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Planting Zone 5
If you’re a homesteader or gardener living in USDA Planting Zone 5, then your zone is known for its cold winters and moderate summers – key planning information when it comes to planting! To help make sure your garden thrives this season (and every season) we’ve created this guide just for you. We’ll walk through the characteristics of USDA Planting Zone 5, as well as provide month-by-month advice on what to plant, how to prepare soil beds and seedlings, and outline strategies for gardening success. So read on to learn more about this unique climate zone and sharpen up those green thumbs!
This post is all about the zone 5 planting schedule.
[RELATED POST: USDA Plant Hardiness Zones & Microclimates]
What is a Plant Hardiness Zone?
The United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA, has a guide for plant hardiness zones. It is only a guide and not an exact science. There are other elements, such as microclimates, that you’ll encounter. (We’ll review microclimates later in this post).
The USDA defines the the plant hardiness zones (or gardening zone) as,
“the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10-degree F zones. USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. USDA, 2022. https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/
These zones are determined based on the following:
“Hardiness zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum temperature during a 30-year period in the past, not the lowest temperature that has ever occurred in the past or might occur in the future.” USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. USDA, 2022. https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/
There are a total of 13 zones in the US. Zone 1 has the coldest winters, while zone 13 is a low or subtropical desert. These zones are divided further into designated ‘a’ and ‘b’. For example, in zone 7 there is 7a and 7b. Within each of these zones there are microclimates.
[RELATED POST: How to Determine Your Area’s Frost Dates]
Where is Planting Zone 5?
Planting zone 5 covers the Northeastern United States, extends the northern part of the central United States, and the Northwest.
Planting zone 5 includes the following states: parts of the New England area (Maine and New Hampshire), New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Montana, Wyoming, Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and parts of Colorado, Alaska, and Nevada.
The Climate in Planting Zone 5
This climate has cold winters and a short growing season in comparison to the other planting zones. Cool and cold weather crops can handle the cooler weather. While warm and hot weather crops can endure this planting zone, they have a shorter period to grow in. Using a greenhouse and/or starting seeds indoors is always a great option to extend the growing season.
Its last frost date is sometime in May. Since climates and microclimates can vary within a state, planting zone, and even on your own property, determining your last frost date is important. You don’t want to destroy all of your hard work by putting out plants way too early. The first frost date occurs some time in September.
Don’t let the shortened season deter you. There are plenty of herbs, vegetables, and fruit that can be grown.
Here are some popular options of what to grow in planting zone 5: chives, beets, butternut squash, rhubarb, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and more.
Zone 5 Planting Schedule
Let’s take a look at what you can be doing month-by-month in the zone 5 planting schedule. At the beginning of the year, the focus is on getting set up with cool and cold weather crops, along with prepping for the main growing season. This is optional if you don’t plan on growing these types of crops. Next, the focus is on warm and hot weather crops. Finally, as the season starts to wind down, the focus is on getting ready for winter, which consists of a garden clean up and planting cool and cold weather crops (optional).
January: Planning Out the Garden
Use the month of January for planning out your garden.
Growing from Seed and Seed Companies
- Check out seed companies online and see what you’d like to plant. Since you’ll be pressed for time, don’t go overboard with buying. Only buy seeds of produce you’ll actually eat.
- Start planning for the upcoming months. Decide where you’re going to plant all of your seedlings once it’s time to put them out.
Growing from Store Bought Seedlings
If you’re not starting from seeds and want to start with seedlings, check out these steps.
- Start planning on where you’re going to purchase your seedlings.
- Start planning for the upcoming months. What do you want to plant?
- Create a dream board for your garden. Check out Pinterest. There’s so much gardening inspiration to get ideas.
- If you plan on having raised beds, trellises, and other things that require building, now’s the perfect time to work on those projects.
- Are you able to use a greenhouse to extend your growing season?
