Zone 6a planting guide

Chicago, Denver, Kansas City: last frost mid-April, first frost mid-October. About 180 frost-free days if you do not waste June.

The trap

Brandywine. It is a 90-day tomato in a 180-day season after you subtract the cold nights of May.

Early Girl and Sungold. Two lettuce seasons. Garlic in October. A heat mat for peppers.

This week in Zone 6a

Plan, don't sow

Order seed. Sketch the bed. Indoor starts are still weeks out.

Nothing urgent this week in this zone. Use the calendar for the year view, or browse crops to plan.

January
Rest. Inventory leftover seed. Do not buy 40 tomato varieties.
February
Start peppers indoors. Order the last of the seed. Do not sow outdoors.
March
Start tomatoes indoors. Cool crops can be sown under cover or in a cold frame.
April
Typical last-frost month. Harden off. Direct-sow radish, lettuce, peas if you have not.
May
Warm soil. Beans, squash, basil, zinnias, cucumbers. Transplant tomatoes.
June
Tend and harvest. A second sowing of beans if the math works. Plan the fall bed.
July
Tend and harvest. A second sowing of beans if the math works. Plan the fall bed.
August
Fall greens in now if you have not. Count days. Skip new long-season fruit.
September
Last radish and spinach. Prep garlic ground. Harvest the tender things.
October
Typical first-frost month. Plant garlic. Mulch. Take notes while you remember the year.
November · now
Plan, order, or rest — match the frost dates at the top of this page.
December
Rest. Inventory leftover seed. Do not buy 40 tomato varieties.

The sow list

Seasonal, not daily. We will send what to start in your zone, and skip the rest of the year.

No spam. Unsubscribe any time. Partner links may appear in letters.