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2023 Planting Calendar: When to Start Vegetable Seeds | The Old Farmer's Almanac

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Planting Calendar for Jackson, AL

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The planting calendar below tells you when to plant in the SPRING and also plant in the FALL, based on your zip code or postal code.

Fall Planting Calendar

When we say "fall," we really mean planting in summer in time for a fall harvest. Think of this as a second summer! It's easy to keep the crops going if you're already prepared the soil! 

Many crops that would be started indoors for a spring crop can just be plunked into the soil directly for a fall crop. Not only is the soil already warm but also there are less pests and it tends to be rainier so you don't need to water as often. Some fall vegetables need to be harvested by the first frost but also many are frost-tolerant—and even taste better after a kiss of fall frost!

See each plant's individual Growing Guide for more specific planting, plant care, and harvesting information.

Spring Planting Calendar

Our spring planting calendar starts with the very first dates that you can plant (based on the last spring frost). But if you've missed these dates, no worries! This is why we've added "last planting dates" to our spring calendar; this is meant to help new gardeners understand that if they missed the first spring planting window, they can still get crops in the ground.

In fact, many crops with short maturity times (such as radishes) can be succession planted all the way through the summer in northern areas. However, note that some cool-seasons crops such as kale and lettuce do not grow well in hot tempertures, which can cause bolting issues.  For some gardeners, especially in the South, a break to avoid summer heat is needed, but they can start once the heat has passed. 

The dates provided are based on the number of weeks before or after frost, so we can provide a unique calendar to every user in the country. Thus several crops (especially similar crops) may appear to have the same date. Kale and lettuce, for example, or dates for starting seeds, like broccoli and cabbage. 

Specifically, on the charts, there are different columns labeled as follows:

  1. Start Seeds Indoors: When to sow seeds indoors to get an early start on the season.
  2. Plant Seedlings Outdoors: When to put small seedlings that you grew indoors (OR starter plants that you bought at a garden nursery) in the outdoor soil.
  3. Start Seeds Outdoors: When to plant seeds directly into the outdoor soil.
  4. Last Date to Plant: You may plant any time from the "start seeds" dates until this "last date." Don't wait any longer, or the crop won't have time to get to harvest before fall/winter frosts.

The "Moon Dates" indicate the best planting dates based on Moon phases. You can learn more about this age-old technique below.

When N/A appears in the chart, that starting method is typically not recommended, although it is likely still possible. 

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Planting Dates for Fall

On average, your first fall frost occurs on November 5 (at JACKSON, AL climate station).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds OutdoorsTransplantAverage Days to MaturityFrost Tolerance
ArugulaFrost Sep 17-Oct 22
Moon Sep 17-29, Oct 14-22
N/A40Frost-hardy
BeetsFrost Aug 13-Sep 10
Moon Aug 13-15, Aug 31-Sep 10
N/A50Frost-tolerant
Bok ChoyFrost Aug 27-Sep 17
Moon Aug 27-30, Sep 14-17
N/A50Frost-tolerant
BroccoliFrost Aug 6-13
Frost Aug 27-Sep 10
Moon Aug 27-30
60Frost-tolerant
CabbageFrost Aug 6-13
Frost Aug 27-Sep 3
Moon Aug 27-30
90Frost-tolerant
CarrotsFrost Aug 20-27
N/A70Frost-tolerant
CauliflowerFrost Jul 30-Aug 6
Moon Jul 30-Aug 1
Frost Aug 13-20
Moon Aug 16-20
75Frost-tolerant
ChivesFrost Aug 13-Sep 10
Moon Aug 16-30
N/A70Frost-tolerant
GarlicFrost Nov 18-Dec 2
Moon Nov 28-Dec 2
N/A120Frost-hardy
Green BeansFrost Aug 20-Sep 3
Moon Aug 20-30
N/A55Tender
KaleFrost Aug 27-Sep 10
Moon Aug 27-30
N/A60Frost-hardy
KohlrabiFrost Sep 3-24
Moon Sep 14-24
N/A45Frost-tolerant
LettuceFrost Aug 27-Sep 10
Moon Aug 27-30
N/A60Frost-tolerant
PeasFrost Aug 27-Sep 10
Moon Aug 27-30
N/A55Tender
RadishesFrost Sep 24-Oct 8
Moon Sep 30-Oct 8
N/A25Frost-tolerant
SpinachFrost Sep 17-Oct 8
Moon Sep 17-29
N/A30Frost-hardy
Swiss ChardFrost Aug 27-Sep 10
Moon Aug 27-30
N/A60Frost-tolerant
TurnipsFrost Sep 3-17
Moon Sep 3-13
N/A50Frost-tolerant