No matter how you’re starting your garden for the growing season, grab a gardening journal. Document everything you do throughout this year. It’s a helpful tool to look back, reflect, and jot down your learning experiences. Write down what worked during the growing season and what didn’t. If something didn’t work out this year, do you understand why it didn’t? What are you going to do differently next year to have a successful crop?
[RELATED POST: Indoor Seed Starting: DIY – How to Build a Seed Starting Rack]
February: Starting Crops Indoors
Seed start the following types of crops indoors: asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, parsley, and peas, and onions.
- Continue planning your garden.
- Consider building cold frames to protect cool and cold weather crops that are later planted to protect them against frost. Frost and snow are still an issue. Using cold frames allows you to plant your cool and cold crops in March and April.
[RELATED POST: How to Determine Your Area’s Frost Date]
March: Spring To Do List
More seeds can be started indoors. The following crops are ready to be started: asparagus, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, eggplant, kale, lettuce, okra, tomatoes, peppers, and rosemary.
There’s a to-do list outside in the garden as well:
- It’s clean up time! Prune any plants that aren’t blooming in the spring. Spruce up trees and bushes by removing any dead limbs.
- Planting cool and cold weather plants can start this month. Before you plant anything, test the soil.
- After testing the soil, start prepping your garden beds. Add any necessary amendments at this point.
- Once the amendments are added, start transplanting the plants started indoors that are ready to be transplanted. Place the cold frames over the transplants for protection.
- Clean and sharpen garden tools.
April: Spring is in Swing
If you haven’t already started seeds indoors, you can still get ahead of the growing season and plant this month. If you’ve already started, continue seed starting indoors. The following plants can be started: arugula, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, kale, lettuce, okra, onions, peas, peppers, rosemary, spinach and tomatoes.
***Note, some sources will recommend starting peas indoors. Unless you have a compostable pot that can decompose after the plant is planted, I would not recommend starting peas indoors. Peas do not like their roots disturbed so direct sow them.
If you didn’t prepare the garden last month, start this month.
- It’s clean up time! Prune any plants that aren’t blooming in the spring. Spruce up trees and bushes by removing any dead limbs.
- Planting cool and cold weather plants can start this month. Before you plant anything, test the soil.
- After testing the soil, start prepping your garden beds. Add any necessary amendments at this point.
- Once the amendments are added, it’s time to start hardening off the seedlings started indoors.
- start transplanting the plants started indoors that are ready to be transplanted. Place the cold frames over the transplants for protection.
- Clean and sharpen garden tools.
- Apply fresh mulch to your garden beds.
- If you mulched in the fall and/or used leaves, work it into the soil for further decomposition. In the fall, I like to add thick layers of leaves.
May: Time to Transplant
Transplant all of your seedlings. Be sure to harden them off prior to planting them in your garden beds. Without hardening off your plants, you can destroy all that hard work by killing your crops.
Direct sow crops that can be direct sown. Always check the packages of your seeds for where they recommend starting them. Examples of crops that can be direct sown are:
- Arugula
- Beans
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cantaloupe
- Chard
- Collards
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce
- Melons
- Onion
- Parsley
- Parsnips
- Peas
- Peppers
- Pumpkin
- Radish
- Rhubarb
- Spinach
- summer and winter squash
- Turnip
- Watermelon
This month’s to-do list:
- Start monitoring for pests and disease once you’ve transplanted your seedlings.
- Learn about the different pests that affect each of your plants. In knowing which plants they affect, they’re easier to identify and treat the plants.
- Stake plants that require staking. An example of a plant that needs staking or support is a tomato plant.
- Start planting herbs outside, like parsley. Any herbs that can withstand cool weather. When the threat of frost clears, plant warm weather herbs.
- Apply a thick layer of mulch.
June: It’s Getting Hot Out Here
You should now only be directly sowing seeds. Direct any seeds that were mentioned above for the month of May. Plant herbs, including ones that do well in warmer and hotter temperatures.
