Seeding and Planting Timeline

My brother recently requested that I let him know whenever I was planting something so that he didn't plant too late this year. Last year I was an eager beaver planting earlier than most, which lead to my tomatoes coming in a month before most of my friends and my squash gave me a nice early crop before being ravaged by pests. Other plants were too early, and I either had to replant or just never enjoyed any yield from them. So I started revising my planting dates to prepare for Spring.

This spring and summer I will be growing onions, peas, lettuce variety, potatoes, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, a pepper variety, pole beans, and okra. Ten seems like a good place to start. I will leave the melons and corn to the farmer's market this year unless I happen to get ambitious while nursing a newborn - doubtful. Raleigh's last frost date is May 11 (last killing frost is April 1 - 11 according to NCSU CES), so only frost tolerant plants should be put outside before this date. I take risks on my tomatoes and plant extras. Tomatoes can stand to get a little cold, and although they may temporarily droop, will still produce good yields.

Late January	Outdoors: onion sets (these can be planted through mid-February)
Mid February	Indoors: tomatoes, peppers Outdoors: spinach, romaine, peas (every two weeks following until end of April)
Late Feb - Early March	Indoors: squash, zucchini Outdoors: potatoes
Late March - Early April	Outdoors: tomato transplants (protect from frost on cold nights or wait until mid-April)
Mid April	Outdoors: squash and zucchini transplants, corn
Late April - Early May	Outdoors: pepper transplants
Late May	Outdoors: beans (every two weeks following)
Mid June	Outdoors: okra

North Carolina chart for Average Last Spring Freeze Date (1949-1998)