Sowing and transplant calendar for the vegetable patch

Here is the calendar for sowing vegetables and transplanting seedling so that you’ll get everything done at the right time in winter, spring, summer and fall.

Dates and times are given as a guideline and may vary according the region of the globe you live in and the weather in your area. This is for the Northern hemisphere.

Add six months if you live in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sowing at just the right time is the key to succeed in growing and harvesting vegetables in the vegetable patch.

• Time your planting with the moon’s phases
• Read also: protect your seedlings from damping off

Quicklinks: jump to the right veggie here (and click the “back to top” link to return here)

Sowing and seedling calendar for the vegetable patch

EGGPLANT, sowing and harvest

• Sowing indoors at 65 to 68°F (18 to 20°C) – February-April
• Covered sowing – March and April
• Direct sowing – April-May
• Transplanting eggplant seedlings – April-May
• Harvesting eggplant sown from February to May – July-October
• Read also: how to grow eggplant

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RED BEET, sowing and harvest

• Direct sowing of red beet – March-July
• Harvesting your red beet – July to November depending on date sown
• Read also: how to grow red beet

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CARROT, sowing and harvest

• Sowing carrots under cover – February-March
• Harvesting carrots sown at the end of winter – June-July
• Direct sowing – March-July
• Harvesting carrots sown directly in the ground – June-November
• Covered sowing – end of October-November
• Harvesting carrots sown in fall – May-June
• Read also: how to grow carrot

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CELERY, sowing and harvest

Knob celery or celeriac

• Sowing knob celery or celeriac indoors – February-March
• Covered sowing of knob celery or celeriac – end of winter, February-March
• Transplanting knob celery or celeriac seedlings – end of April-May
• Harvesting knob celery or celeriac sown in a sheltered place or indoors – August-November
• Direct sowing of knob celery or celeriac – end of April-May
• Harvesting knob celery or celeriac sown in the ground – October-November
• Read also: how to grow celeriac, knob celery

Branch celery

• Sowing branch celery indoors – February-March
• Transplanting the branch celery seedlings – April to May
• Harvesting your branch celery – August-September
• Sowing branch celery in a nursery – April-June
• Transplanting the branch celery seedlings – over the summer, end of June-July
• Harvesting your branch celery sown in summer – August-October
• Read also: how to grow branch celery

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CHICORY, CURLY ENDIVE AND ESCAROLE

• Sowing chicory in a nursery – February to beginning of August
• Transplanting chicory or escarole seedlings – March-August
• Harvesting the chicory and escarole – May-December
• Read also: how to grow curly endive
• Read also: how to grow chicory and escarole

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CABBAGE, sowing and harvest

Summer, fall and winter cabbage (red, savoy, white)

• Nursery sowing of red, white and savoy cabbage – February-June
• Transplanting the cabbage – April-July
• Harvesting red, white and savoy cabbage – from June to March of the following year
• Read also: how to grow Savoy cabbage

Cauliflower

• Sowing cauliflower – spring, beginning of summer, towards March-June
• Transplanting the cauliflower seedlings – June-August
• Harvesting cauliflower – in summer and fall, July-December
• Read also: how to grow cauliflower

Winter cauliflower

Mild-wintered regions

• Sowing cauliflower winter – in spring, May-June
• Transplanting the winter cauliflower – in summer, July-August
• Harvesting the winter cabbage – end of winter and spring, March-June
• Read also: how to grow cauliflower

Broccoli

• Sowing broccoli – spring and summer, May-June
• Transplanting the broccoli – June-August
• Harvesting broccoli – at the end of summer, October to May
• Read also: how to grow broccoli

Brussels sprouts

• Sowing Brussels sprouts in a nursery – March to May
• Transplanting – May-June
• Harvesting Brussels sprouts – October to February in the following year
• Read also: how to grow Brussels sprouts

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CUCUMBERS, PICKLES, sowing and harvest

