One of the biggest questions is always "
When do I plant my vegetable seeds?" The answer to this question varies based on the zone you live in and your average frost date.
We've put together a table showing when you should plant various vegetable seeds in relation to the frost date in your area. There is a key at the bottom of the page to the various columns in the table.
You can look at our other chart for
when to plant transplanted vegetables.
When to Plant Vegetable Seeds
Veggie | Plant Seeds | Veg Spacing | Row Spacing | Thin Spacing | Time to Harvest | Succession Planting |
Bean, Bush | After | 2" | 18" | 4" | 57 Days | 21 Days |
Bean, Pole | After | 4" | 30" | | 65 Days | |
Beet | Before | 1" | 12" | 3" | 60 Days | 21 Days |
Broccoli | At | 16" | 30 | | 60 Days | |
Broccoli Raab | Frost Date | 4" | 12" | 8" | 40 Days | 14 Days |
Carrot | Before | 1" | 12" | | 60 Days | 21 Days |
Chard | At | 2" | 12" | 4" | | |
Corn | After | 9" | 30" | | 70 Days | 17 Days |
Cucumber | After | 12" | 48" | | 62 Days | |
Kohlrabi | At | 4" | 12" | | 45 Days | 17 Days |
Lettuce | Before | 2" | 12" | 6" | 50 Days | 10 Days |
Melon | After | 18" | 48" | | 85 Days | |
Okra | After | 16" | 16" | | 50 Days | |
Parsnips | Before | 1" | 18" | 4" | | |
Peas | Before | 1" | 18" | | 65 Days | |
Pumpkins | After | 48" | 95" | | 100 Days | |
Radish | Before | 2" | 2" | | 25 Days | 10 Days |
Rutabaga | Before | 2" | 12" | 6" | 90 Days | |
Spinach | Before | 1" | 12" | 3" | 42 Days | 7 Days |
Squash, Summer | After | 24" | 24" | | 90 Days | |
Squash, Winter | After | 60" | 60" | | 90 Days | |
Swiss Chard | At | 2" | 12" | 4" | | |
Turnips | Before | 2" | 12" | 4" | 50 Days | 10 Days |
Plant Seeds
The "Plant Seeds" column references the frost date. Vegetables with "Before" can planted as soon as the soil is workable and can handle frost just fine. Vegetables with "At" should be planted around your frost date and can handle a light frost. Vegetables with "After" should be planted after the frost date since a frost will kill them
Veg Spacing
The "Veg Spacing" column of the
When to Plant Vegetable Seeds table tells you how far apart you should plant the seeds in each row.
Row Spacing
The "Row Spacing" column tells you how far apart your rows should be from each other.
Thin Spacing
The "Thin Spacing" column tells you how far apart to thin the seedling too when they come up. Most thining is done after the plants are around 2-3" tall or have grown 3 true leaves.
Time to Harvest
The "Time to Harvest" column of the
When to Plant Vegetable Seeds table shows the average time from planting to harvesting for that type of vegetable.
Succession Planting
The "Succession Planting" column refers to whether or not you should succession plant that vegetable. Succession planting ensures that you have a continual harvest throughout the growing season.