- Maintain your gardening journal and take notes of what has gone well so far and what can be improved on. Writing it down to look back on later is super helpful.
- Continue monitoring for pests and disease.
- The weather is starting to really warm up so closely monitor the moisture levels in the soil. If you haven’t already mulched, do so! Putting down mulch helps to retain moisture in the soil.
- Fertilize your plants. Consider slow release and organic fertilizers.
July: Summer Heat
It’s only July, but it’s time to start planning for the fall. There aren’t many seeds you can direct sow outdoors for your main season crops. Start your fall crops indoors. Consider planting broccoli, kale, lettuce, and spinach. Basically reverse what you did earlier in the year. You’ll be planting cool and cold weather crops again.
- Maintain your gardening journal and take notes of what has gone well so far and what can be improved on. Writing it down to look back on later is super helpful.
- Continue monitoring for pests and disease. Watch for powdery mildew.
- It’s super hot in July! Make sure your plants are getting enough water. If it’s really hot outside, you can consider putting up a shade cover over your plants to give them a reprieve from the relentless sun.
- You might be able to start harvesting some of your crops now!
- Any deterrents for pests need to be applied either early in the morning or on a cool evening.
[RELATED POST: Powdery Mildew: What Is It and How to Get Rid of It]
August: Harvest Time
Keep harvesting your crops! The best times of the day to harvest are during the early morning or the evening when it’s cooler. Avoid harvesting during the middle of the day since the plants are already stressed out enough from the heat.
Sow the following plants either indoors or outdoors:
- Arugula
- Bush beans
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Chives
- Kohlrabi
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Mustard
- Radish
- Peas (outdoors only)
- Spinach
- Turnips
This month’s to-do list:
- Maintain your gardening journal and take notes of what has gone well so far and what can be improved on. Writing it down to look back on later is super helpful.
- Continue monitoring for pests and disease. Watch for powdery mildew.
- Deep, regular waterings. Avoid watering during the day and in the evening. Watering early in the morning is best. Watering during the day can cause burning of your plants. Watering in the evening increases the risk of mildew and other diseases.
September: Fall In Coming
Most of your crops should still be producing which means more harvesting this month. Plant crops like peas (start outdoors only), broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel sprouts, leeks, lettuce, radish and onion. These crops can be started indoors or outdoors. Each of these crops like cooler weather. Use a cold frame when temperatures start dropping.
- It may be time to start cleaning up your garden beds. Pull out any diseased plants. These plants shouldn’t be composted and should be disposed of. Compost anything that’s not diseased, if you have a compost pile.
- Regularly water plants until the first frost.
October: Clean Up Time
Continue planting cool and cold weather plants like: arugula, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kohlrabi, lettuce, onion, lettuce, radish and spinach.
- Apply compost to the garden beds.
- Rake up fallen leaves but don’t discard them. Leaves are super useful in the garden. Mulch them up and apply directly to your garden beds to protect them over the winter. Leaves are always the top layer in my garden. So add compost and then the leaves.
November: Wrapping It Up
Keep those cool and cold weather crops covered to lengthen your growing season. Yes, you can definitely continue growing these crops throughout the winter and there’s little maintenance. The cold frames create their own atmosphere, creating moisture that rains down on your plants. Pretty cool, huh?!
- Finish cleaning up the garden and any last tasks.
- If you haven’t mulched your garden beds, do so this month.
December: Reset and Rest
Rest this month before you start all over again next month!
Conclusion
- Planting zone 5 covers the Northeastern United States, extends the northern part of the central United States, and the Northwest.
- The climate in planting zone 5 has cold winters and a short growing season.
- The last frost date is sometime in May while the first frost date occurs some time in September.
- A range of vegetables, fruits and herbs that can be grown in planting zone 5 include chives, beets, butternut squash, rhubarb, beans, tomatoes and cucumbers.
This post was all about the zone 5 planting schedule.
