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

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Planting Calendar for Franklin, IN

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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 October 15 (at FRANKLIN WWTP, IN climate station).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds OutdoorsTransplantAverage Days to MaturityFrost Tolerance
ArugulaFrost Aug 27-Oct 1
Moon Aug 27-30, Sep 14-29
N/A40Frost-hardy
BeetsFrost Jul 23-Aug 20
Moon Aug 2-15
N/A50Frost-tolerant
Bok ChoyFrost Aug 6-27
Moon Aug 16-27
N/A50Frost-tolerant
BroccoliFrost Jul 16-23
Moon Jul 17-23
Frost Aug 6-20
Moon Aug 16-20
60Frost-tolerant
CabbageFrost Jul 16-23
Moon Jul 17-23
Frost Aug 6-13
90Frost-tolerant
CarrotsFrost Jul 30-Aug 6
Moon Aug 2- 6
N/A70Frost-tolerant
CauliflowerFrost Jul 9-16
Frost Jul 23-30
Moon Jul 23-30
75Frost-tolerant
ChivesFrost Jul 23-Aug 20
Moon Jul 23-Aug 1, Aug 16-20
N/A70Frost-tolerant
GarlicFrost Oct 29-Nov 11
Moon Oct 29-Nov 11
N/A120Frost-hardy
Green BeansFrost Jul 30-Aug 13
Moon Jul 30-Aug 1
N/A55Tender
KaleFrost Aug 6-20
Moon Aug 16-20
N/A60Frost-hardy
KohlrabiFrost Aug 13-Sep 3
Moon Aug 16-30
N/A45Frost-tolerant
LettuceFrost Aug 6-20
Moon Aug 16-20
N/A60Frost-tolerant
PeasFrost Aug 6-20
Moon Aug 16-20
N/A55Tender
RadishesFrost Sep 3-17
Moon Sep 3-13
N/A25Frost-tolerant
SpinachFrost Aug 27-Sep 17
Moon Aug 27-30, Sep 14-17
N/A30Frost-hardy
Swiss ChardFrost Aug 6-20
Moon Aug 16-20
N/A60Frost-tolerant
TurnipsFrost Aug 13-27
Moon Aug 13-15
N/A50Frost-tolerant

