashes and melons. Regular monitoring and hand-picking of the adults and eggs can help manage their population.
Be vigilant for the Mexican bean beetle as well; covering your bean crops with floating row covers from the time seedlings emerge can prevent infestation.
Aphids are another common pest that can appear on various plants with the onset of warmer weather. Signs of aphid activity include clusters of the pests on new growth and a sticky residue known as honeydew on the leaves, which can lead to the development of a harmless black sooty mold. Control aphids by spraying them off with a forceful stream of water or by applying insecticidal soap, ensuring thorough coverage. Multiple applications may be necessary to address any newly hatched aphids.
Adult squash vine borers, which are moths with a striking appearance featuring an orange abdomen with black dots and metallic dark forewings, are about half an inch in size, not one inch as previously mentioned. These day-flying moths are currently emerging from the ground. They deposit their small, copper-colored eggs, which are about 1/16 inch in diameter and not brown or button-shaped, on the stems of various squash plants. To protect your squash plants, it's advisable to inspect the stems each day to remove any eggs and prevent the larvae from hatching and causing damage. Shielding the lower portion of the stems, approximately 6 to 12 inches, with materials like aluminum foil or floating row covers can deter these moths from laying eggs GrowJourney.
The period from mid to late June is ideal for taking softwood cuttings from shrubs such as spirea, lilac, and viburnum to propagate new plants. This method can be effective for expanding your garden with these types of shrubs.
It's important to avoid walking through your garden when the leaves of vegetable plants are wet, as this can inadvertently spread diseases from one plant to another.
For a well-established vegetable garden, deep watering once a week is more beneficial than light, daily watering. This practice promotes the development of a deeper root system, which can help plants withstand periods of drought.
Monitor the condition of your spring crops closely, especially as the weather warms. Lettuce, for instance, may bolt and develop a bitter taste in hot temperatures. Once you've harvested your spring vegetables, consider planting crops that thrive in warmer weather.
Blossom-end rot, a common issue affecting tomatoes, peppers, squash, and watermelons, is often preventable. Ensure consistent soil moisture through mulching and proper watering, use well-drained soil for planting, avoid deep cultivation near the plants, and steer clear of high nitrogen fertilizers to reduce the risk of this condition.
Lastly, continue to sow warm-season vegetables directly into your garden, such as beans, summer squash, and cucumbers, to enjoy a continuous harvest throughout the season.
JULY
Initiate the indoor germination of seeds for your autumn harvest, focusing on cole crops such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. From the latter part of July into August, plant seeds like radish, carrots, beets, turnips, and kale directly into the ground. For more details on the timing and process, you can refer to the guides provided by Sow True Seed.
Regularly inspect your tomato foliage for any indications of leaf spot diseases, a common issue during the growing season.
As previously mentioned in June's gardening tasks, continue to be vigilant in observing for pest infestations that may harm your plants.
To encourage a second blossoming and to redirect the plant's energy towards developing more robust foliage and roots, it is beneficial to prune the faded blooms from your garden flowers—both annuals and perennials.
Since flowering plants expend a considerable amount of energy during blooming, they can benefit from additional nutrients. Begin fertilizing your flowering annuals when they start to bloom and administer one final feeding before the season concludes to support robust growth.
You have the opportunity to sow additional seeds in July for a late-season yield of crops such as beets, bush beans, carrots, chard, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, summer squash, and corn. Employ a pre-moistened potting soil mix for covering the seeds, as it is less prone to forming a hard crust. To retain soil moisture, apply a fine layer of mulch or use floating row cover fabric.
For bearded iris plants, it's time to divide and replant them using the healthy outer sections of the rhizomes and discarding the old central part. Trim the foliage down to about six inches to promote new growth.
To mitigate mosquito populations, remove any standing water around your garden. Additionally, installing a bat house can attract bats, which are natural predators of mosquitoes.
Your garden requires approximately one inch of water per week. The optimal time for watering is early in the morning, as watering in the evening can increase the risk of fungal diseases due to leaves staying damp overnight. Apply mulch around your plants to conserve water and enhance crop yield.
Lastly, monitor the soil moisture levels of your container plants daily, especially as temperatures climb. Some may require watering twice a day to maintain appropriate moisture levels.
AUGUST
Plant pea seeds from the middle to the end of August to ensure a harvest in the autumn season. Maintain vigilance in your garden by regularly checking for pests and signs of damage; treat the affected areas promptly when necessary.
Post-harvest, it's essential to manage your raspberry plants for the subsequent season. This involves pruning away the spent fruiting canes, leaving behind only three to four vigorous young canes for every foot of your raspberry row. Hold off on trimming the tips of these shoots until the spring arrives, as this helps prevent disease and encourages robust growth.
