Garden Chores by USDA Zone: Monthly Checklists | What's Bloomin'

Cold Northern Climates

Zones 3a, 3b, 4a

Short, intense growing season of about 90-110 days. Winter rules most of the year. Indoor seed starting starts February.

Zone 3a

Last frost: June 5
First frost: August 30

Zone 3b

Last frost: May 30
First frost: September 5

Zone 4a

Last frost: May 25
First frost: September 10

Cool Temperate

Zones 4b, 5a, 5b

Roughly 120-150 day season. Last frost in May, first frost in late September. Generous perennial palette but no zone 7+ marginals.

Zone 4b

Last frost: May 20
First frost: September 18

Zone 5a

Last frost: May 15
First frost: September 25

Zone 5b

Last frost: May 5
First frost: October 5

Mid-Atlantic Temperate

Zones 6a, 6b, 7a

About 170-200 days frost-free. Last frost in mid-April, first frost mid-October. The widest plant palette in the country.

Zone 6a

Last frost: April 25
First frost: October 10

Zone 6b

Last frost: April 18
First frost: October 18

Zone 7a

Last frost: April 10
First frost: October 25

Warm Temperate

Zones 7b, 8a, 8b

Roughly 220-250 days. Mild winters, hot summers. Heat tolerance matters as much as cold hardiness.

Zone 7b

Last frost: April 1
First frost: November 5

Zone 8a

Last frost: March 25
First frost: November 10

Zone 8b

Last frost: March 15
First frost: November 20

Subtropical

Zones 9a, 9b

Near frost-free, 275-300 day season. Cool-season crops grow in winter, warm-season in spring through fall.

Zone 9a

Last frost: March 1
First frost: December 1

Zone 9b

Last frost: February 15
First frost: December 10

Tropical

Zones 10a, 10b, 11

Essentially frost-free year-round. Two growing seasons defined by wet/dry, not warm/cold. Many temperate plants will not thrive.

Zone 10a

Last frost: January 30
First frost: December 20

Zone 10b

Frost-free year-round

Zone 11

Frost-free year-round

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