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    Planting Guides

    Regional planting guides tailored to your USDA hardiness zone. Discover the best planting times, frost dates, and variety recommendations for successful gardening in your area.

    290 articles•Last updated: October 7, 2026

    Showing articles 1 to 24 of 290

    Growing Herbs in Containers: Pots, Soil & Harvest
    Planting Guides

    Growing Herbs in Containers: Pots, Soil & Harvest

    Growing herbs in containers starts with matching plants by water needs. Choose roomy draining pots, mix herbs that drink alike, and harvest often without exhausting them.

    CCarlos Mendez
    Growing Lettuce in Containers: Fast Salad Harvests
    Planting Guides

    Growing Lettuce in Containers: Fast Salad Harvests

    Grow lettuce and salad greens in shallow containers with tight spacing, steady moisture, 14-day succession sowing, and smart shade for crisp repeat harvests.

    CCarlos Mendez
    Growing Peppers in Containers: Pots, Mix & Feeding
    Planting Guides

    Growing Peppers in Containers: Pots, Mix & Feeding

    Grow productive peppers in containers with one plant per 3–5 gallon pot, an airy mix, steady watering, support, and feeding that changes when flowering begins.

    CCarlos Mendez
    Growing Forsythia in the Pacific Northwest
    Planting Guides

    Growing Forsythia in the Pacific Northwest

    Grow forsythia in the Pacific Northwest with full sun, well-drained soil, generous spacing, and post-bloom renewal pruning that preserves its arching form.

    MMike Thompson
    When to Plant Green Beans in Kansas City: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 6a
    Planting Guides
    Zone 6a

    When to Plant Green Beans in Kansas City: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 6a

    Learn exactly when to plant green beans in Kansas City with specific dates for Zone 6a. Discover the best varieties for hot summers and long seasons.

    DDorothy "Dot" Williams·Kansas City, MO
    When to Plant Lettuce in New York: Zone 7a Dates + Varieties
    Planting Guides
    Zone 7a

    When to Plant Lettuce in New York: Zone 7a Dates + Varieties

    Plant lettuce in New York starting mid-March once soil hits 40°F. Start seeds indoors late February, transplant mid-to-late March, and sow again in August for a long fall harvest in Zone 7a.

    FFrank Russo·New York, NY
    When to Plant Lettuce in Chicago: Zone 6a Dates + Varieties
    Planting Guides
    Zone 6a

    When to Plant Lettuce in Chicago: Zone 6a Dates + Varieties

    Plant lettuce in Chicago starting early April once soil hits 40°F. Start seeds indoors mid-March, transplant mid-to-late April, and sow again in August for a fall crop in Zone 6a.

    PPatricia "Pat" O'Brien·Chicago, IL
    When to Plant Lettuce in Pittsburgh: Zone 6b Dates
    Planting Guides
    Zone 6b

    When to Plant Lettuce in Pittsburgh: Zone 6b Dates

    Start lettuce seeds indoors in mid-March in Pittsburgh, transplant mid-April, and direct sow through May. Get exact Zone 6b dates, the best varieties for beds and containers, and a fall planting plan.

    LLinda Kowalski·Pittsburgh, PA
    When to Plant Peppers in Phoenix: Zone 9b Dates + Best Varieties
    Planting Guides
    Zone 9b

    When to Plant Peppers in Phoenix: Zone 9b Dates + Best Varieties

    Plant peppers in Phoenix from mid-February through March for spring harvest and again in late July for fall production. Zone 9b's extreme summer heat creates a midsummer gap.

    AAlejandro Vega·Phoenix, AZ
    When to Plant Tomatoes in Pittsburgh: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 6b
    Planting Guides
    Zone 6b

    When to Plant Tomatoes in Pittsburgh: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 6b

    Start tomato seeds indoors March 13-20 in Pittsburgh for Zone 6b. Transplant outdoors May 1-8 after last frost for optimal growth in Pennsylvania's climate.

    ·Pittsburgh, PA
    When to Plant Cucumbers in Kansas City: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 6a
    Planting Guides
    Zone 6a

    When to Plant Cucumbers in Kansas City: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 6a

    Learn when to plant cucumbers in Kansas City with specific dates for Zone 6a. Compare 6 varieties and discover which handle Missouri's hot, humid summers and storm-prone weather.

    WWilliam "Bill" Crawford·Kansas City, MO
    When to Plant Cucumbers in Pittsburgh: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 6b
    Planting Guides
    Zone 6b

    When to Plant Cucumbers in Pittsburgh: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 6b

    Learn when to plant cucumbers in Pittsburgh with specific dates for Zone 6b. Compare 6 varieties and discover which produce best in western Pennsylvania's shorter season.

