Zone 7 Planting Guide: When to Plant Vegetables in USDA Zone 7
USDA hardiness zone 7 (7a and 7b) covers places where the coldest winter night averages 0 to 10°F. This guide times seed-starting, transplanting, and fall planting for a typical zone 7 last frost of Apr 11 and first fall frost of Oct 28. Two cool seasons (spring and fall) and a long warm season; succession-plant beans and cucumbers.
About these dates: Timings are counted from your average last spring frost date, which is only an average — a frost can still occur after it. Dates vary within a state by elevation, distance from water, and microclimate. Look up the frost date for your ZIP code (your state Cooperative Extension office or NOAA climate normals are good sources) and adjust for the current season’s weather and soil temperature.
Zone 7 frost dates
| Earliest 10% of ZIPs | Typical (median) | Latest 10% of ZIPs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last spring frost (32°F) | Apr 1 | Apr 11 | Apr 26 |
| First fall frost (32°F) | Oct 17 | Oct 28 | Nov 8 |
Frost dates: medians of the nearest NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Climate Normals station (32°F, 50% probability) for each ZIP code in zone 7 (7,068 ZIPs). Zones: USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP data, PRISM Climate Group (Oregon State University); this is a summary, not the official USDA map. Your local dates can differ by weeks — use the ZIP planner or frost-date tables.
What to plant each month in zone 7
| Month | What to plant (typical zone 7 timing) |
|---|---|
| January | Start indoors: broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, kale, peppers |
| February | Start indoors: basil, marigolds, tomatoes, zinnias Direct sow: peas, spinach |
| March | Direct sow: lettuce, radishes Plant sets/transplants: onions Plant seed potatoes: potatoes Transplant: broccoli, cabbage, kale |
| April | Direct sow / transplant: marigolds, zinnias Transplant: basil, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes Direct sow: beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, sweet corn |
| August | Fall transplant: broccoli, cabbage Fall sow: kale |
| September | Fall sow: lettuce, radishes, spinach Fall plant bulbs: daffodils |
| October | Fall plant bulbs: tulips Fall plant cloves: garlic |
Zone 7 planting calendar (23 crops)
Dates assume the typical zone 7 frost dates above; shift them with your own. Timing relative to frost:
| Plant | Task | Typical window |
|---|---|---|
| Basil | Start indoors | Feb 28 – Mar 14 |
| Basil | Transplant | Apr 18 – Apr 25 |
| Beans | Direct sow | Apr 18 – Apr 25 |
| Broccoli | Start indoors | Jan 31 – Feb 14 |
| Broccoli | Transplant | Mar 14 – Mar 28 |
| Broccoli | Fall transplant | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Cabbage | Start indoors | Jan 31 – Feb 14 |
| Cabbage | Transplant | Mar 14 – Mar 28 |
| Cabbage | Fall transplant | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Cucumbers | Direct sow | Apr 18 – Apr 25 |
| Daffodils | Fall plant bulbs | Sep 30 – Nov 11 |
| Eggplant | Start indoors | Jan 31 – Feb 14 |
| Eggplant | Transplant | Apr 25 – May 2 |
| Garlic | Fall plant cloves | Oct 28 – Nov 25 |
| Kale | Start indoors | Jan 31 – Feb 14 |
| Kale | Transplant | Mar 14 – Mar 28 |
| Kale | Fall sow | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Lettuce | Direct sow | Mar 14 – Mar 28 |
| Lettuce | Fall sow | Sep 2 – Sep 16 |
| Marigolds | Start indoors | Feb 28 – Mar 14 |
| Marigolds | Direct sow / transplant | Apr 11 – Apr 18 |
| Onions | Plant sets/transplants | Mar 14 – Mar 28 |
| Peas | Direct sow | Feb 28 – Mar 14 |
| Peppers | Start indoors | Jan 31 – Feb 14 |
| Peppers | Transplant | Apr 25 – May 2 |
| Potatoes | Plant seed potatoes | Mar 14 – Mar 28 |
| Pumpkins | Direct sow | Apr 18 – May 2 |
| Radishes | Direct sow | Mar 7 – Mar 28 |
| Radishes | Fall sow | Sep 16 – Sep 30 |
| Spinach | Direct sow | Feb 28 – Mar 14 |
| Spinach | Fall sow | Sep 2 – Sep 16 |
| Squash | Direct sow | Apr 18 – Apr 25 |
| Sweet corn | Direct sow | Apr 18 – Apr 25 |
| Tomatoes | Start indoors | Feb 14 – Feb 28 |
| Tomatoes | Transplant | Apr 18 – Apr 25 |
| Tulips | Fall plant bulbs | Oct 14 – Nov 25 |
| Zinnias | Start indoors | Feb 28 – Mar 14 |
| Zinnias | Direct sow / transplant | Apr 11 – Apr 25 |
Cool-season vs warm-season crops in zone 7
- Cool-season (peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, kale, onions, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, garlic): tolerate light frost; plant in early spring and again late summer–fall.
- Warm-season (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, basil, marigolds, zinnias): frost-tender; plant after the last frost once soil warms.
States with large zone 7 areas
Delaware · New Jersey · Oklahoma · Tennessee · Kentucky · Maryland · Virginia · Rhode Island · West Virginia · New Mexico · Pennsylvania · Utah · Arkansas · Missouri · Nevada · New York · Connecticut · Massachusetts · Idaho · North Carolina · Kansas · Washington · Alaska · Oregon · Arizona · Illinois
Frequently asked questions
When is the last frost in zone 7?
Across ZIP codes in USDA zone 7, the median last spring frost (32°F) at the nearest NOAA station is about Apr 11, with most falling between Apr 1 and Apr 26. Hardiness zones measure winter lows, not frost dates, so look up your ZIP for a local date.
What are zone 7 winter temperatures?
USDA zone 7 means an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 0 to 10°F (1991–2020), split into 7a (colder half) and 7b.
When should I plant tomatoes in zone 7?
Transplant tomatoes about 1–2 weeks after your last frost (typical zone 7: around Apr 18), once nights stay above 50°F. Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost.
Which states are in zone 7?
Large parts of Delaware, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, Rhode Island fall in zone 7 on the 2023 USDA map. Check your ZIP code, since zones vary within states.
Other zone guides
Zone 3 · Zone 4 · Zone 5 · Zone 6 · Zone 8 · Zone 9 · Zone 10 · Zone 11 · Zone map · Frost dates