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

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Planting Calendar for Lansing, MI

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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 6 (at LANSING CAPITAL CITY AP, MI climate station).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds OutdoorsTransplantAverage Days to MaturityFrost Tolerance
ArugulaFrost Aug 18-Sep 22
Moon Aug 18-30, Sep 14-22
N/A40Frost-hardy
BeetsFrost Jul 14-Aug 11
Moon Jul 14-16, Aug 2-11
N/A50Frost-tolerant
Bok ChoyFrost Jul 28-Aug 18
Moon Jul 28-Aug 1, Aug 16-18
N/A50Frost-tolerant
BroccoliFrost Jul 7-14
Frost Jul 28-Aug 11
Moon Jul 28-Aug 1
60Frost-tolerant
CabbageFrost Jul 7-14
Frost Jul 28-Aug 4
Moon Jul 28-Aug 1
90Frost-tolerant
CarrotsFrost Jul 21-28
N/A70Frost-tolerant
CauliflowerFrost Jun 30-Jul 7
Moon Jun 30-Jul 3
Frost Jul 14-21
Moon Jul 17-21
75Frost-tolerant
ChivesFrost Jul 14-Aug 11
Moon Jul 17-Aug 1
N/A70Frost-tolerant
GarlicFrost Oct 20-Nov 3
Moon Oct 29-Nov 3
N/A120Frost-hardy
Green BeansFrost Jul 21-Aug 4
Moon Jul 21-Aug 1
N/A55Tender
KaleFrost Jul 28-Aug 11
Moon Jul 28-Aug 1
N/A60Frost-hardy
KohlrabiFrost Aug 4-25
Moon Aug 16-25
N/A45Frost-tolerant
LettuceFrost Jul 28-Aug 11
Moon Jul 28-Aug 1
N/A60Frost-tolerant
PeasFrost Jul 28-Aug 11
Moon Jul 28-Aug 1
N/A55Tender
RadishesFrost Aug 25-Sep 8
Moon Aug 31-Sep 8
N/A25Frost-tolerant
SpinachFrost Aug 18-Sep 8
Moon Aug 18-30
N/A30Frost-hardy
Swiss ChardFrost Jul 28-Aug 11
Moon Jul 28-Aug 1
N/A60Frost-tolerant
TurnipsFrost Aug 4-18
Moon Aug 4-15
N/A50Frost-tolerant

