When to Start Seeds: Your Guide to 30 Garden Vegetables

Do you wonder when the ideal time is to start seeds to have the most success? This guide has all you need to know about when to start seeds for 30 of the most popular garden vegetables.

When to Start Seeds

This guide covers when to start seeds indoors, when to transplant seedlings outdoors, when to start seeds by direct-sowing in the garden, and how many days you’ll have to wait until harvesting.

Need help starting seeds inside? Get my step-by-step guide to starting seeds indoors.

The following table will help you get your seeds started at the right time. The timing is relative to your spring frost date, i.e. Lettuce can be started indoors 6 weeks before your spring frost date. Click here to find your frost dates.

Crop Name	Indoor Start Date	Transplant Earliest Date	Transplant Latest Date	Direct Sow Earliest Date	Direct Sow Latest Date	Days Until Harvest
Beans	N/A	N/A	N/A	1 week after	10 weeks after	50
Beets	N/A	N/A	N/A	2 weeks before	N/A	40
Broccoli	9 weeks	2 weeks before	N/A	2 weeks before	N/A	50
Brussels sprouts	6 weeks	2 weeks before	9 weeks after	2 weeks before	9 weeks after	90
Cabbage	6 weeks	2 weeks before	9 weeks after	week of	9 weeks after	65
Carrot	N/A	N/A	N/A	2 weeks before	N/A	50
Cauliflower	6 weeks	2 weeks after	N/A	N/A	N/A	50
Collard greens	6 weeks	2 weeks before	N/A	week of	N/A	50
Cucumber	3 weeks	2 weeks after	8 weeks after	2 weeks after	8 weeks after	50
Eggplant	8 weeks	4 weeks after	8 weeks after	N/A	N/A	58
Kale	9 weeks	4 weeks before	N/A	4 weeks before	N/A	50
Kohlrabi	N/A	N/A	N/A	2 weeks before	N/A	40
Lettuce	6 weeks	4 weeks before	N/A	4 weeks before	N/A	40
Melon	N/A	N/A	N/A	4 weeks after	10 weeks after	80-100
Okra	2 weeks	4 weeks after	10 weeks after	N/A	N/A	50
Onion (seeds)	10 weeks	4 weeks before	8 weeks after	N/A	N/A	100
Onion (sets & transplants)	N/A	4 weeks before	8 weeks after	N/A	N/A	100
Peas	N/A	N/A	N/A	4 weeks before	12 weeks after	50
Peppers	8 weeks	2 weeks after	10 weeks after	N/A	N/A	50
Potatoes	N/A	N/A	N/A	2 weeks after	8 weeks after	70-135
Radish	N/A	N/A	N/A	4 weeks before	N/A	21
Rutabaga	N/A	N/A	N/A	3 weeks after	N/A	90
Spinach	N/A	N/A	N/A	2 weeks before	N/A	35
Summer Squash	N/A	N/A	N/A	4 weeks after	10 weeks after	48
Sweet Potatoes (Slips)	N/A	4 weeks after	10 weeks after	N/A	N/A	90
Swiss chard	4 weeks	week of	N/A	week of	N/A	50
Tomatoes	6 weeks	2 weeks after	10 weeks after	N/A	N/A	60
Turnips	N/A	N/A	N/A	2 weeks before	N/A	30-50
Winter Squash	N/A	N/A	N/A	4 weeks after	10 weeks after	85

Considerations for Seed Starting Dates

Starting seeds in relation to your frost dates is the most common way to figure out when to start seeds. However, if you live in a hot, dry climate, or at a high elevation, frost dates might not always be your best guide.

If you garden in these conditions, then you’ll want to check with local garden experts to learn how to plan the garden season around your unique conditions. Staying on course and starting seeds at the right time requires just a bit of planning and organization. Check out my tips on year-round gardening.

Would you like to learn more about seed starting and planting?

You’ll find loads of information just like this in my book, The Suburban Micro-Farm.

Get your seed starting dates automatically calculated for you!

Imagine a tool in which you type in your frost dates, and it automatically calculates the following for EACH CROP:

indoor seed starting dates
transplanting dates
direct sowing outside dates
succession planting (how many days between sowing for a continuous harvest)
spacing in the garden
days to harvest
companion planting suggestions
special soil amendments

PLUS, fall planting dates for each crop, as well, for a continuous harvest.

Sound amazing?

The good news: This tool exists, and it is just one of four BONUS DOWNLOADS you receive with your purchase of The Suburban Micro-Farm!

Read more about all four of the bonuses in my article Four Garden Planning Tools You Need This Year.

In the corresponding chapter of The Suburban Micro-Farm on seed starting and planting, I cover all aspects of seed starting: How to start seeds inside, how to care for seedlings, how to transplant seedlings in the garden, how to sow seeds directly in the garden, and how to care for seedlings in the garden so they grow up to be productive plants.