It's advisable to refrain from pruning trees and shrubs at this time since it could prompt new growth that won't withstand the upcoming winter. Instead, wait to prune until late in the dormant season, when early spring approaches.
When your onions and garlic are ready—indicated by their tops drying and tipping over—it's time to harvest. For garlic, you can braid the tops and store them in an area that's both cool and dry. Trim the tops of onions back to one inch and allow them to dry thoroughly before storage. Should you find any damaged onions or garlic, use them immediately to avoid waste.
Now is also an opportune moment to plan and plant bulbs that will bloom in the spring, creating an early display of flowers. By selecting a variety of bulbs that flower at different times, you can enjoy a prolonged bloom period in your garden.
You can plant a second round of certain vegetables for a late harvest, including varieties such as leaf lettuce, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and spinach. Regularly removing spent blooms, a practice known as deadheading, encourages your plants to concentrate their energy on one last vibrant show of flowers before the season ends.
As the month progresses, be aware that some perennial plants and bulbs will enter their dormant phase. To ensure you remember their locations when spring arrives, consider marking them with a colored popsicle stick or creating a detailed map of your garden layout.
It's important to check the soil moisture in your hanging baskets and container gardens every day, as they can dry out quickly.
To maintain a steady yield, harvest summer squash and zucchini consistently, ideally every one to two days.
Older plants that have finished producing should be cleared away to reduce the risk of pests and diseases finding a home in your garden.
Lastly, managing weeds is crucial; by preventing them from seeding, you can save yourself from future weeding efforts.
SEPTEMBER
You can still sow seeds for leafy greens such as leaf lettuce, chard, spinach, and radishes to enjoy a bountiful harvest in the autumn season. It's important to remain vigilant for garden pests, especially since bean beetles may have a resurgence during this period.
For houseplants that enjoyed the summer outdoors, it's time to transition them back inside. Before doing so, rinse them thoroughly with water to dislodge any hitchhiking insects. While soil-dwelling bugs may not harm your plants, they can become bothersome indoors. After relocating your plants, keep a close watch for any pests that might appear and manage them promptly.
As colder weather approaches, consider mulching your garden beds to protect them through the winter. Purchasing mulch in bulk can be cost-effective, and you might want to share the expense and mulch with your neighbors if a full truckload is too much for your needs.
Perennials with fibrous roots typically benefit from being divided and transplanted every three to five years. For those that bloom in spring, autumn is the ideal time to divide and move them, ensuring you cut back the foliage to about 4 to 6 inches to minimize stress on the plants. Prepare the new site well to give your transplants the best start.
As for your pumpkins, summer squashes, and gourds intended for storage, make sure to harvest them before the first frost hits. Even if pumpkins are not fully ripe and have just started to change color, they will continue to ripen once picked. Handle them with care to avoid bruising or damaging the skin, which can hasten decay.
Continue to gather the later harvests of cool-weather crops such as radishes, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, chard, spinach, broccoli, and other members of the Brassica family. Certain vegetables like parsnips, peas, Brussels sprouts, and kale may become tastier after experiencing a light frost, as the cooler temperatures can enhance their flavors.
As summer transitions to fall, it's important to let plants naturally progress towards dormancy without interference. Avoid promoting new growth with substantial fertilizer applications or heavy pruning, since plants are preparing for the colder months. New shoots are particularly vulnerable to damage from unexpected early frosts.
Autumn presents an excellent opportunity for soil enrichment. Incorporate manure, compost, and fallen leaves into your garden beds to boost the levels of organic matter. Wood ash, a source of phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, can be spread over your vegetable and flower gardens as a top dressing. This will slowly enrich the soil throughout the winter.
Maintaining clean strawberry patches now by removing weeds will pay off when spring arrives, as it will greatly reduce the amount of weeding required when the growing season begins anew.
OCTOBER
Sow cloves of garlic, bulbs of shallots, and various perennial onion varieties. It's also time to plant bulbs that will bloom in the spring, such as tulips, daffodils, and crocuses. Before the arrival of the season's first severe freeze, make sure to empty and store garden hoses and to drain water from bird baths to prevent damage.
For potted perennials, consider burying them in a vacant section of your vegetable plot or insulating them with a generous amount of straw to help them endure the winter months.
Now is an opportune moment to gather soil samples for analysis to better inform your fertilization strategy for the coming year. It's important to collect individual samples for different garden zones, such as lawns, vegetable gardens, shrub areas, and flower beds, especially if the conditions vary significantly within these zones, like a shaded sloping lawn versus a sunny flat one.