• Indoor sowing of cucumbers and pickles – March and April
• Transplanting – after 15 days
• Harvesting cucumbers and pickles sown at the end of winter – June-July
• Direct sowing of cucumbers and pickles – April-June
• Thinning – April-June
• Harvesting cucumbers and pickles sown in Spring – July-October
• Read also: how to grow cucumbers and pickles

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ZUCCHINI, sowing and harvest

• Indoor sowing of cucumbers and pickles – Spring, March and April
• Direct sowing of zucchini – April to June, after the last frost spells
• Transplanting – May-June
• Harvesting your zucchini – summer until the first frosts, mid-July to November
• Read also: how to grow zucchini

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SPINACH, sowing and harvest

• Direct sowing – August to mid-October (depending on the variety)
• Harvesting spinach sown at the end of summer – October to April of the following year
• Direct sowing – February-April (depending on the variety)
• Harvesting spinach sown in spring – May-June
• Read also: how to grow spinach

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FENNEL, sowing and harvest

• Direct sowing of fennel – April to the beginning of August
• Transplanting – May-August
• Harvesting the fennel – August to October depending on when it was sown
• Read also: how to grow fennel

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BROAD BEAN, sowing and harvest

• Direct sowing of broad beans – February to April
• Harvesting broad beans sown at the end of winter – May to June

Mild-wintered regions

• Sowing broad beans – October to November
• Harvesting broad beans sown in fall – March to May
• Read also: how to grow broad beans

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BEANS, sowing and harvest

Dwarf or bush beans, snap beans

• Direct sowing of bush beans – April to mid-August
• Harvesting dwarf or bush beans, snap beans – June to mid-October

Pole beans, snap beans

• Direct sowing – April to mid-July
• Harvesting pole beans – mid-June to mid-October
• Read also: how to grow beans

Shelling beans, fresh pea beans

• Direct sowing – April to mid-July
• Harvesting shelling beans (fresh beans) – July to mid-October

Shelling beans, harvest (dry beans)

• Direct sowing – April to mid-June
• Harvesting shelling beans (dry beans) – September-October
• Read also: how to grow beans

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LETTUCE, sowing and harvest

Lettuce varieties that are good for forcing

• Indoor sowing of forced lettuce – November-January
• Transplanting – mid-January to end of February
• Harvesting early, forced lettuce – end of winter, spring, March-May
• Read also: how to grow lettuce

Spring lettuce

• Sowing spring lettuce under cover – end of February to mid-April
• Transplanting – April – beginning of May
• Harvesting your spring lettuce – May-June depending on date sown
• Read also: how to grow lettuce

Summer lettuce

• Direct sowing of summer lettuce – mid-April to mid-June
• Transplanting (or thinning) – June to July
• Harvesting summer lettuce – July to mid-September depending on date sown
• Read also: how to grow lettuce

Fall lettuce

• Direct sowing of autumn lettuce – July to mid-August
• Transplanting (or thinning) – August
• Harvesting fall lettuce – September to October
• Read also: how to grow lettuce

Winter lettuce

• Direct sowing of winter lettuce – August-October
• Transplanting (or thinning) – October
• Harvesting the winter lettuce – March to May

Leaf lettuce

• Direct sowing of leaf lettuce – March to October
• Harvesting your leaf lettuce – April to November
• Leaf lettuce keeps growing back after each harvest

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CORN SALAD, sowing and harvest

• Direct sowing – end of July – October
• Harvest – September to March of the following year (depending on the variety)
• Read also: how to grow corn salad

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MELON, sowing and harvest

• Sowing melon indoors – end of winter, February to April
• Transplanting the melon – mid-April-May
• Harvesting the melon – June to July depending on when it was sown
• Direct sowing – May
• Harvesting melon sown directly in the ground – July-September
• Read also: how to grow melon

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TURNIP, Sowing and harvest

Spring turnips

• Direct sowing of spring turnips – March – May
• Harvesting turnips sown directly – May-mid-July
• Read also: how to grow turnip

Fall turnips

• Direct sowing of fall turnips – summer, July to September
• Harvesting turnips sown in summer – September-November
• Read also: how to grow turnip