Planting Dates for Spring

On average, your last spring frost occurs on March 26 (at JACKSON, AL climate station, elevation 219 feet).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds IndoorsPlant Seedlings
or Transplants
Start Seeds OutdoorsLast Date to Plant
ArugulaFrost Jan 28-Feb 11
Moon Jan 28-Feb 5
Frost Mar 4-19
Moon Mar 4- 7
Frost Feb 25-Mar 4
Moon Feb 25-Mar 4
Oct 8
AsparagusN/AN/AFrost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 11-20
Mar 26
BasilFrost Feb 11-25
Moon Feb 20-25
Frost Apr 9-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Frost Apr 9-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Sep 24
BeetsN/AFrost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 11-20
Frost Feb 25-Mar 4
Apr 9
Bell PeppersFrost Jan 14-28
Moon Jan 21-28
Frost Apr 9-16
N/AAug 13
Bok ChoyFrost Feb 11-25
Moon Feb 20-25
Frost Apr 9-16
Frost Apr 9-16
May 7
BroccoliFrost Jan 28-Feb 11
Moon Jan 28-Feb 5
Frost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost Feb 25-Mar 4
Moon Feb 25-Mar 4
Sep 3
Brussels SproutsFrost Feb 11-25
Moon Feb 20-25
Frost Dec 17-31
Moon Dec 23-31
Frost Nov 19-Dec 3
Moon Nov 23-Dec 3
Jul 30
CabbageFrost Jan 28-Feb 11
Moon Jan 28-Feb 5
Frost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost Feb 25-Mar 4
Moon Feb 25-Mar 4
Jul 23
CantaloupesFrost Mar 4-19
Moon Mar 4- 7
Frost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 5
Frost Apr 2- 9
Moon Apr 2- 5
Jul 30
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Feb 25-Mar 11
Moon Mar 8-11
Aug 27
CauliflowerFrost Feb 11-25
Moon Feb 20-25
Frost Mar 19-Apr 2
Moon Mar 21-Apr 2
N/AAug 27
CeleryFrost Dec 31-Jan 14
Moon Dec 31-Jan 6
Frost Apr 2-16
Moon Apr 2- 5
Frost Mar 26
Moon Mar 26
Aug 27
ChivesFrost Jan 28-Feb 11
Moon Jan 28-Feb 5
Frost Mar 4-11
Moon Mar 4- 7
Frost Mar 4-11
Moon Mar 4- 7
Sep 10
Cilantro (Coriander)N/AN/AFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 5
Apr 16
CollardsFrost Feb 11-25
Moon Feb 20-25
Frost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost Mar 4-11
Moon Mar 4- 7
Aug 27
CornN/AN/AFrost Apr 9-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Aug 20
CucumbersFrost Mar 4-11
Moon Mar 4- 7
Frost Apr 2-16
Moon Apr 2- 5
Frost Apr 9-16
Aug 27
DillN/AN/AFrost Mar 19-Apr 9
Moon Mar 21-Apr 5
Sep 10
EggplantsFrost Jan 28-Feb 11
Moon Jan 28-Feb 5
Frost Apr 9-16
N/AAug 27
Fava Beans (Broad Beans)N/AN/AFrost Feb 25-Mar 4
Moon Feb 25-Mar 4
Apr 9
GarlicN/AN/AN/A
