USDA Hardiness Zone 5A • Midwest • 157 Day Growing Season
| Plant | Start Seeds Indoors | Transplant Outdoors | Direct Sow | First Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acorn Squash | Mid April through early May | Mid May through mid June | Early May through late June ★ | Early August through early October |
| Ageratum | Mid March through early April | Mid May through mid June ★ | — | Mid July through early September |
| Anaheim Pepper | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Arugula | Mid March through early April | Mid April through late May | Early April through mid August | Mid May through mid October |
| Asparagus | — | Early May ★ | — | Late April through mid October |
| Banana Peppers | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Basil | Late March through mid April | Mid May through late June | Mid May through late August | Mid June through early October |
| Bay Laurel | Mid February through early March | Mid to late May ★ | — | Mid May through mid October |
| Beefsteak Tomatoes | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Early August through late September |
| Beet | — | Early April through early May | Mid April through late July ★ | Mid June through mid October |
| Bell Peppers | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Better Boy Tomato | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Black-Eyed Susan | Mid February through mid March | Late April through late May ★ | Early May through early July | Mid July through mid October |
| Blackberry | — | Early to late May ★ | — | Late June through mid August |
| Blueberry | — | Early to late May ★ | — | Late July through early September |
| Bok Choy | Late March through mid April | Early May through mid June | Mid April through early August | Early June through mid October |
| Borage | — | Mid April through mid May | Early May through late July ★ | Late June through mid October |
| Brandywine Tomatoes | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through early June | — | Mid August through late September |
| Broccoli | Late February through mid March ★ | Mid April through mid May | — | Mid June through early August |
| Brussels Sprouts | Mid March through early April ★ | Early to late May | — | Late July through early September |
| Butternut Squash | Mid April through early May | Mid May through early June | Early May through mid June ★ | Mid August through early October |
| Cabbage | Late February through mid March ★ | Mid April through mid May | — | Late June through mid August |
| Calendula | Late February through mid March | Mid April through late May | Mid April through early August | Early June through mid October |
| Cantaloupe | Mid April through early May | Mid May through mid June | Mid May through early July ★ | Early August through early October |
| Carrot | — | Mid April through mid May | Mid April through mid July ★ | Late June through mid October |
| Cauliflower | Late February through mid March ★ | Mid April through mid May | — | Late June through mid August |
| Cayenne Peppers | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Celebrity Tomato | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Celery | Mid February through early March ★ | Early to late May | — | Late July through mid September |
| Chamomile | Late February through mid March | Mid April through mid May | Mid April through late July | Mid June through mid October |
| Cherry Tomatoes | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Mid July through early September |
| Chives | Mid February through early March | Mid April through mid May | Early April through early July | Late June through mid October |
| Chrysanthemum | Late February through mid March | Early to late May ★ | — | Early July through late August |
| Cilantro | Late March through mid April | Early May through mid June | Mid April through early August | Early June through mid October |
| Collard Greens | Late March through mid April | Early to late May | Mid April through early July | Early July through mid October |
| Corn | — | Mid May through mid June | Early May through early July ★ | Late July through early October |
| Cosmos | Early April through early May | Mid May through late June | Early May through early August ★ | Mid June through early October |
| Cubanelle Pepper | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Cucumber | Mid April through early May | Mid May through mid June | Early May through late July ★ | Early July through early October |
| Dill | Early to late April | Early May through mid June | Early May through mid August | Early June through mid October |
| Early Girl Tomato | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through late June | — | Early July through early September |
| Echinacea | Late February through mid March | Early to late May ★ | Early May through late June | Late July through mid October |
| Eggplant | Mid March through early April ★ | Late May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Fennel | — | Early to late May | Early May through mid July ★ | Early July through mid October |
| Feverfew | Mid February through mid March | Late April through late May | Early May through mid July | Early July through mid October |
| French Marigold | Late March through mid April | Mid May through late June | Early May through early August | Mid June through early October |
| Garlic | — | Late July through mid August | — | Late March through early May |
| Geranium | Mid February through early March | Mid May through mid June ★ | — | Late July through mid September |
| Ghost Pepper | Mid February through early March ★ | Late May | — | Mid September through early October |
| Grape Tomatoes | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Mid July through early September |
| Green Beans | — | Early May through early June | Early May through late July ★ | Early July through early October |
| Green Onions | — | Early April through early May | Early April through late July ★ | Early June through mid October |
| Green Zebra Tomato | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Habanero Peppers | Early to late March ★ | Late May through mid June | — | Mid August through early October |