Planting Dates for Spring

On average, your last spring frost occurs on April 27 (at FRANKLIN WWTP, IN climate station, elevation 721 feet).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds IndoorsPlant Seedlings
or Transplants
Start Seeds OutdoorsLast Date to Plant
ArugulaFrost Mar 1-16
Moon Mar 1- 7
Frost Apr 6-20
Moon Apr 19-20
Frost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Mar 30-Apr 5
Sep 17
AsparagusN/AN/AFrost Apr 13-27
Moon Apr 13-18
Apr 27
BasilFrost Mar 16-30
Moon Mar 21-30
Frost May 11-25
Moon May 19-25
Frost May 11-25
Moon May 19-25
Sep 3
BeetsN/AFrost Apr 13-27
Moon Apr 13-18
Frost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Apr 6
May 11
Bell PeppersFrost Feb 15-Mar 1
Moon Feb 20-Mar 1
Frost May 11-18
N/AJul 23
Bok ChoyFrost Mar 16-30
Moon Mar 21-30
Frost May 11-18
Frost May 11-18
Jun 8
BroccoliFrost Mar 1-16
Moon Mar 1- 7
Frost Apr 13-27
Moon Apr 19-27
Frost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Mar 30-Apr 5
Aug 13
Brussels SproutsFrost Mar 16-30
Moon Mar 21-30
Frost Jan 18-Feb 1
Moon Jan 21-Feb 1
Frost Dec 21-Jan 4
Moon Dec 23-Jan 4
Jul 9
CabbageFrost Mar 1-16
Moon Mar 1- 7
Frost Apr 13-27
Moon Apr 19-27
Frost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Mar 30-Apr 5
Jul 2
CantaloupesFrost Apr 6-20
Moon Apr 19-20
Frost Apr 27-May 11
Moon Apr 27-May 5
Frost May 4-11
Moon May 4- 5
Jul 9
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Mar 30-Apr 13
Moon Apr 6-13
Aug 6
CauliflowerFrost Mar 16-30
Moon Mar 21-30
Frost Apr 20-May 4
Moon Apr 20-May 4
N/AAug 6
CeleryFrost Feb 1-15
Moon Feb 1- 5
Frost May 4-18
Moon May 4- 5
Frost Apr 27
Moon Apr 27
Aug 6
ChivesFrost Mar 1-16
Moon Mar 1- 7
Frost Apr 6-13
Frost Apr 6-13
Aug 20
Cilantro (Coriander)N/AN/AFrost Apr 27-May 11
Moon Apr 27-May 5
May 18
CollardsFrost Mar 16-30
Moon Mar 21-30
Frost Apr 13-27
Moon Apr 19-27
Frost Apr 6-13
Aug 6
CornN/AN/AFrost May 11-25
Moon May 19-25
Jul 30
CucumbersFrost Apr 6-13
Frost May 4-18
Moon May 4- 5
Frost May 11-18
Aug 6
DillN/AN/AFrost Apr 20-May 11
Moon Apr 20-May 5
Aug 20
EggplantsFrost Mar 1-16
Moon Mar 1- 7
Frost May 11-18
N/AAug 6
Fava Beans (Broad Beans)N/AN/AFrost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Mar 30-Apr 5
May 11
GarlicN/AN/AN/A
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost May 4-25
Moon May 4- 5, May 19-25
Aug 6
Jalapeño PeppersFrost Feb 15-Mar 1
Moon Feb 20-Mar 1
Frost May 11-18
N/A
KaleFrost Mar 1-16
Moon Mar 1- 7
Frost Apr 13-27
Moon Apr 19-27
Frost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Mar 30-Apr 5
May 11
KohlrabiFrost Mar 16-30
Moon Mar 21-30
Frost Apr 6-13
Frost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Mar 30-Apr 5
May 11
LettuceFrost Mar 16-30
Moon Mar 21-30
Frost Apr 6-13
Frost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Mar 30-Apr 5
May 11
OkraFrost Mar 30-Apr 13
Moon Mar 30-Apr 5
Frost May 11-18
Frost May 11-25
Moon May 19-25
Aug 6
Onion SetsN/AFrost Mar 30-Apr 13
Moon Apr 6-13
N/AJul 9
OreganoFrost Feb 15-Mar 16
Moon Feb 20-Mar 7
Frost May 4-18
Moon May 4- 5
N/AAug 6
ParsleyFrost Feb 15-Mar 1
Moon Feb 20-Mar 1
Frost May 4-18
Moon May 4- 5
Frost Mar 30-May 4
Moon Mar 30-Apr 5, Apr 19-May 4
Jul 30
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Apr 6
Jul 9
PeasN/AN/AFrost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Mar 30-Apr 5
May 11
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Mar 30-Apr 13
Moon Apr 6-13
Aug 6
PumpkinsFrost Apr 6-20
Moon Apr 19-20
Frost May 11-18
Frost May 11-18
Jul 2
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Apr 6
Aug 20
RosemaryFrost Feb 1-15
Moon Feb 1- 5
Frost May 11-18
N/AAug 20
SageFrost Mar 1-16
Moon Mar 1- 7
Frost May 4-18
Moon May 4- 5
N/AJul 30
SpinachFrost Mar 16-30
Moon Mar 21-30
Frost Apr 6-13
Frost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Mar 30-Apr 5
May 11
Sweet PotatoesN/AN/AFrost May 11-25
Moon May 11-18
Jul 2
Swiss ChardFrost Mar 16-30
Moon Mar 21-30
Frost Apr 13-27
Moon Apr 19-27
Frost Apr 6-27
Moon Apr 19-27
May 11
ThymeFrost Feb 15-Mar 1
Moon Feb 20-Mar 1
Frost May 4-11
Moon May 4- 5
N/AJul 23
TomatillosFrost Mar 16-30
Moon Mar 21-30
Frost May 11-25
Moon May 19-25
N/AJul 30
TomatoesFrost Mar 1-16
Moon Mar 1- 7
Frost May 11-18
N/AJul 16
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Mar 30-Apr 6
Moon Apr 6
Sep 17
WatermelonsFrost Apr 6-20
Moon Apr 19-20
Frost May 11-18
Frost May 4-11
Moon May 4- 5
Jul 16
Winter SquashFrost Apr 6-13
Frost May 4-18
Moon May 4- 5
Frost May 11-18
Jun 25
Zucchini and Summer SquashFrost Apr 6-13
Frost May 4-18
Moon May 4- 5
Frost May 11-18
Aug 13
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