Zone calendars · 6 min read
Vegetable Planting Calendar for USDA Zone 7
Direct-seed and transplant windows by month for the 25 vegetables that carry a Zone 7 wholesale operation.
USDA Zone 7 covers Virginia, most of Tennessee, and western North Carolina — average last frost around April 15, first fall frost around October 20. That's roughly 180 frost-free days, enough for two full cash crops on the same ground if you sequence right.
Spring — direct seed
- Mar 15–Apr 1: peas, spinach, lettuce, radish, turnip, beets, carrots.
- Apr 15–May 1: beans (snap, bush), sweet corn, cucumber, summer squash.
- May 1–15: okra, southern peas, watermelon direct.
Spring — transplant
- Mar 15–Apr 1: broccoli, cabbage, kale, collards, onion sets.
- Apr 20–May 10: tomato, pepper, eggplant, watermelon, cantaloupe.
- May 10–25: sweet potato slips.
Fall — direct seed
- Jul 15–Aug 1: fall beans, cucumber, summer squash.
- Aug 15–Sep 1: spinach, lettuce, kale, turnip, radish.
- Sep 1–15: garlic (for next year), overwinter spinach.
Fall — transplant
- Aug 1–20: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards.
Season-extending crops
Under row cover or low tunnels, add 3–4 weeks on both ends. Under high tunnel, greens can be cut year-round.
Run this in BAU, not a spreadsheet
The planner, calculator, and buyer marketplace are included on every plan.