Frost dates
Planting calendar
A useful planting calendar starts with local frost dates, then works backward for indoor starts and forward for transplanting, succession planting, harvest, and bed cleanup.
- Find your average last spring frost and first fall frost.
- Group crops by cool season, warm season, and long-season starts.
- Mark indoor sowing dates for tomatoes, peppers, brassicas, herbs, and flowers.
- Reserve direct-sow windows for beans, squash, roots, greens, and cover crops.
- Schedule reminders for second plantings before the first planting is finished.
Notebook fields
Record planned date, actual date, weather, bed location, variety, and result. The actual date matters more than the planned date when you review the year.