When to plant in Maryland
Most of Maryland sees its last spring frost between Mar 27 and Apr 19, and its first fall frost between Oct 24 and Nov 15. The middle of the state is around April 3 and November 6: that's what the dates below use.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 1 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 28 – Sep 20 | — |
| Pepper | Feb 15 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jul 3 – Sep 25 | — |
| Cucumber | — | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 13 – Aug 1 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 8 – Aug 17 | — |
| Winter squash | — | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jul 23 – Aug 27 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 13 – Jul 25 | — |
| Peas | — | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 21 – May 26 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jul 3 – Jul 31 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 20 – Jun 1 | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
| Spinach | — | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Kale | Jan 23 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 30 – Jul 23 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Broccoli | Jan 30 | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | May 12 – Jun 16 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Cabbage | Jan 23 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | May 15 – Jun 19 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | May 22 – Jul 3 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Beet | — | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | May 7 – Jun 18 | Sep 5 – Sep 19 |
| Radish | — | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Mar 24 – Apr 21 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Jun 7 – Jul 12 | — |
| Garlic | — | Oct 30 – Nov 20 (fall) | May 29 – Jun 19 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Jun 11 – Jul 16 | — |
| Sweet potato | Mar 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Aug 2 – Aug 30 | — |
| Watermelon | — | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jul 18 – Aug 22 | — |
| Basil | Mar 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | May 19 – Aug 25 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | May 1 – May 29 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jul 8 – Aug 12 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in Maryland. Colder and higher places plant later, warmer ones earlier: enter your ZIP code for yours, or see the calendar for your zone.
Frost dates around Maryland
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | 7b | Mar 24 | Nov 21 |
| Silver Spring | 7b | Apr 1 | Nov 6 |
| Bethesda | 7b | Apr 1 | Nov 6 |
| Gaithersburg | 7b | Apr 1 | Nov 6 |
| Rockville | 7b | Apr 1 | Nov 6 |
| Annapolis | 8a | Mar 27 | Nov 13 |
| Bowie | 7b | Apr 22 | Oct 22 |
| Hyattsville | 7b | Mar 29 | Nov 8 |
| Laurel | 7b | Apr 5 | Nov 9 |
| Frederick | 7a | Apr 2 | Nov 6 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.