Every spring, I see people on social media asking when they should start their tomatoes, peppers, peas, potatoes, etc. in Kentucky zone 6b, 7a, and 7b. I thought to myself, “Who has a Kentucky vegetable planting calendar?”
So, with some AI help, I built this. (I can’t make a spreadsheet for others to understand-I do better with crayons) A real Kentucky vegetable planting calendar, broken out by zone, based on University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension guidelines — not Pinterest, not a gardening influencer in another zone or state. Actual Kentucky data for actual Kentucky gardeners and homesteaders.
Scroll down to use the interactive calendar and toggle between Western, Central, and Eastern KY zones. Or keep reading for the breakdown on what any of it actually means.
First: Which Zone Are You Actually In? Updated for 2026 (see 2023 USDA Map Below)
Kentucky USDA hardiness zones range from 6b through 7b. That sounds tidy on paper. In real time, it means the difference between losing your pepper transplants to a late frost or not.
Western Kentucky (Zone 7a–7b) — Owensboro, Paducah, Bowling Green. Warmer winters, earlier springs. You can generally plant 1-2 weeks ahead of Central KY. Last frost is typically early May.
Central Kentucky (Zone 6b–7a) — Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort. The middle ground in every sense. Last frost mid-May, though any given year will test that. This is the timing the calendar defaults to. (I am in Columbia, Ky 7a)
Eastern Kentucky (Zone 6b) — Pikeville, Hazard, Morehead. Higher elevations, shorter seasons, later springs. Plan 1-2 weeks behind Central. Fall comes earlier too, so succession planting matters more here.
The Kentucky Vegetable Planting Calendar
Honestly, I can not create a spreadsheet that makes sense to anyone but me. So, I jumped in and combined AI with data from Kentucky Extension publications to develop the interactive calendar below, highlighting planting windows for 30+ vegetables.
Toggle between zones to adjust all the timing at once. Color coding: light green = direct seed outdoors, dark green = transplant or peak planting, tan = start indoors, blue = fall planting, yellow = harvest window.
| Vegetable | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|
Source: University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Garden Calendar · Guide by Bloom & Peck
Want your exact zone? Plug your zip code into the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — that’s the official source this calendar is based on. Farmers’ Almanac has frost dates by zip too. But nothing beats your own weather notes over time.
Cool Season Crops: Start Earlier Than You Think
This is where most new Kentucky gardeners leave time on the table. We get excited about tomatoes and peppers and forget that there’s a whole other growing season before them — and another one after.
Peas, spinach, and lettuce want to be in the ground in late February to early March in Central KY. Not when it feels like spring. When it’s still cold and you’re not sure. They can handle light frost. What they can’t handle is heat — once summer hits, they bolt and it’s over.
The same goes for broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. Start them indoors in January. Transplant in late February or early March. Let them mature before the June heat rolls in. UK Extension is clear on this: fall broccoli in Kentucky often tastes better than spring broccoli because it matures in cooler temps. Worth doing a second planting in August if you missed the spring window.
Worth direct seeding in early spring:
| Zone | Direct Sow | Last Frost |
| Zone 6b (E. KY) | Mar 15 – Apr 7 | May 5–10 |
| Zone 6b–7a (Central KY) | Mar 1 – Mar 21 | Late Apr–Early May (Apr 30–May 5) |
| Zone 7a–7b (W. KY) | Feb 20 – Mar 14 | Late April (Apr 20–30) |
Dates below are for Central KY (Zone 6b–7a). Use the zone table to adjust for your area — Eastern KY plants ~2 weeks later, Western KY ~2 weeks earlier.
- Peas — late February to early March (See my When to plant peas post)
- Spinach — late February to mid-March
- Lettuce — early to mid-March
- Radishes — early March (and again in fall)
- Beets and carrots — mid-March
- Kale and collards — mid-March (fall planting in July too)
- Onion sets — late February to mid-March
TIP- Call or visit your extension agent; they will help you with tips for your county.
I get most of my seeds from Epic Gardening. There’s a 5% discount through my link if you need it — I only mention it because I actually use them.
Warm Season Crops: The Frost Date Is Not a Suggestion
I know. The forecast looks warm. The nursery already has tomatoes on the bench. Your neighbor swears he puts his out in April every year. Maybe he gets lucky. Maybe he covers them every cold night, and you just don’t see that part. Trust me, in March (2026), it was 70degrees on the 14th, then it snowed on the 16!
Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and okra are frost-sensitive. In Central KY, the last frost is typically mid-May. As the saying goes, ”Plant after Derby Day.” Western KY is early May, Eastern KY is late May. These are averages based on decades of regional data — not guarantees, but the best information we have. Now you can use row covers to help protect the plants, but they are not 100%.
If you’re starting tomatoes and peppers from seed, start them indoors 6-8 weeks before your transplant date. For Central KY, that means mid-March seed starting. They’ll be big, healthy transplants by the time it’s safe to put them out. (That’s the recommendation, I start early and pot them up! See my best tomatoes for Kentucky post.
Cucumbers, squash, and melons can go in at the end of April in Central KY (I still use a row cover to protect them) — earlier in the west, later in the east. Don’t rush them.
The Fall Garden: Most Kentucky Gardeners Don’t Use This Window
By July, a lot of gardeners are just managing what they have and are mentally done with the season. Yes, this was me last year after stress from our family health and surgery issues; there’s only so much you can do. I missed the whole fall window last year, and I’m not beating myself up about it — but this year I’m ready. But July and August are when you should be starting your fall plantings — and it’s one of the most underused parts of Kentucky gardening.
PSSST I will be putting in a hobby size high tunnel this year. The post is coming!
Broccoli, cabbage, kale, carrots, beets, turnips, and spinach all have a fall window here. I am super excited to get them in this year. UK Extension specifically notes that fall broccoli quality is often superior in Kentucky because it matures in cooler air. You’re not scraping together a desperate second attempt — you’re using a genuinely good growing window that most people skip.
In Eastern KY, this window is shorter — fall comes earlier, so timing matters more. In Western KY, you have a little more wiggle room. Either way, don’t sleep on it.
Real Notes From a Columbia, KY Zone 7 Garden
These are things I’ve picked up after years of gardening in Central Kentucky clay that no calendar is going to tell you.
Your microclimate matters. A raised bed in full sun against a south-facing fence runs warmer than a flat in-ground plot with shade. A low spot holds cold air. Know your specific conditions, not just your zone.
Soil temperature beats air temperature. Seeds need soil warm enough to germinate — for most warm-season crops, that’s 60 degrees F or above. A cheap soil thermometer will tell you more than any calendar. I lost a whole tray of basil last year because I got to excited, killed them all. They grow fast though so I was able to get more in for my companion planting.
Late frosts happen. I’ve had frost in the first week of May in Columbia. Keep an eye on the forecast through mid-May and have a row cover or an old bedsheet ready. The calendar gives you the average — nature will give you the outlier.
Keep a garden journal. The UK Extension calendar mentions this, and it’s genuinely good advice. Write down what you planted, when, where, and what happened. Your own notes from your own yard beat any guide — including this one. I honestly am not a journal person… BUT I do like calendars, I buy a spiral-bound one every year, and put planting dates and weather dates there. That reminds me! I forgot to put in my March 15 Snow Day (2026)
Want a Printable Version?
I also worked with AI here to make you a printable PDF version of this calendar — formatted by zone, clean enough to stick on the fridge or tuck in your seed box. Drop your email below, and I’ll send it straight to you. No fluff, just the calendar.
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