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Planting Calendar for Ocean City, NJ | Almanac.com
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Planting Calendar for Ocean City, NJ

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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.

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 could 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 temperatures, 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. 

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've 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 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.

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 Spring

On average, your last spring frost occurs on March 31 (at MARGATE, NJ climate station, elevation 16 feet).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds IndoorsPlant Seedlings
or Transplants
Start Seeds OutdoorsLast Date to Plant
ArugulaFrost Feb 3-17
Moon Feb 9-17
Frost Mar 9-24
Frost Mar 2-9
Oct 18
AsparagusN/AN/AFrost Mar 17-31
Moon Mar 26-31
Mar 31
BasilFrost Feb 17-Mar 2
Moon Feb 17-24
Frost Apr 14-28
Moon Apr 14-23
Frost Apr 14-28
Moon Apr 14-23
Oct 4
BeetsN/AFrost Mar 17-31
Moon Mar 26-31
Frost Mar 2-9
Moon Mar 2-9
Apr 14
Bell PeppersFrost Jan 20-Feb 3
Moon Jan 20-25
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
N/AAug 23
Bok ChoyFrost Feb 17-Mar 2
Moon Feb 17-24
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
May 12
BroccoliFrost Feb 3-17
Moon Feb 9-17
Frost Mar 17-31
Moon Mar 17-25
Frost Mar 2-9
Sep 13
Brussels SproutsFrost Feb 17-Mar 2
Moon Feb 17-24
Frost Mar 17-31
Moon Mar 17-25
Frost Mar 2-9
Aug 9
CabbageFrost Feb 3-17
Moon Feb 9-17
Frost Mar 17-31
Moon Mar 17-25
Frost Mar 2-9
Aug 2
CantaloupesFrost Mar 9-24
Frost Mar 31-Apr 14
Moon Apr 8-14
Frost Apr 7-14
Moon Apr 8-14
Aug 9
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Mar 2-17
Moon Mar 2-17
Sep 6
CauliflowerFrost Feb 17-Mar 2
Moon Feb 17-24
Frost Mar 24-Apr 7
Moon Mar 24-25
N/ASep 6
CeleryFrost Jan 6-20
Moon Jan 11-20
Frost Apr 7-21
Moon Apr 8-21
Frost Mar 31
Sep 6
ChivesFrost Feb 3-17
Moon Feb 9-17
Frost Mar 9-17
Frost Mar 9-17
Sep 20
Cilantro (Coriander)N/AN/AFrost Mar 31-Apr 14
Moon Apr 8-14
Apr 21
CollardsFrost Feb 17-Mar 2
Moon Feb 17-24
Frost Mar 17-31
Moon Mar 17-25
Frost Mar 9-17
Sep 6
CucumbersFrost Mar 9-17
Frost Apr 7-21
Moon Apr 8-21
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
Sep 6
DillN/AN/AFrost Mar 24-Apr 14
Moon Mar 24-25, Apr 8-14
Sep 20
Dry BeansN/AN/AFrost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
Aug 9
EggplantsFrost Feb 3-17
Moon Feb 9-17
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
N/ASep 6
Fava BeansN/AN/AFrost Mar 2-9
Apr 14
FennelFrost Feb 17-Mar 2
Moon Feb 17-24
Frost Apr 7-14
Moon Apr 8-14
Frost Mar 31-Apr 14
Moon Apr 8-14
Aug 30
GarlicN/AN/AN/A
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost Apr 7-28
Moon Apr 8-23
Sep 6
Honeydew MelonsFrost Mar 9-17
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
Aug 16
Jalapeño PeppersFrost Jan 20-Feb 3
Moon Jan 20-25
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
N/A
KaleFrost Feb 3-17
Moon Feb 9-17
Frost Mar 17-31
Moon Mar 17-25
Frost Mar 2-9
Apr 14
KohlrabiFrost Feb 17-Mar 2
Moon Feb 17-24
Frost Mar 9-17
Frost Mar 2-9
Apr 14
LeeksFrost Jan 20-Feb 3
Moon Jan 20-25
Frost Mar 9-24
N/AAug 2
LettuceFrost Feb 17-Mar 2
Moon Feb 17-24
Frost Mar 9-17
Frost Mar 2-9
Apr 14
Mustard GreensN/AN/AN/A
OkraFrost Mar 2-17
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
Frost Apr 14-28
Moon Apr 14-23
Sep 6
OnionsN/AFrost Mar 2-17
Moon Mar 2-17
N/AAug 9
OreganoFrost Jan 20-Feb 17
Moon Jan 20-25, Feb 9-17
Frost Apr 7-21
Moon Apr 8-21
N/ASep 6
ParsleyFrost Jan 20-Feb 3
Moon Jan 20-25
Frost Apr 7-21
Moon Apr 8-21
Frost Mar 2-Apr 7
Moon Mar 18-25
Aug 30
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Mar 2-9
Moon Mar 2-9
Aug 9
PeasN/AN/AFrost Mar 2-9
Apr 14
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Mar 2-17
Moon Mar 2-17
Sep 6
PumpkinsFrost Mar 9-24
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
Aug 2
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Mar 2-9
Moon Mar 2-9
Sep 20
RosemaryFrost Jan 6-20
Moon Jan 11-20
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
N/ASep 20
SageFrost Feb 3-17
Moon Feb 9-17
Frost Apr 7-21
Moon Apr 8-21
N/AAug 30
SalsifyN/AN/AFrost Mar 2-17
Moon Mar 2-17
Aug 9
SpinachFrost Feb 17-Mar 2
Moon Feb 17-24
Frost Mar 9-17
Frost Mar 2-9
Apr 14
Sweet CornN/AN/AFrost Apr 14-28
Moon Apr 14-23
Aug 30
Sweet PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Apr 14-28
Moon Apr 24-28
Aug 2
Swiss ChardFrost Feb 17-Mar 2
Moon Feb 17-24
Frost Mar 17-31
Moon Mar 17-25
Frost Mar 9-31
Moon Mar 25
Apr 14
ThymeFrost Jan 20-Feb 3
Moon Jan 20-25
Frost Apr 7-14
Moon Apr 8-14
N/AAug 23
TomatillosFrost Feb 17-Mar 2
Moon Feb 17-24
Frost Apr 14-28
Moon Apr 14-23
N/AAug 30
TomatoesFrost Feb 3-17
Moon Feb 9-17
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
N/AAug 16
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Mar 2-9
Moon Mar 2-9
Oct 18
WatermelonsFrost Mar 9-24
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
Frost Apr 7-14
Moon Apr 8-14
Aug 16
Winter SquashFrost Mar 9-17
Frost Apr 7-21
Moon Apr 8-21
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
Jul 26
Zucchini (Summer Squash)Frost Mar 9-17
Frost Apr 7-21
Moon Apr 8-21
Frost Apr 14-21
Moon Apr 14-21
Sep 13

