🌿 GARDEN NOTES | Deep Roots Edition

Zone 5 Growers: What to Plant and When

Your detailed seasonal guide to food-producing annuals and perennials
Issue: Late Spring–Early Summer (May–June

)

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📍 Welcome to Zone 5 Gardening

In Zone 5, you can expect last frost dates around May 1–15, and the first frost usually comes by mid-October. That gives you about 150 growing days—plenty of time for most vegetables, herbs, and a wide variety of fruiting perennials. But to make the most of it, timing is everything.

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🌱 ANNUALS TO PLANT — BY CROP TYPE

Annuals must be replanted each year, but many offer fast, abundant yields.

🥬 Cool-Season Crops

(Plant in April–May, or again in late August for fall harvest)

Direct Sow or Transplant:

• Lettuce (leaf, romaine, butterhead) – Sow every 2–3 weeks for a continuous harvest

• Spinach – Bolts early in heat; spring and fall only

• Arugula – Fast-growing, great for succession planting

• Radishes – Ready in 3–4 weeks!

• Peas – Plant as soon as soil is workable in spring; needs trellising

• Broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower – Transplant in mid-spring or early fall

🌽 Warm-Season Crops

(Transplant or direct sow after danger of frost, mid–late May)

Transplant Outdoors:

• Tomatoes – Harden off first; support with cages or stakes

• Peppers – Require warm soil and full sun

• Eggplant – Needs similar care as peppers, but more fragile

• Basil – Cannot handle frost; plant with tomatoes for synergy

Direct Sow:

• Beans (bush & pole) – Easy and fast; replant every 2–3 weeks for continuous harvest

• Corn – Plant in blocks (not rows) for pollination

• Summer squash (zucchini, crookneck) – Big producers; give space

• Winter squash & pumpkins – Long season; start early or indoors if needed

• Cucumbers – Trellis if space is limited

• Melons – Needs heat and full sun; start indoors for best results

• Carrots & Beets – Direct sow only; thin early for size and airflow

• Turnips & Rutabaga – Great dual-use (roots and greens)

🌿 Annual Herbs

(Most are frost-sensitive; plant in late May)

• Cilantro – Bolts in heat, plant in spring and fall

• Dill – Sow every 2–3 weeks for fresh leaves and seed heads

• Basil – Sweet, Thai, and lemon types all thrive in Zone 5

• Parsley – Technically biennial but often grown as annual

• Chervil, Lovage, Summer Savory – Old-fashioned favorites with lots of flavor

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🌾 PERENNIALS TO PLANT THIS SEASON

Planting edible perennials now ensures harvests for years to come. These crops are