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ONION, sowing and harvest

White onions

• Direct sowing of white onions – August-September
• Transplanting – October-mid-November or February
• Harvesting white onions – April-June of the following year

Yellow or red onions

• Direct sowing of colored onions – February-April
• Harvesting yellow or red onions – July-September
• Read also: how to grow onions

Mild-wintered regions

• Direct sowing of colored onions – mid-August to September
• Harvesting onions sown at the end of summer – April to May of the following year

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SORREL, sowing and harvest

• Direct sowing of sorrel – March to July
• Harvesting sorrel – June-November (produces over several years)
• Read also: how to grow sorrel

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PARSNIP, sowing and harvest

• Direct sowing of parsnip – mid-February to June
• Harvesting the parsnip – over summer, from May to September
• Read also: how to grow parsnip

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LEEK, sowing and harvest

Summer leek

• Sowing summer leek under cover – February-March
• Transplanting the summer leek – May
• Harvesting summer leek sown under cover – July to September
• Read also: how to grow leek

Fall and winter leek

• Sowing fall and winter leek in a nursery – March to May
• Transplanting fall and winter leek – May-July
• Harvesting fall and winter leek – October-April of the following year
• Read also: how to grow leek

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CHARD, sowing and harvest

• Direct sowing of chard – April to June (and July for leaf chard)
• Harvesting chard – July to November depending on when it was sown
• Read also: how to grow chard

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PEAS and GREEN PEAS, sowing and harvest

Round peas and snap peas

• Direct sowing – mid-February-April
• Harvesting round peas and snap peas – June to July

Dried peas and snap peas

• Direct sowing – mid-March-June
• Harvesting dried peas and snap peas – July to September

Early or forced dried peas and snap peas

• Direct sowing – 2^nd fortnight of July
• Harvesting early or forced dried peas and snap peas – October
• Direct sowing – mid-October-November
• Harvesting peas round or snap peas sown directly in the ground – April to May
• Read also: how to grow peas

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SQUASH, sowing and harvest

• Sowing squash – April to May
• Harvesting squash – September to November depending on when it was sown
• Read also: how to grow squash

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RADISH, sowing and harvest

Monthly cycle radishes

• Forced sowing of monthly cycle radishes – mid-February to March
• Harvest – mid-March-April
• Direct sowing – mid-March-September
• Harvesting radish sown directly in the ground – mid-April-November
• Read also: how to grow radish

Summer and fall radish

• Sowing the radish seeds – May to August
• Harvesting the summer and fall radish – July to November
• Read also: how to grow radish

Black radish or winter radish

• Sowing black radish, winter radish – June-August
• Harvesting black radish or winter radish – November-December
• Read also: how to grow winter radish

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BLACK SALSIFY, sowing and harvest

• Direct sowing of black salsify – March to June
• Harvesting black salsify – October to March of the following year
• Read also: how to grow black salsify

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WHITE SALSIFY, or goat’s beard, sowing and harvest

• Direct sowing of salsify – March – May
• Harvesting salsify – October to March of the following year
• Read also: how to grow salsify

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New Zealand spinach (tetragonia), sowing and harvest

• Sowing tetragonia indoors – February-March
• Direct sowing of tetragon – May, after any risk of freezing has disappeared
• Transplanting – mid-April-May
• Harvesting tetragon – August to November depending on when it was sown
• Read also: all about growing New Zealand spinach

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TOMATO, sowing and harvest

• Sowing tomato indoors – January-March
• Sowing tomato under cover – March-April
• Transplanting – May, when the last frosts are past
• Harvesting your tomatoes – July to October, pick your tomatoes when you need them
• Read also: how to grow tomato

Purpose and relevance of a sowing and seedling calendar

Using a calendar to schedule your sowing in the vegetable patch is useful to plan and stage the harvest.

Even if the actual dates may shift to a bit earlier or later depending on the climate and the place you live, you can still spread the sowing on different days to maximize space and time, while ensuring crop rotation.

→ These vegetables and more are included in our moon planting calendar.