Mid-Atlantic Vegetable Planting Calendar: What to Plant Now
Month-by-month planting calendar for the Mid-Atlantic. 162 crops with sow windows for a humid subtropical, four seasons climate.
This is our Mid-Atlantic vegetable planting calendar for DC, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and West Virginia. It starts with what vegetables to plant now in the Mid-Atlantic, then goes through the whole year, with planting windows set for a climate that is humid subtropical, with four seasons, across USDA zones 6b to 8a. Further down you will find a sowing chart for popular vegetables, local timing notes, frost dates by ZIP code and a season-by-season guide, all from the same data that runs the Planting Season app. This is a first-pass calendar built from regional extension guidance and under local review, so treat it as a strong first draft.
Monthly Planting Calendar
The Mid-Atlantic (DC, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and West Virginia, USDA 6b-8a) has four seasons with warm, humid summers and cool, moderate winters. Two main planting seasons bracket the summer: a spring planting from March after the last frost (around mid-April) and a fall planting from late summer into October. Hardy greens and garlic overwinter. Last frost is typically mid-April and the first fall frost around late October. These windows are a first-pass estimate from regional extension guidance and are being reviewed locally.
Month-by-month vegetable planting calendar for the Mid-Atlantic
Every vegetable in our Mid-Atlantic calendar, grouped by the month you can sow or plant it. Each month links to its full page with herbs, fruit and flowers.
| Month | Vegetables to sow or plant | Count |
|---|---|---|
| January | No vegetable sowings this month | 0 |
| February | Arugula, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chicory, Collard Greens, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Peas, Potato, Radicchio, Radish, Rutabaga, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress | 35 |
| March | Arugula, Asparagus, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chicory, Collard Greens, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Green Onion, Hamburg Parsley, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Onion, Parsnip, Peas, Potato, Radicchio, Radish, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Salsify, Scorzonera, Shallot, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Sunchoke, Swiss Chard, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress | 51 |
| April | Arugula, Asparagus, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Collard Greens, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Green Onion, Hamburg Parsley, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Onion, Parsnip, Peas, Potato, Radicchio, Radish, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Salsify, Scorzonera, Shallot, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Sunchoke, Swiss Chard, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress | 53 |
| May | Amaranth, Bell Pepper, Bitter Melon, Brazilian Spinach, Bush Beans, Cantaloupe, Celeriac, Celery, Chayote, Chili Pepper, Cucumber, Edamame, Eggplant, Ginger, Good King Henry, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Lima Beans, Luffa (Loofah), Malabar Spinach, New Zealand Spinach, Okra, Peanuts, Popcorn, Pumpkin, Scarlet Runner Bean, Sorghum, Southern Peas, Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato, Taro, Tomatillo, Tomato, Turmeric, Water Chestnut, Watermelon, Yardlong Beans, Zucchini | 39 |
| June | Amaranth, Bell Pepper, Bitter Melon, Brazilian Spinach, Bush Beans, Cantaloupe, Chayote, Chili Pepper, Cucumber, Edamame, Eggplant, Ginger, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Lima Beans, Luffa (Loofah), Malabar Spinach, New Zealand Spinach, Okra, Peanuts, Popcorn, Pumpkin, Salsify, Scarlet Runner Bean, Sorghum, Southern Peas, Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato, Taro, Tomatillo, Tomato, Turmeric, Watermelon, Yardlong Beans, Zucchini | 36 |
| July | Amaranth, Beet, Bell Pepper, Bitter Melon, Brazilian Spinach, Broccoli, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Bush Beans, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chayote, Chicory, Chili Pepper, Collard Greens, Cucumber, Daikon, Edamame, Eggplant, Endive & Escarole, Fennel (Herb), Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Lima Beans, Luffa (Loofah), Malabar Spinach, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, New Zealand Spinach, Okra, Popcorn, Potato, Pumpkin, Radicchio, Radish, Rutabaga, Sorghum, Sorrel, Southern Peas, Squash, Sweet Corn, Tomatillo, Tomato, Turnip, Watermelon, Yardlong Beans, Zucchini | 53 |
| August | Arugula, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chicory, Collard Greens, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Peas, Potato, Radicchio, Radish, Rutabaga, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress | 36 |
| September | Arugula, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chicory, Collard Greens, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Green Onion, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Peas, Radicchio, Radish, Rutabaga, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress | 37 |
| October | Arugula, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chicory, Collard Greens, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Garlic, Green Onion, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Peas, Radicchio, Radish, Rutabaga, Shallot, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress | 39 |
| November | Garlic | 1 |
| December | No vegetable sowings this month | 0 |
Mid-Atlantic vegetable sowing chart
36 popular crops, with the months you can sow or plant them in the Mid-Atlantic. Shaded months are open planting windows, and the last column spells them out. Where our data says a crop is set out as transplants, the window is the transplanting window.
