Planting Schedule for Zone 7a: What to Plant, When, and How Often

Understanding Your Growing Season

In Zone 7a, the growing season runs from about April 15 to October 15 — roughly 180 days. But within those 180 days, there are two distinct growing seasons:

Spring season (mid-March to mid-July): Growing temps 40–85°F. Cool-season crops thrive. Warm-season crops go in after last frost (~April 15).

Fall season (mid-July to mid-November): Growing temps 85–40°F. Cool-season crops shine. This is often more productive than spring because fall heat stress is minimal.

Summer gap (mid-June to mid-August): The hottest months. Most crops slow down or bolt. Only heat-tolerant crops do well.

Winter rest (mid-November to mid-March): Soil is too cold for growing, except under protection (cold frames, hoop houses).

The Planting Calendar

March

Week	Plant In Ground	Start Indoors
Early	Peas, spinach, radishes, looseleaf lettuce, claytonia	Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage
Mid	More spinach, arugula, tatsoi, mizuna	Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
Late	Sweet peas, onion sets	Basil, melons (late March)

April

Week	Plant In Ground	Start Indoors
Early	Lettuce (all types), carrots, beets, Swiss chard	—
Mid	Bush beans, cilantro, dill, parsley	—
Late	Tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers (after last frost)	—
Late	Basil, sweet potatoes (end of April)	—

May

Week	Plant In Ground	Start Indoors
Early	Pole beans, more tomatoes/peppers	—
Mid	Summer squash, cucumbers, melons	—
Late	Corn, pumpkins, watermelons	—

June

Week	Plant In Ground	Start Indoors
Early	Second bean planting, second lettuce planting	—
Mid	Second lettuce planting, arugula	—
Late	Third bean planting, late lettuce	—

July

Week	Plant In Ground	Start Indoors
Early	Fall broccoli, cauliflower seedlings	Fall broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage
Mid	Fall carrots, fall beets	Fall greens (spinach, arugula)
Late	Fall spinach, fall lettuce	Fall brassicas

August

Week	Plant In Ground	Start Indoors
Early	Fall broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage transplants	—
Mid	Fall carrots, beets, turnips, spinach	—
Late	Fall arugula, lettuce, claytonia	Garlic (late August)

September

Week	Plant In Ground	Start Indoors
Early	Fall greens (kale, collards, mustard)	—
Mid	Garlic (if missed August)	—
Late	Winter spinach, tatsoi, mizuna	—

October

Week	Plant In Ground	Start Indoors
Early	Garlic (must be planted by mid-October)	—
Mid	Winter covers (rye, vetch)	—
Late	Winter covers	—

November–February

Nothing to plant outdoors. Focus on:

• Planning next year
• Ordering seeds
• Maintaining cold frames
• Composting and soil building

Succession Planting: What and When

Not every crop needs succession planting. Root vegetables and brassicas are usually planted once per season. But the following crops benefit from staggered plantings:

Crop	How Often	For How Long
Lettuce (looseleaf)	Every 2 weeks	April–June, August–October
Radishes	Every 2 weeks	March–June, August–October
Spinach	Every 2 weeks	March–June, August–October
Bush beans	Every 2 weeks	May–August
Arugula	Every 2 weeks	March–June, August–October
Carrots	Every 3 weeks	April–July
Beets	Every 3 weeks	April–July, August–September
Kale	Every 3 weeks	March–June, August–November

Crop-Specific Timing

Tomatoes

• Start indoors: Mid-February (10 weeks before last frost)
• Transplant outdoors: Mid-April (after last frost)
• First harvest: Late June
• Peak harvest: July–September
• Last harvest: October (when frost hits)

Peppers

• Start indoors: Mid-February (10 weeks before last frost)
• Transplant outdoors: Mid-April (after last frost)
• First harvest: Late July
• Peak harvest: August–September
• Last harvest: October

Squash (summer)

• Plant outdoors: Late May (soil 60°F+)
• First harvest: July
• Peak harvest: August
• Last harvest: September

Beans (bush)

• Plant outdoors: Late May through July (every 2 weeks)
• First harvest: July
• Peak harvest: July–August
• Last harvest: September (final planting)

Beans (pole)

• Plant outdoors: Late May
• First harvest: July
• Peak harvest: August–September
• Last harvest: October

Carrots

• Direct sow (spring): Mid-April
• First harvest: June–July
• Direct sow (fall): Mid-August
• Fall harvest: October–November (under mulch)

Cucumbers

• Plant outdoors: Late May
• First harvest: July
• Peak harvest: August
• Last harvest: September

Peas

• Direct sow (spring): Mid-March (2 weeks before last frost)
• Harvest: May
• Direct sow (fall): Mid-August
• Fall harvest: October–November

Broccoli

• Start indoors: Mid-March (4 weeks before transplant)
• Transplant outdoors: Mid-April
• Head harvest: June
• Start indoors (fall): Late July
• Transplant (fall): August
• Fall harvest: October–November

Quick Reference: Days to Maturity

Crop	Days to Maturity
Radishes	25–30
Arugula	30–40
Looseleaf lettuce	30–45
Spinach	35–45
Bush beans	50–60
Peas	60–70
Carrots	60–75
Beets	50–60
Lettuce (head)	45–60
Broccoli	60–80
Cabbage	70–100
Tomatoes	60–80 (from transplant)
Peppers	60–90 (from transplant)
Cucumbers	50–65
Summer squash	45–55
Pole beans	55–70
Corn	70–90
Kale	55–65

The Bottom Line

A planting schedule turns the garden from a guessing game into a system. You know what goes in when, how often to replant, and when to expect harvests. The calendar above is a starting point — adjust it to your specific garden, microclimate, and preferences.

Print it out. Put it on the fridge. Check it every few weeks. By the end of your first season using a planting schedule, your garden will feel organized and productive instead of chaotic and reactive.

The hardest part is starting. The easiest part is continuing — because once you see what works in your garden, you'll know what to plant next year.