Planting Dates for Spring

On average, your last spring frost occurs on May 7 (at LANSING CAPITAL CITY AP, MI climate station, elevation 839 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 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost Apr 16-30
Moon Apr 19-30
Frost Apr 9-16
Sep 8
AsparagusN/AN/AFrost Apr 23-May 7
Moon May 6- 7
May 7
BasilFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 5
Frost May 21-Jun 4
Moon May 21-Jun 3
Frost May 21-Jun 4
Moon May 21-Jun 3
Aug 25
BeetsN/AFrost Apr 23-May 7
Moon May 6- 7
Frost Apr 9-16
Moon Apr 9-16
May 21
Bell PeppersFrost Feb 25-Mar 11
Moon Feb 25-Mar 7
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
N/AJul 14
Bok ChoyFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 5
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
Jun 18
BroccoliFrost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost Apr 23-May 7
Moon Apr 23-May 5
Frost Apr 9-16
Aug 4
Brussels SproutsFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 5
Frost Jan 28-Feb 11
Moon Jan 28-Feb 5
Frost Dec 31-Jan 14
Moon Dec 31-Jan 6
Jun 30
CabbageFrost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost Apr 23-May 7
Moon Apr 23-May 5
Frost Apr 9-16
Jun 23
CantaloupesFrost Apr 16-30
Moon Apr 19-30
Frost May 7-21
Moon May 19-21
Frost May 14-21
Moon May 19-21
Jun 30
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Apr 9-23
Moon Apr 9-18
Jul 28
CauliflowerFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 5
Frost Apr 30-May 14
Moon Apr 30-May 5
N/AJul 28
CeleryFrost Feb 11-25
Moon Feb 20-25
Frost May 14-28
Moon May 19-28
Frost May 7
Jul 28
ChivesFrost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost Apr 16-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Frost Apr 16-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Aug 11
Cilantro (Coriander)N/AN/AFrost May 7-21
Moon May 19-21
May 28
CollardsFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 5
Frost Apr 23-May 7
Moon Apr 23-May 5
Frost Apr 16-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Jul 28
CornN/AN/AFrost May 21-Jun 4
Moon May 21-Jun 3
Jul 21
CucumbersFrost Apr 16-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Frost May 14-28
Moon May 19-28
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
Jul 28
DillN/AN/AFrost Apr 30-May 21
Moon Apr 30-May 5, May 19-21
Aug 11
EggplantsFrost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
N/AJul 28
Fava Beans (Broad Beans)N/AN/AFrost Apr 9-16
May 21
GarlicN/AN/AN/A
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost May 14-Jun 4
Moon May 19-Jun 3
Jul 28
Jalapeño PeppersFrost Feb 25-Mar 11
Moon Feb 25-Mar 7
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
N/A
KaleFrost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost Apr 23-May 7
Moon Apr 23-May 5
Frost Apr 9-16
May 21
KohlrabiFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 5
Frost Apr 16-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Frost Apr 9-16
May 21
LettuceFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 5
Frost Apr 16-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Frost Apr 9-16
May 21
OkraFrost Apr 9-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
Frost May 21-Jun 4
Moon May 21-Jun 3
Jul 28
Onion SetsN/AFrost Apr 9-23
Moon Apr 9-18
N/AJun 30
OreganoFrost Feb 25-Mar 26
Moon Feb 25-Mar 7, Mar 21-26
Frost May 14-28
Moon May 19-28
N/AJul 28
ParsleyFrost Feb 25-Mar 11
Moon Feb 25-Mar 7
Frost May 14-28
Moon May 19-28
Frost Apr 9-May 14
Moon Apr 19-May 5
Jul 21
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Apr 9-16
Moon Apr 9-16
Jun 30
PeasN/AN/AFrost Apr 9-16
May 21
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Apr 9-23
Moon Apr 9-18
Jul 28
PumpkinsFrost Apr 16-30
Moon Apr 19-30
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
Jun 23
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Apr 9-16
Moon Apr 9-16
Aug 11
RosemaryFrost Feb 11-25
Moon Feb 20-25
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
N/AAug 11
SageFrost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost May 14-28
Moon May 19-28
N/AJul 21
SpinachFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 5
Frost Apr 16-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Frost Apr 9-16
May 21
Sweet PotatoesN/AN/AFrost May 21-Jun 4
Moon Jun 4
Jun 23
Swiss ChardFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 5
Frost Apr 23-May 7
Moon Apr 23-May 5
Frost Apr 16-May 7
Moon Apr 19-May 5
May 21
ThymeFrost Feb 25-Mar 11
Moon Feb 25-Mar 7
Frost May 14-21
Moon May 19-21
N/AJul 14
TomatillosFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 5
Frost May 21-Jun 4
Moon May 21-Jun 3
N/AJul 21
TomatoesFrost Mar 11-26
Moon Mar 21-26
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
N/AJul 7
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Apr 9-16
Moon Apr 9-16
Sep 8
WatermelonsFrost Apr 16-30
Moon Apr 19-30
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
Frost May 14-21
Moon May 19-21
Jul 7
Winter SquashFrost Apr 16-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Frost May 14-28
Moon May 19-28
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
Jun 16
Zucchini and Summer SquashFrost Apr 16-23
Moon Apr 19-23
Frost May 14-28
Moon May 19-28
Frost May 21-28
Moon May 21-28
Aug 4
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