Planting Dates for Fall

On average, your first fall frost occurs on November 15 (at MARGATE, NJ climate station).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds OutdoorsTransplantAverage Days to MaturityFrost Tolerance
ArugulaFrost Sep 27-Nov 1
Moon Oct 2-17
N/A40Frost-hardy
BeetsFrost Aug 23-Sep 20
Moon Aug 23-Sep 1, Sep 18-20
N/A50Frost-tolerant
Bok ChoyFrost Sep 6-27
Moon Sep 6-17
N/A50Frost-tolerant
BroccoliFrost Aug 16-23
Moon Aug 16-19
Frost Sep 6-20
Moon Sep 6-17
60Frost-tolerant
Brussels SproutsFrost Jul 26-Aug 9
Moon Aug 4-9
N/A100Frost-hardy
CabbageFrost Aug 16-23
Moon Aug 16-19
Frost Sep 6-13
Moon Sep 6-13
90Frost-tolerant
CarrotsFrost Aug 30-Sep 6
Moon Aug 30-Sep 1
N/A70Frost-tolerant
CauliflowerFrost Aug 9-16
Moon Aug 9-16
Frost Aug 23-30
75Frost-tolerant
ChivesFrost Aug 23-Sep 20
Moon Sep 2-17
N/A70Frost-tolerant
FennelFrost Aug 16-30
Moon Aug 16-19
N/A80Tender
GarlicFrost Nov 29-Dec 13
Moon Nov 29-30
N/A120Frost-hardy
Green BeansFrost Aug 30-Sep 13
Moon Sep 2-13
N/A55Tender
KaleFrost Sep 6-20
Moon Sep 6-17
N/A60Frost-hardy
KohlrabiFrost Sep 13-Oct 4
Moon Sep 13-17, Oct 2-4
N/A45Frost-tolerant
LettuceFrost Sep 6-20
Moon Sep 6-17
N/A60Frost-tolerant
Mustard GreensFrost Sep 13-Oct 4
Moon Sep 13-17, Oct 2-4
N/A45Tender
PeasFrost Sep 6-20
Moon Sep 6-17
N/A55Tender
RadishesFrost Oct 4-18
Moon Oct 18
N/A25Frost-tolerant
SpinachFrost Sep 27-Oct 18
Moon Oct 2-17
N/A30Frost-hardy
Swiss ChardFrost Sep 6-20
Moon Sep 6-17
N/A60Frost-tolerant
TurnipsFrost Sep 13-27
Moon Sep 18-27
N/A50Frost-tolerant
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