| Crop | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Sow or plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Bell Pepper | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Chili Pepper | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Eggplant | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Zucchini | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Squash | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Cucumber | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Pumpkin | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Sweet Corn | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Bush Beans | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Peas | Feb to Apr and Aug to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Snow Peas | Feb to Apr and Aug to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Okra | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Southern Peas | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Lettuce | Feb to Apr and Aug to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Spinach | Feb to Apr and Aug to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Swiss Chard | Mar to Apr and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Kale | Feb to Apr and Jul to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Collard Greens | Feb to Apr and Jul to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Broccoli | Feb to Apr and Jul to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Cabbage | Feb to Apr and Jul to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Cauliflower | Feb to Apr and Jul to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Carrot | Feb to Apr and Jul to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Beet | Feb to Apr and Jul to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Radish | Feb to Apr and Jul to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Turnip | Feb to Apr and Jul to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Onion | Mar to Apr | ||||||||||||
| Garlic | Oct to Nov | ||||||||||||
| Potato | Feb to Apr and Jul to Aug | ||||||||||||
| Sweet Potato | May to Jun | ||||||||||||
| Basil | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Cilantro | Feb to Apr and Aug to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Parsley | Mar to Apr and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Strawberry | Mar to Apr | ||||||||||||
| Watermelon | May to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Cantaloupe | May to Jul |
Local timing notes for the Mid-Atlantic
Where timing in the Mid-Atlantic needs explaining, our data carries a local note. These are the same notes the Planting Season app shows for this region, and they explain the shape of the chart above.
- Peas (Feb to Apr and Aug to Oct): Sow in early spring, and again from August for a fall crop; July heat stunts young plants and stops flowering.
- Snow Peas (Feb to Apr and Aug to Oct): Sow in early spring, and again from August for a fall crop; July heat stunts young plants and stops flowering.
- Lettuce (Feb to Apr and Aug to Oct): Sow in early spring and again from mid August; July heat stops the seed sprouting and makes young plants bolt.
- Spinach (Feb to Apr and Aug to Oct): Sow in early spring and again from mid August; July heat stops the seed sprouting and makes young plants bolt.
- Onion (Mar to Apr): Plant sets, seed or transplants from mid March to April for bulbs by midsummer.
- Potato (Feb to Apr and Jul to Aug): Plant in late winter to early spring, from about mid-March in much of the region. A second crop can go in during July or August for a fall harvest.
- Sweet Potato (May to Jun): Set out slips once the soil is warm; July plantings do not size up before the first frost.
- Cilantro (Feb to Apr and Aug to Oct): Sow in early spring and again from mid August; July heat stops the seed sprouting and makes young plants bolt.
- Strawberry (Mar to Apr): Set out dormant plants in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked, so they root well before summer.
Browse by Category
Frost dates, climate and USDA zones in the Mid-Atlantic
The climate in the Mid-Atlantic is humid subtropical, with four seasons. Across the region the average last spring frost falls around April 15 and the first fall frost around October 25, which leaves a growing season of about 193 days for frost-tender crops such as tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash and basil. Those are regional midpoints: a frost pocket, a slope or a warm wall can shift your own dates by weeks.
Frost is local, so here is what the ZIP code records show for a few places across DC, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and West Virginia:
- Washington, DC (20001): typical last spring frost March 24; typical first fall frost November 18; a growing season of about 241 days.
- Baltimore (21202): typical last spring frost March 24; typical first fall frost November 21; a growing season of about 244 days.
- Richmond (23219): typical last spring frost April 3; typical first fall frost November 4; a growing season of about 215 days.
- Wilmington (19801): typical last spring frost April 7; typical first fall frost November 4; a growing season of about 209 days.
- Charleston, WV (25301): typical last spring frost April 16; typical first fall frost October 26; a growing season of about 192 days.
Enter your own ZIP code in the Frost Lookup for your typical last and first frost. ZIP code figures come from the nearest weather station in the NOAA 1991 to 2020 Climate Normals, at the 50 percent probability level, so in one year out of two the last frost comes later.
USDA hardiness zones: our Mid-Atlantic region spans zones 6b to 8a. Your zone tells you which perennials, shrubs and fruit trees survive a normal winter; it does not tell you when to sow, which is why this calendar follows frost dates and summer heat instead. Zone pages: zone 6b, zone 7a, zone 7b, zone 8a.
Mid-Atlantic planting seasons: a season-by-season guide
The calendar above, read by season. Counts and crop lists come straight from the Mid-Atlantic planting windows, so they change only when our data changes.
Spring in the Mid-Atlantic (March to May)
89 vegetables can be sown or planted at some point in spring. Planting windows that open: in March, Swiss Chard, Onion, Asparagus, Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Green Onion, Hamburg Parsley, Horseradish, Leek, Mizuna and 6 more; in April, Celeriac and Celery; in May, Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans and 26 more. Last chance before the season ends: April for Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, Collard Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower and 40 more. You can keep sowing Good King Henry through every month of it.
