When should you plant tomatoes, peppers, squash or collards? Start with your state below, or jump straight to your crop and USDA zone for seed-starting, outdoor planting and harvest windows. These free calendars cover 30 specialty crops in Zones 6a–9b, and the state pages pair those dates with what it costs to grow an acre from published extension budgets. Dates use average frost conditions, not a forecast for your field.
Every state calendar pairs planting dates from average frost dates with what it costs per acre where we've transcribed that state's own published extension budgets — we don't put cost numbers on a page we can't source.
Not sure of your zone? Find the city closest to your farm.
30 crops × 8 zones — pick the combination that matches your farm.
A planting date tells you when a crop can grow — not whether it pays. Compare seed, fertilizer, labor and harvest costs against your expected selling price. Then check which produce buyers need that crop, pack size and delivery week before committing ground.
Dates are calculated from average first and last frost dates for each zone. Your microclimate, elevation, and soil temperature can shift any window by a week or more — treat these as starting points and keep your own records.