When to Plant Zone 5 Vegetable Gardens
USDA zone 5 is divided into zone 5a and zone 5b and each will vary somewhat regarding planting dates (often by a couple of weeks). Generally, planting is dictated by the first frost free date and the last frost free date, which in the case of USDA zone 5, is May 30 and October 1, respectively. The earliest vegetables for zone 5, those that should be planted in March through April, are:
Asparagus Beets Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Chicory Cress Most herbs Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mustard Peas Potatoes Radishes Rhubarb Salsify Spinach Swiss chard Turnips
Zone 5 vegetables and herbs that should be planted from April to May include:
Celery Chives Okra Onions Parsnips
Those that should be planted from May to June include:
Bush and pole beans Sweet corn Late cabbage Cucumber Eggplant Endive Leeks Muskmelon Watermelon Pepper Pumpkin Rutabaga Summer and winter squash Tomato
Growing vegetables in zone 5 doesn’t just have to be confined to the spring and summer months. There are a number of hardy veggies that can be sown for winter crops such as:
Carrots Spinach Leeks Collards Parsnips Lettuce Cabbage Turnips Mache Claytonia greens Swiss chard
All of these crops can be planted late summer to early fall for winter harvest. Be sure to protect the crops with a cold frame, low tunnel, cover crops or a good layer of straw mulch.