You should also start dividing your spring and summer blooming perennials at this time. After cutting back the foliage, replant the divisions and ensure they are well-watered. For newly planted perennials, hold off on applying fresh mulch until the depths of winter arrive to provide them with extra protection during their initial dormant season.
Monitor the local weather forecasts closely and make sure to gather all the remaining crops such as beans, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes that are not resistant to frost before the arrival of the season's first heavy frost. You can find more information on preparing for frost and protecting your crops at Sow True Seed.
Preserve your herbs for future use by drying or freezing them after they've been harvested. Once asparagus foliage turns yellow and dies back, it should be cut down, chopped up, and added to the compost pile. It's best to apply mulch to the asparagus bed once the soil has completely frozen to provide winter protection.
For seed saving, especially with self-pollinating and non-hybrid flowers like marigolds, allow the blooms to fully mature on the plant. Harvest the seeds, spread them out on newspaper, and stir them frequently to ensure they dry out thoroughly. Once dry, store the seeds in airtight containers such as glass jars or sealed envelopes, and keep them in a place that is cool, dry, and devoid of light.
Lastly, it's wise to keep a garden journal to record the performance of different vegetable varieties you've grown. Note which ones thrived and which did not meet expectations. This record-keeping will be invaluable when you plan your garden for the following year, helping you to repeat successes and avoid past mistakes.
NOVEMBER
Now is the ideal time to plant your spring-flowering bulbs if you haven't done so already. Make sure to prepare your planters for winter storage by cleaning them and ensuring they remain dry. For those utilizing rain barrels, it's important to empty them and invert them to stay dry throughout winter, while also re-routing your downspouts to prevent water from pooling near your home's foundation.
Cold weather enhances the sweetness of cole crops, such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, collards, and kale, so keep them in the ground and continue harvesting for as long as you can. To further extend their growing period, consider installing a low tunnel.
For tender late-season vegetables like carrots, beets, leeks, rutabagas, turnips, winter radishes, chard, Chinese cabbage, and leaf lettuce, it's beneficial to leave them in the soil and insulate them with a generous layer of straw to delay freezing. For leaf lettuce, apply a floating row cover before adding straw to keep your greens clean.
Enrich your garden soil by spreading composted manure, decomposed sawdust, rotted straw, and shredded leaves, then work them into the soil. This will significantly improve the soil's fertility, structure, and moisture retention.
Regularly inspect your indoor houseplants for pests that might have hitched a ride inside. If your soil has already frozen to a depth of at least one inch, now is the time to apply a protective mulch layer of 2-4 inches.
For gas-powered garden tools like lawn mowers and leaf blowers, perform maintenance by cleaning, oiling, and storing them properly. With repair shops currently in their off-peak season, it's a good opportunity to get equipment serviced and blades sharpened.
Lastly, start requesting seed catalogs now to plan your garden in January. Look for suppliers offering a diverse range of seeds, including heirloom, rare varieties, and wildflowers, to add variety to your garden.
DECEMBER
When seeking holiday gifts that offer more than a single use, think about giving memberships to regional botanical gardens, arboreta, or nature preserves. These gifts serve a dual function: they provide ongoing enjoyment and enrichment to your loved ones and offer financial support to these vital conservation organizations.
To safeguard the trunks of juvenile trees during the winter, wrap them carefully. For trees and shrubs with multiple stems or low branches, encircle them with chicken wire or hardware cloth that's anchored to the ground. Ensure that the barrier is high enough to prevent rabbits from jumping over and covers branches adequately.
Maintain your gardening tools to ensure their longevity and readiness for the next season. Use a wire brush to remove dirt and apply a thin layer of oil to prevent rust. Sharpen the edges of tools like hoes and spades, and service the blades of pruning shears. For wooden handles, a light sanding followed by a coat of linseed oil can preserve them, or paint them in bright colors such as red or orange to make them easier to locate if left on the lawn.
Before storing your lawn mower or tiller for the winter, be sure to empty the fuel tank to avoid any issues with the machinery.
If it's not already done, spread mulch over your garden beds to insulate your perennials from the cold.
For root vegetables such as potatoes, parsnips, carrots, as well as herbs like parsley and leeks, a generous blanket of straw can insulate them against the cold, allowing you to harvest them gradually throughout the winter.
Instead of using rock salt (sodium chloride) for de-icing sidewalks and driveways, opt for less harmful alternatives like calcium chloride or potassium chloride. These are less damaging to plants. For added traction, consider using sand, kitty litter, or wood ashes in moderation, and if necessary, mix them with a de-icing compound. Use such products sparingly to minimize environmental impact on waterways.
Lastly, take time during the colder months to review and expand upon your garden notes. This reflection will assist in planning and improving your garden for the upcoming year.