This post offers general tips to beginning gardeners in many climate zones. If you are in climate zone 5b or 6a follow our  Planting Calendar for Zone 5b for popular veggies, herbs and flowers. The Chicago area and many regions in the U.S. are in Zone 5b and 6a. Our Planting Calendar for Zone 5b includes tips about planting and harvesting dates and more. Learn how to protect specific crops from temperature extremes and unpredictable weather in our blog post Veggie Temperature Tolerances. Find YOUR climate zone in the Map of U.S. Climate Zones on the USDA website.

Know what your plants need

Understanding the needs of your plants and how to care for them can help ensure a successful harvest. Know the crops that are cold tolerant for planting in spring and fall. Know the crops that need warmth to thrive and are planted in late spring and mid-August. Know how to protect your seeds and seedlings from unexpected dips and spikes in temperature.

How early you can plant in spring depends on the hardiness (cold tolerance) of the vegetables and the climate in your area. The Planting Calendar Chart for Zones 5b and 6a gives the planting and harvesting dates for popular veggies.

Follow a planting calendar chart for YOUR “climate zone” to know planting and harvest dates for each crop. The planting dates are based on the date of the average last 32º freeze in your climate zone. The most reliable planting calendars are from the state university agricultural extension offices.

Climate change has made the safe planting date a moving target. It’s unpredictable. It’s helpful to know the lowest safe temperature for each crop. Many crops can be planted before the last frost date. Some crops are more sensitive to cold than others. Know what is the lowest temperature a crop can tolerate, especially at night. Some crops are very sensitive to temperature and some are less sensitive.

Each climate zone has an average first and last frost date which determines the length of the growing season.

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones

Visit the USDA’s interactive Plant Hardiness Zones map on their website to find your local climate zone. It’s the map at the top of this post. On the USDA’s site click on a spot to zoom in or out. The map is divided into 13 zones, each representing a 10-degree Fahrenheit difference in the average annual minimum temperature.  

Connect with a local organization like a botanic garden or a university agricultural extension who can answer your questions as they arise. They should provide a planting calendar and other important local gardening information. The Deep Roots gardeners use the Chicago Botanic Garden Plant Information Service.

Know the best crop varieties and pests for your zone. Knowing your zone will help determine which plants are most likely to thrive in your specific geographic area. As a beginning gardener, it's also important to learn local pest management.

Frost-free dates. As a beginning food gardener, understanding your hardiness zone can help you determine the average frost-free dates for your area. This information can be used to plan planting and harvesting times for your crops. For example, if you live in a colder zone with a shorter growing season, you may need to start your plants indoors earlier or choose shorter-season crops that can mature before the first frost.

Fast and easy way to find first and last average frost-free dates in your climate zone by entering your zip code. Try this online climate zone search tool on the Morning Chores website.

Temperature tolerances. It's important to consider the heat and cold tolerances of your plants. Some crops, such as tomatoes and peppers, thrive in warmer temperatures and may need special attention and care in cooler climates. Other crops, such as kale and broccoli, can tolerate colder temperatures and may be better suited for cooler zones. See our post about optimal sunlight to learn how to protect crops from extreme temperatures.

Planting calendar tips for beginners

Here are some general tips on how to use your local climate zone calendar effectively. We provide lots more details in our planting calendar for Zones 5b and 6a.

Understand your climate hardiness zone and your planting calendar before you start planting. This information will help you determine the appropriate planting dates for your favorite veggies and herbs. Start a small garden and learn more at a comfortable pace.

Determine the first and last average frost-free dates: The planting calendar will include the first and last average frost-free dates for your region. This information is critical to ensure that you plant at the right time and avoid frost damage to your crops.

Know planting dates for seeds and seedlings (transplants). As a beginner, it's recommended that you buy transplants from your local nursery or garden center. This will help you avoid the challenges of starting seeds indoors or outdoors and also ensures that your plants are healthy and ready to grow.

Move the transplants to larger pots as you learn about your climate zone. Watch the temperature fluctuations carefully. Bring the transplants inside if the temperature may go too low during the day or at night.

Plant warm-loving vegetables after the magical average frost-free date: Some vegetables, such as tomatoes and peppers, require both warm soil and air temperatures to grow. Wait until two weeks after the average frost-free date to plant these vegetables.

Plant some crops outside only when all danger of frost has passed. Some vegetables, such as beans and corn, are sensitive to cold temperatures and must be planted outside only when all danger of frost has passed.

Be prepared for unpredictable weather. Climate change makes planting dates more unpredictable. Make sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast and use techniques like floating row covers to protect your plants from unexpected high and low temperatures.

Extend your growing season: You can extend your growing season by planting crops that can withstand cooler temperatures and by using season-extending techniques such as floating row covers, hoop houses, and cold frames. In this video learn how to use hoops to protect crops in raised beds from high and low temperatures as well as pests.

Check the days to maturity: The planting calendar will include the days to maturity for each vegetable. This information will help you plan your harvest and ensure that you have a continuous supply of fresh produce throughout the season.

High and low temperature tolerance: Some vegetables are more tolerant of high and low temperatures than others. The planting calendar will include this information so that you can choose vegetables that are suitable for your climate.

“Grow Your Own Food” blog posts

See the full list of our Grow Your Own Food blog posts. Each post is assigned ”tags” which are under the post title. If you need a quick answer to a gardening question give us a call or send a text to our customer support team – support[at]deep-roots-project.org AND 708-655-5299.

Deep Roots online store

See our online store for details about prices, ordering and delivery of raised beds, planter boxes, microbe-rich compost, worm castings, leaf mulch and more. We don’t sell traditional soil, since we use 100% compost as our growing medium. Our online store has 2 sections – (1) raised beds and planter boxes and (2) compost, worm castings, fertilizer.

Please contact our customer support team before placing an order online so we can assist you with the details and answer your gardening questions. You can pay by credit card in the store or by check.

(708) 655-5299 and support[at]deep-roots-project.org

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