| Heirloom Tomatoes | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Early August through late September |
| Iceberg Lettuce | Mid March through early April | Mid April through mid May | Early April through mid July | Mid June through mid October |
| Jalapeño Peppers | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Kale | Mid March through early April | Mid April through mid May | Early April through late July | Late May through mid October |
| Lavender | Late February through mid March | Mid May through early June ★ | — | Mid August through late September |
| Lemon Balm | Mid March through early April | Early to late May | Early May through mid July | Early July through mid October |
| Lettuce | Mid March through early April | Mid April through late May | Early April through early August | Mid May through mid October |
| Lobelia | Late February through mid March | Mid May through mid June ★ | — | Mid July through early September |
| Mint | Late February through mid March | Early to late May ★ | — | Late June through mid August |
| Mustard Greens | Mid March through early April | Mid April through late May | Early April through early August | Mid May through mid October |
| Nasturtium | Early to late April | Early May through early June | Early May through late July ★ | Early July through early October |
| Onion | Late January through mid February | Mid April through early May | Early April through mid June | Mid July through mid October |
| Oregano | Late February through mid March | Early May through mid June ★ | Early May through early August | Mid June through mid October |
| Parsley | Mid February through early March | Mid April through mid May | Mid April through mid July | Late June through mid October |
| Peas | — | Early April through early May | Mid March through late July ★ | Mid May through mid October |
| Pepper | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Mid July through early September |
| Pepperoncini | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Petunia | Late February through mid March | Mid May through mid June ★ | — | Mid July through early September |
| Poblano Peppers | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Early August through late September |
| Potato | — | Mid April through early May | Mid April through late June ★ | Mid July through mid October |
| Pumpkin | Mid April through early May | Mid May through early June | Early May through mid June ★ | Mid August through early October |
| Radish | — | Early April through mid May | Early April through late August ★ | Late April through mid October |
| Raspberry | — | Early to late May ★ | — | Late June through mid August |
| Roma Tomatoes | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Romaine Lettuce | Mid March through early April | Mid April through mid May | Early April through mid July | Early June through mid October |
| Rosemary | Mid February through early March | Mid May through early June ★ | — | Mid August through late September |
| Sage | Mid March through early April | Early to late May ★ | Early May through early July | Mid July through mid October |
| San Marzano Tomatoes | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Early August through late September |
| Serrano Peppers | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Early August through late September |
| Shishito Pepper | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Mid July through early September |
| Snap Peas | — | Early April through early May | Mid March through late July ★ | Mid May through mid October |
| Snow Peas | — | Early April through early May | Mid March through late July ★ | Mid May through mid October |
| Spaghetti Squash | Mid April through early May | Mid May through early June | Early May through mid June ★ | Mid August through early October |
| Spinach | Late February through mid March | Early April through mid May | Mid March through mid August | Late April through mid October |
| Squash | Mid April through early May | Mid May through mid June | Early May through late June ★ | Early August through early October |
| Strawberry | — | Mid April through early May ★ | — | Mid July through late August |
| Sun Gold Tomato | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Mid July through late August |
| Sunflower | Early April through early May | Early May through early June | Early May through early July ★ | Mid July through early October |
| Sweet Alyssum | Late February through mid March | Mid April through late May | Mid April through early August | Early June through mid October |
| Sweet Peppers | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Mid July through early September |
| Sweet Potato | Mid March through early April | Late May through mid June ★ | — | Late August through early October |
| Swiss Chard | Late March through mid April | Early to late May | Mid April through late July | Mid June through mid October |
| Tansy | Late February through mid March | Mid April through mid May | Mid April through early July | Early July through mid October |
| Thai Chili | Mid March through early April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Early August through late September |
| Thyme | Late February through mid March | Early to late May ★ | Early May through mid July | Early July through mid October |
| Tomato | Late March through mid April ★ | Mid May through mid June | — | Late July through mid September |
| Watermelon | Mid April through early May | Mid May through mid June | Mid May through late June ★ | Early August through early October |
| Yarrow | Mid February through early March | Mid April through mid May ★ | Early May through mid July | Early July through mid October |
| Yellow Squash | Mid April through early May | Mid May through late June | Early May through early August ★ | Late June through early October |
| Zinnia | Early April through early May | Mid May through mid June | Early May through late July | Early July through early October |
| Zucchini | Mid April through early May | Mid May through late June | Early May through early August ★ | Late June through early October |