Time to Start Planting

Last night, a fellow parent asked me if it was warm enough to start planting outside. Answer: YES! You can begin planting as early as March 15th, depending on what you're planting. Here's a simple chart describing when and where to plant. Note that these dates and recommendations are for zone 6. You can find your plant hardiness zone here. Adjust by two weeks per zone (Zone 5 would plant two weeks later, Zone 7 two weeks earlier, and reverse that in June.)

Date	Start Inside	Direct Seed Outside	Plant Outside
Feb. 15th	Leeks
March 15th	Basil, Ground Cherries, Kale, Peppers, Tomatillos	Peas - assuming ground is not thoroughly frozen
April 1st	Broccoli, Cauliflower, Tomatoes, Herbs
April 15th	Nasturtiums, Potatoes (chitting)	Leeks, Carrots*, Beets*, Onions, Lettuce, Spinach**, Dill, Cilantro, Marigolds, Sunflowers	Leeks, Kale, Strawberries
May 1	Cucumbers, Melons, Squash (summer and winter)	Beans	Broccoli, Cauliflower, Potatoes, Nasturtiums
May: soil temp. is 70 deg		Corn***	Basil, Ground Cherries, Melons, Peppers, Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Squash (summer and winter), herbs
Early June	Broccoli, Cauliflower		Cucumbers
Mid-July		Lettuce, Peas	Broccoli, Cauliflower
Sept./Oct.		Garlic, Shallots

*To ensure a continuous harvest of beets and carrots, seed every two weeks starting April 15th.
**Soak your spinach seeds in water for 24 hours before planting to improve germination.
***If you're considering planting corn, remember that you must have enough space to plant 36 plants (6x6) to ensure proper pollination.
I hope this is helpful. If there's a vegetable you don't see here, look for similar vegetables and plant at the same time, e.g., brussels sprouts, cabbage, and collards should be planted the same time as broccoli.