What Time of Year Is Best for Planting Crops?

Cool Season Crops

• Some vegetable and flower crops cannot properly grow during the hottest summer heat. Cool season crops such as spinach, collard greens, lettuce and calendula can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked in late winter. These crops tolerate a light frost. Planting in late winter allows them to be harvested before intense summer heat begins. Some cool season crops can be planted in late summer for an autumn or winter harvest.

Warm Weather Growing

• Some vegetables and flowers need the summer heat for best performance. Tomatoes, peppers and nasturtiums should be planted once the soil has warmed consistently in late spring or early summer. Warm weather crops produce and flower best after prolonged exposure to summer heat.

Planting Location

• When planting from seed, directions on the seed packet list when to plant by USDA growing zones. Know the zone where you are planting and plant at the time specified by the packet. Consider weather conditions from the current year.