Summer in the Mid-Atlantic (June to August)
72 vegetables can be sown or planted at some point in summer. Planting windows that open: in June, Salsify; in July, Kale, Collard Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrot, Beet, Radish, Turnip, Potato and 15 more; in August, Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Arugula, Bok Choy, Fava Beans, Florence Fennel, Mibuna, Tatsoi and 1 more. Last chance before the season ends: June for Sweet Potato, Ginger, Jicama, Peanuts, Salsify, Scarlet Runner Bean, Taro and Turmeric; July for Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans and 18 more.
Fall in the Mid-Atlantic (September to November)
39 vegetables can be sown or planted at some point in fall. Planting windows that open: in September, Swiss Chard and Green Onion; in October, Garlic and Shallot. Last chance before the season ends: October for Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, Collard Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower and 28 more. Fall is also garlic planting time here; see how to grow garlic.
Winter in the Mid-Atlantic (December to February)
35 vegetables can be sown or planted at some point in winter. Planting windows that open: in February, Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrot and 25 more.
Growing Guides
In-depth guides for the most popular crops and techniques. These guides adapt to your region.
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Open the App →Planting calendars for other US regions
Gardening somewhere else? Each region has its own planting windows, frost dates and month pages. For every region side by side, see what vegetables to plant now across the US, or find your region by ZIP code.
- North Florida vegetable planting calendar
North Florida: USDA zones 9a to 9b, frost window February 15 to December 5. - Central Florida vegetable planting calendar
Central Florida: USDA zones 9b to 10b, effectively frost free. - South Florida vegetable planting calendar
South Florida: USDA zones 10a to 11a, effectively frost free. - Gulf South vegetable planting calendar
Gulf South: USDA zones 8a to 9b, frost window February 25 to December 1. - Desert Southwest vegetable planting calendar
Desert Southwest: USDA zones 7a to 10a, frost window February 5 to December 5. - Texas vegetable planting calendar
Texas: USDA zones 8a to 10a, frost window March 1 to November 28. - Southern California vegetable planting calendar
Southern California: USDA zones 9b to 10b, effectively frost free. - Mid-South vegetable planting calendar
Mid-South: USDA zones 7a to 8b, frost window April 10 to October 25. - Pacific Northwest vegetable planting calendar
Pacific Northwest: USDA zones 6b to 9a, frost window March 25 to November 15. - Northeast & New England vegetable planting calendar
Northeast & New England: USDA zones 5a to 7b, frost window May 10 to October 15. - Midwest & Great Lakes vegetable planting calendar
Midwest & Great Lakes: USDA zones 5a to 7a, frost window April 30 to October 15. - Upper Midwest & Northern Plains vegetable planting calendar
Upper Midwest & Northern Plains: USDA zones 3b to 5a, frost window May 15 to September 25. - Mountain West vegetable planting calendar
Mountain West: USDA zones 5a to 7b, frost window May 5 to September 30. - Southern Plains vegetable planting calendar
Southern Plains: USDA zones 5b to 7b, frost window April 10 to October 30. - Northern California vegetable planting calendar
Northern California & Central Valley: USDA zones 7b to 10a, frost window February 28 to November 17. - Hawaii vegetable planting calendar
Hawaii: USDA zones 11b to 12b, effectively frost free. - Alaska vegetable planting calendar
Alaska: USDA zones 1b to 7b, frost window May 15 to September 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the planting season in the Mid-Atlantic?
A spring planting follows the last frost in mid-April, with hardy crops going in from March; a second fall planting runs from late summer into October. Garlic and hardy greens overwinter.
How accurate are these dates?
A careful first pass based on regional extension calendars. We are reviewing them with local sources before this region is finalized.
What vegetables can I plant now in the Mid-Atlantic?
It depends on the month. Going by our Mid-Atlantic calendar, in spring (Mar to May) you can sow Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale and Collard Greens; in summer (Jun to Aug) you can sow Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash and Cucumber; in fall (Sep to Nov) you can sow Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale and Collard Greens; in winter (Dec to Feb) you can sow Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens and Broccoli. The What to plant in the Mid-Atlantic now section at the top of this page always shows the current month, and each month page lists every crop.
When is the last frost in the Mid-Atlantic?
Across the Mid-Atlantic the average last spring frost is around April 15 and the first fall frost around October 25, a growing season of about 193 days. ZIP code records for Washington, DC (20001) give a typical last spring frost of March 24 and a first fall frost of November 18. Check your own ZIP code with the Frost Lookup.
When should I plant tomatoes in the Mid-Atlantic?
Our Mid-Atlantic calendar has tomatoes planted in May to July. More in how to grow tomatoes.
When should I plant garlic in the Mid-Atlantic?
Our Mid-Atlantic calendar has garlic planted in October to November. More in how to grow garlic.