Zone 7a Planting Calendar
In zone 7a, the median last spring frost falls around Apr 2 and the first fall frost around Nov 2, giving roughly 213 frost-free days. Average annual minimum temperature is 0°F to 5°F. Every date in the table below is calculated from those two frost dates.
Comparable areas: St. Louis, MO, Louisville, KY, Salt Lake City, UT. Anchored on the NWS 1991-2020 normal first fall 32F freeze for St. Louis, MO (November 2). Salt Lake City is also 7a but is a high desert basin: its spring warm-up and fall cool-down are both sharper, and it is far drier. Do not port a St. Louis planting calendar to Salt Lake City unchanged.
What to plant and when in zone 7a
Sorted by when you start each crop. Dates are calculated from a median last frost of Apr 2 and a first frost of Nov 2.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall sowing | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celery | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | Apr 16 – Apr 29 | — | Jul 25 – Aug 24 |
| Leek | Jan 8 – Feb 5 | Mar 5 – Mar 18 | — | Jun 3 – Aug 2 |
| Onion | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | Mar 12 – Mar 25 | — | Jun 20 – Jul 10 |
| Rosemary | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | Apr 16 – Apr 29 | — | Jul 5 – Jul 25 |
| Kale | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Mar 5 – Mar 18 | Aug 10 – Aug 23 | Apr 24 – May 26 |
| Broccoli | Jan 22 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – Mar 25 | Aug 3 – Aug 16 | May 1 – Jun 10 |
| Cabbage | Jan 22 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – Mar 25 | Aug 3 – Aug 16 | May 11 – Jun 20 |
| Pepper (sweet/bell) | Jan 22 – Feb 19 | Apr 23 – May 6 | — | Jul 2 – Jul 17 |
| Chives | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 15 | — | Jun 21 – Jul 1 |
| Common Thyme | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 15 | — | Jun 1 – Jul 1 |
| Greek Oregano | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 15 | — | Jun 21 – Jul 1 |
| Cauliflower | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | Mar 19 – Apr 1 | Aug 3 – Aug 16 | May 8 – Jun 7 |
| Eggplant | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 16 – Apr 29 | — | Jun 10 – Jul 5 |
| Sweet Potato | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 23 – May 6 | — | Jul 22 – Aug 21 |
| Basil | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 9 – Apr 22 | — | Jun 15 – Jul 15 |
| Garden Sage | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 15 | — | Jun 11 – Jun 21 |
| Parsley | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 15 | Aug 24 – Sep 6 | Jun 11 – Jun 21 |
| Spearmint | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 15 | — | Jun 1 – Jul 1 |
| Calendula / Pot Marigold | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 19 – Apr 1 | Sep 7 – Sep 20 | May 8 – May 18 |
| French Marigold | Feb 5 – Mar 5 | Apr 9 – Apr 22 | — | May 24 – Jun 8 |
| Sweet Alyssum | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 19 – Apr 1 | Sep 7 – Sep 20 | Apr 30 – May 14 |
| Tomato | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Apr 9 – Apr 22 | — | Jun 3 – Jul 8 |
| Bok Choy | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 1 | Sep 7 – Sep 20 | Apr 18 – May 18 |
| Collard Greens | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 1 | Aug 10 – Aug 23 | May 18 – Jun 7 |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 12 – Mar 25 | Aug 31 – Sep 13 | May 8 – May 18 |
| Lettuce | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 12 – Mar 25 | Aug 24 – Sep 6 | May 8 – May 28 |
| Spinach | Feb 19 – Feb 26 | Mar 12 – Mar 25 | Sep 14 – Sep 27 | May 9 – May 20 |
| Swiss Chard | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 1 | Oct 5 – Oct 18 | Apr 28 – May 13 |
| Pea | — | Feb 26 – Mar 11 | Aug 31 – Sep 13 | Apr 22 – May 12 |
| Rhubarb | — | Feb 26 – Mar 11 | — | Feb 26 – Feb 25 |
| Watermelon | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Apr 16 – Apr 29 | — | Jun 25 – Jul 20 |
| Arugula | — | Mar 5 – Mar 18 | Sep 21 – Oct 4 | Apr 4 – Apr 24 |
| Asparagus | — | Mar 5 – Mar 18 | — | Mar 4 |
| Cucumber | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 16 – Apr 29 | — | Jun 5 – Jun 25 |
| Pumpkin | Mar 5 – Mar 12 | Apr 16 – Apr 29 | — | Jul 10 – Aug 14 |
| Turnip | — | Mar 5 – Mar 18 | Aug 31 – Sep 13 | Apr 14 – May 19 |
| Nasturtium | Mar 5 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – Apr 22 | — | Jun 3 – Jun 13 |
| Beet | — | Mar 12 – Mar 25 | Aug 24 – Sep 6 | May 1 – May 21 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 12 – Mar 25 | Aug 17 – Aug 30 | May 11 – May 31 |
| Potato | — | Mar 12 – Mar 25 | — | May 21 – Jul 10 |
| Radish | — | Mar 12 – Mar 25 | Sep 21 – Oct 4 | Apr 2 – Apr 26 |
| Sunflower | Mar 12 – Mar 19 | Apr 9 – Apr 22 | — | Jun 18 – Jul 18 |
| Parsnip | — | Mar 19 – Apr 1 | — | Jul 7 – Jul 27 |
| Winter Squash (Butternut) | Mar 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 16 – Apr 29 | — | Jul 5 – Jul 25 |
| Cantaloupe (Muskmelon) | Mar 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 16 – Apr 29 | — | Jun 23 – Jul 10 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 19 – Apr 1 | — | Apr 16 – Apr 18 |
| Dill | — | Mar 26 – Apr 8 | Aug 24 – Sep 6 | May 5 – May 20 |
| Bush bean | — | Apr 2 – Apr 15 | Aug 24 – Sep 6 | May 22 – Jun 1 |
| Pole bean | — | Apr 2 – Apr 15 | — | May 30 – Jun 4 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 2 – Apr 15 | — | Jun 1 – Jul 11 |
| Borage | — | Apr 2 – Apr 15 | — | May 22 – Jun 1 |
| Cilantro / Coriander | — | Apr 2 – Apr 15 | Sep 7 – Sep 20 | May 17 – Jun 11 |
| Summer squash / zucchini | — | Apr 9 – Apr 22 | — | May 14 – Jun 3 |
| Okra | — | Apr 16 – Apr 29 | — | Jun 15 – Jun 25 |
| Brussels Sprouts | — | Jun 11 – Jun 24 | Jul 27 – Aug 9 | Sep 4 – Sep 29 |
| Garlic | — | — | Nov 2 – Nov 15 | — |
Print this page for a calendar you can pin up in the shed.
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One zone is not one climate. USDA hardiness zones are drawn from average winter minimum temperature and nothing else, so they do not determine frost dates. Two gardens in zone 7a can differ by two or three weeks depending on elevation, distance from water, and local topography. Treat this page as a starting schedule and adjust it to what your own garden has actually done. How these dates were derived →
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