    LLinda Kowalski·Pittsburgh, PA
    When to Plant Onions in Minneapolis: Zone 4a Dates + Varieties
    Planting Guides
    Zone 4a

    When to Plant Onions in Minneapolis: Zone 4a Dates + Varieties

    Plant onions in Minneapolis in mid-April for spring crops. Zone 4a requires long-day Allium cepa varieties—plus a fall garlic planting in October for next summer's harvest.

    AAmanda Foster·Minneapolis, MN
    When to Plant Cucumbers in Milwaukee: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 5b
    Planting Guides
    Zone 5b

    When to Plant Cucumbers in Milwaukee: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 5b

    Learn when to plant cucumbers in Milwaukee with specific dates for Zone 5b. Compare 6 varieties and discover which produce best in Wisconsin's short 139-day growing season.

    PPatricia "Pat" O'Brien·Milwaukee, WI
    When to Plant Cucumbers in New York: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 7a
    Planting Guides
    Zone 7a

    When to Plant Cucumbers in New York: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 7a

    Learn when to plant cucumbers in New York with specific dates for Zone 7a. Compare 6 varieties and discover which perform best through NYC's humid summers.

    FFrank Russo·New York, NY
    When to Plant Green Beans in Oklahoma City: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 7a
    Planting Guides
    Zone 7a

    When to Plant Green Beans in Oklahoma City: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 7a

    Plant green beans in Oklahoma City from mid-April through late August across the 218-day season. Zone 7a's hot dry summers need irrigation and heat-tolerant varieties.

    RRobert Foster·Oklahoma City, OK
    When to Plant Onions in Boise: Zone 6a Dates + Varieties
    Planting Guides
    Zone 6a

    When to Plant Onions in Boise: Zone 6a Dates + Varieties

    Plant long-day onions in Boise late March through mid-April for an August harvest, and plant garlic cloves in October. Here are the Zone 6a dates and varieties that actually work in our high-desert, alkaline soil.

    LLily Nakamura·Boise, ID
    When to Plant Onions in Boston: Zone 6b Dates + Varieties
    Planting Guides
    Zone 6b

    When to Plant Onions in Boston: Zone 6b Dates + Varieties

    Plant long-day onions in Boston late March through mid-April for an August harvest, and plant garlic in October for next July. Here are the Zone 6b dates, varieties, and cold-climate planning that make alliums one of New England's most dependable crops.

    KKevin Doyle·Boston, MA
    When to Plant Green Beans in Memphis: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 7b
    Planting Guides
    Zone 7b

    When to Plant Green Beans in Memphis: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 7b

    Plant green beans in Memphis from mid-April through late August for harvests spanning the 210-day season. Zone 7b's hot humid summers demand heat-tolerant varieties and disease management.

    MMarcus Washington·Memphis, TN
    When to Plant Peppers in Houston: Zone 9a Dates + Best Varieties
    Planting Guides
    Zone 9a

    When to Plant Peppers in Houston: Zone 9a Dates + Best Varieties

    Plant peppers in Houston from mid-March through May for a harvest running June through November. Zone 9a's heat and humidity demand disease-resistant varieties and proper drainage in Beaumont clay.

    AAisha Patel·Houston, TX
    When to Plant Green Beans in Los Angeles: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 10b
    Planting Guides
    Zone 10b

    When to Plant Green Beans in Los Angeles: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 10b

    Plant green beans in Los Angeles nearly year-round across the 303-day frost-free season. Zone 10b's mild winters and warm summers support continuous production with proper variety rotation.

    EEmma Chen·Los Angeles, CA
    When to Plant Green Beans in Austin: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 8b
    Planting Guides
    Zone 8b

    When to Plant Green Beans in Austin: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 8b

    Learn when to plant green beans in Austin with specific dates for Zone 8b. Compare 6 varieties, get a complete timeline, and discover which beans grow best in Texas.

    DDorothy "Dot" Williams·Austin, TX
    When to Plant Peppers in Austin: Zone 8b Dates + Best Varieties
    Planting Guides
    Zone 8b

    When to Plant Peppers in Austin: Zone 8b Dates + Best Varieties

    Plant peppers in Austin from mid-March through May for a harvest window stretching June through November. Zone 8b's long hot summers deliver the heat peppers crave with proper watering.

    CCarlos Mendez·Austin, TX
    When to Plant Green Beans in Houston: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 9a
    Planting Guides
    Zone 9a

    When to Plant Green Beans in Houston: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 9a

    Learn when to plant green beans in Houston with specific dates for Zone 9a. Compare 6 varieties and discover which grow best in Texas heat.

    DDorothy "Dot" Williams·Houston, TX