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost Apr 2-23
Moon Apr 2- 5, Apr 19-23
Aug 27
Jalapeño PeppersFrost Jan 14-28
Moon Jan 21-28
Frost Apr 9-16
N/A
KaleFrost Jan 28-Feb 11
Moon Jan 28-Feb 5
Frost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost Feb 25-Mar 4
Moon Feb 25-Mar 4
Apr 9
KohlrabiFrost Feb 11-25
Moon Feb 20-25
Frost Mar 4-11
Moon Mar 4- 7
Frost Feb 25-Mar 4
Moon Feb 25-Mar 4
Apr 9
LettuceFrost Feb 11-25
Moon Feb 20-25
Frost Mar 4-11
Moon Mar 4- 7
Frost Feb 25-Mar 4
Moon Feb 25-Mar 4
Apr 9
OkraFrost Feb 25-Mar 11
Moon Feb 25-Mar 7
Frost Apr 9-16
Frost Apr 9-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Aug 27
Onion SetsN/AFrost Feb 25-Mar 11
Moon Mar 8-11
N/AJul 30
OreganoFrost Jan 14-Feb 11
Moon Jan 21-Feb 5
Frost Apr 2-16
Moon Apr 2- 5
N/AAug 27
ParsleyFrost Jan 14-28
Moon Jan 21-28
Frost Apr 2-16
Moon Apr 2- 5
Frost Feb 25-Apr 2
Moon Feb 25-Mar 7, Mar 21-Apr 2
Aug 20
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Feb 25-Mar 4
Jul 30
PeasN/AN/AFrost Feb 25-Mar 4
Moon Feb 25-Mar 4
Apr 9
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Feb 25-Mar 11
Moon Mar 8-11
Aug 27
PumpkinsFrost Mar 4-19
Moon Mar 4- 7
Frost Apr 9-16
Frost Apr 9-16
Jul 23
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Feb 25-Mar 4
Sep 10
RosemaryFrost Dec 31-Jan 14
Moon Dec 31-Jan 6
Frost Apr 9-16
N/ASep 10
SageFrost Jan 28-Feb 11
Moon Jan 28-Feb 5
Frost Apr 2-16
Moon Apr 2- 5
N/AAug 20
SpinachFrost Feb 11-25
Moon Feb 20-25
Frost Mar 4-11
Moon Mar 4- 7
Frost Feb 25-Mar 4
Moon Feb 25-Mar 4
Apr 9
Sweet PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Apr 9-23
Moon Apr 9-18
Jul 23
Swiss ChardFrost Feb 11-25
Moon Feb 20-25
Frost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost Mar 4-26
Moon Mar 4- 7, Mar 21-26
Apr 9
ThymeFrost Jan 14-28
Moon Jan 21-28
Frost Apr 2- 9
Moon Apr 2- 5
N/AAug 13
TomatillosFrost Feb 11-25
Moon Feb 20-25
Frost Apr 9-23
Moon Apr 19-23
N/AAug 20
TomatoesFrost Jan 28-Feb 11
Moon Jan 28-Feb 5
Frost Apr 9-16
N/AAug 6
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Feb 25-Mar 4
Oct 8
WatermelonsFrost Mar 4-19
Moon Mar 4- 7
Frost Apr 9-16
Frost Apr 2- 9
Moon Apr 2- 5
Aug 6
Winter SquashFrost Mar 4-11
Moon Mar 4- 7
Frost Apr 2-16
Moon Apr 2- 5
Frost Apr 9-16
Jul 16
Zucchini and Summer SquashFrost Mar 4-11
Moon Mar 4- 7
Frost Apr 2-16
Moon Apr 2- 5
Frost Apr 9-16
Sep 3
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