How to schedule outdoor plantings

Posted by Seeds from Italy on 7th Feb 2021

Vegetables vary in their tolerance to cold, so gardeners generally use the frost-free date as the benchmark for scheduling outdoor plantings. Some cold-tolerant veggies can be planted weeks before the frost-free date; others should be planted a few weeks after the danger of frost is past and warm weather has settled. Here is a general guideline for when to plant outdoors, either by direct seeding or transplanting the plants you started inside. It's good to have some row cover handy in case a hard freeze threatens after you set out plants. Or as shown in the photo above, grow early crops in lightweight pots that you can easily move inside if necessary.

6 weeks before your frost-free date:

Mache

Snow Peas

Shelling Peas

4 weeks before your frost-free date:

Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage

Chicories

Kale and Kohlrabi

Onion and Leek Plants

Spinach

2 weeks before your frost-free date:

Arugula