Zone 4 vegetable planting calendar
Average frost dates and when to start, transplant and sow common vegetables in USDA zone 4 (4a and 4b) for the 2027 season.
Last spring frost (avg.)
May 8
First fall frost (avg.)
Sep 25
Growing season
~140 days
frost-free
Month by month in zone 4
February
- Start indoors: Pepper
- Start indoors: Eggplant
- Start indoors: Onion
March
- Start indoors: Tomato
- Start indoors: Broccoli
- Start indoors: Cabbage
- Start indoors: Lettuce
- Sow outdoors: Spinach
- Sow outdoors: Peas
- Start indoors: Basil
April
- Transplant out: Broccoli
- Transplant out: Cabbage
- Transplant out: Onion
- Sow outdoors: Lettuce
- Sow outdoors: Radish
- Sow outdoors: Carrot
- Sow outdoors: Potato
- Start indoors: Cucumber
- Start indoors: Squash & zucchini
May
- Transplant out: Tomato
- Transplant out: Pepper
- Transplant out: Eggplant
- Sow outdoors: Bush beans
- Sow outdoors: Sweet corn
- Sow outdoors: Cucumber
- Sow outdoors: Squash & zucchini
- Transplant out: Basil
Planting dates by crop
Tomato
- Start indoors
- Mar 13 – Mar 27
- Transplant out
- May 15 – May 29
Pepper
- Start indoors
- Feb 27 – Mar 13
- Transplant out
- May 22 – Jun 5
Eggplant
- Start indoors
- Feb 27 – Mar 13
- Transplant out
- May 22 – Jun 5
Broccoli
- Start indoors
- Mar 13 – Mar 27
- Transplant out
- Apr 17 – May 1
Cabbage
- Start indoors
- Mar 13 – Mar 27
- Transplant out
- Apr 10 – Apr 24
Onion
- Start indoors
- Feb 13 – Feb 27
- Transplant out
- Apr 10 – Apr 24
Lettuce
- Start indoors
- Mar 27 – Apr 10
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 10 – May 1
Spinach
- Sow outdoors
- Mar 27 – Apr 17
Peas
- Sow outdoors
- Mar 27 – Apr 10
Radish
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 10 – May 1
Carrot
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 17 – May 8
Potato
- Sow outdoors
- Apr 17 – May 1
Bush beans
- Sow outdoors
- May 15 – May 29
Sweet corn
- Sow outdoors
- May 15 – May 29
Cucumber
- Start indoors
- Apr 10 – Apr 17
- Sow outdoors
- May 15 – May 29
Squash & zucchini
- Start indoors
- Apr 10 – Apr 17
- Sow outdoors
- May 15 – May 29
Basil
- Start indoors
- Mar 27 – Apr 10
- Transplant out
- May 15 – May 29
Other zones
Turn these dates into reminders
Smart Garden Planner keeps your seed-starting, transplant and harvest dates on one calendar with morning reminders.
Frost dates are broad averages for zone 4 and can differ by several weeks locally. Planting windows follow common extension seed-starting guidance. Check your local extension office for exact dates.