• Print
  • Email
  • Save
Today's Thought | Share Your Photos | Follow Us on Pinterest | Subscribe
Links We Love
  • Buffalo Chicken
    FitSugar: The Worst Late-Night Snacks
  • Pen and half-written letter next to a cup of pencils and a flower
    Stylelist Home: 10 Gorgeous (and Free!) Printable Stationery Sets
  • Woman applying eyeliner
    BellaSugar: 5 Secrets of Applying Eyeliner Right Every Time
|
Real Simple | Life Made Easier, Every Day
       
make us your homepage
  • Food & Recipes
    • Browse All
    • Enhanced Recipe Search
    • Recipe Collections & Favorites
    • Cooking Tips & Techniques
    • Shopping & Storing
    • Tools & Products
    • New Uses For Old Things
    • Guide to Ingredients
  • Home & Organizing
    • Browse All
    • Organizing
    • Cleaning
    • Decorating
    • Home Improvement
    • Gardening
    • Green Living
    • New Uses For Old Things
    • Easy DIY Ideas
  • Beauty & Fashion
    • Browse All
    • Clothing
    • Shoes & Accessories
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Makeovers & Tips
    • Clothing Care
    • New! Beauty Makeover Tool
  • Holidays & Entertaining
    • Browse All
    • Holidays
    • Weddings
    • Birthdays
    • Entertaining
    • Gifts
    • Spring Celebrations
    • Digital Holiday Cards
  • Health
    • Browse All
    • Nutrition & Diet
    • Fitness & Exercise
    • Mind & Mood
    • First Aid & Health Basics
    • Preventative Health
    • Stay Healthy on the Go
  • Work & Life
    • Browse All
    • Money
    • Family
    • Life Strategies
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Etiquette
    • Entertainment
    • Saving and Budgeting Basics
  • Magazine & More
    • Browse All
    • Inside the Magazine
    • Inside the Website
    • Newsletters
    • Real Simple Products
    • Real Simple Rewards
    • Books & Back Issues
    • Simply Stated Blogs
    • Subscribe
    • Give a Gift Subscription
    • Enjoy Real Simple on Your Tablet
  • Homepage
  • Home & Organizing
  • Gardening
  • Outdoor
Colorful vegetables David Prince Page 1 of 15

Month-by-Month Guide to Vegetable Gardening

By Madaline Sparks

How to prep, plant, and maintain your garden for a bountiful harvest every season. 

When to Plant

As the saying goes, timing is everything—and that’s never more true than when it comes to vegetable gardening. Determining the right time to start seeds and to plant outdoors is essential, which is why following a month-by-month to-do list can mean the difference between a happy harvest and a heartbreaking one. One important note: Since the USDA Hardiness Zone Map divides North America into 11 separate zones—each zone is 10°F warmer (or colder) during an average winter than the adjacent zone—the correct start dates vary for different parts of the country. (The timeline featured here is roughly based on the timing for Zone 8.) The best way to determine the exact timing for your garden is to ask the county cooperative extension in your area for a localized calendar. (Contact info is available at extension.org.) Now, get growing!

Next: January
Skip to Daily Finds slides.
Colorful vegetables
notepad and pencil
Seeds and gardening supplies
Containers and hand tools for gardening
Gardening supplies and seeds
Watering can
0604leather-gloves
Tomato garden
A potted herb garden
Pots of plants - mistake 10
Casabella Garden Grip Rake
Shovel in dirt
Winter vegetables

Most Popular Galleries

  • Atrium Mirror

      Decorative Mirrors for Every Budget

  • Spray bottle and cloths at a window

      Readers' Best Cleaning Tips

  • Ketchup bottle as batter dispenser

      50 All-Time Favorite New Uses for Old Things

  • Grilled meats and vegetables

      How to Grill Anything

  • Beef burger

      6 Steps to a Perfect Burger

Hot Topic

“One of the easiest ways to inspire jealousy in your neighbors and friends is to entertain them in your newly renovated kitchen. The only challenge is that a well designed and beautiful kitchen is...” - Kelley Carter
More From

Get Expert Help with Your Kitchen Remodel

What do you think about this article? Share your own solutions and ideas

View Earlier Comments

Get Surprising Tips and Tricks Each Week

Sign up for our free Real Simple Weekly Tips newsletter (see a sample).
Advertisement

What's Hot

Children's party spread with rainbow colored food and treat assortment

29 Ways to Entertain Kids

When it's time to celebrate, plan an unforgettable bash with a creative and easy-to-throw-together theme.

  • 10 Easy Ham Recipes
  • Houzz: 10 Creative Storage Ideas for Your Bathroom
Computer deskNew on the Web
Countdown to Memorial Day: The Best BBQ Decorations
Memorial Day, often known as the kickoff to summer, is the perfect time to host ...
from TheNest Blog » house & home
Quick tips to turn your unhealthy home into a healthy one
Your home is a place to show off your sense of style – but it can also ha...
from FOXNews.com
100 DIY Projects That Will Make You Proud!
There are few things that are as satisfying as pulling off a successful DIY proj...
from CasaSugar
Kirsten Dirksen: Deep Craft: Go Beyond Etsy and Make Toward Slow Design and the Good Life (VIDEO)
Discuss "craft" with Scott Constable, whose training includes apprenticeships un...
from Stylelist Home
How To Remove Tough Food Stains From Your Clothes
This has probably happened to you at one time or another: You're cooking a delic...
from Kitchen Daily on Huffingtonpost
Make a Wedding Memorable With a Bridal Shower Brunch (14 photos)
Summer and weddings go hand in hand. If you're looking to honor a special bride...
from Houzz
Real Simple Newsletters To receive any of these free e-mails, check the boxes below and enter the required information.
  • Weekly Tips Newsletter
  • Daily Finds
  • Daily Holiday Treat (Seasonal)
  • Daily Thought
  • Weddings
  • Beauty & Fashion Solutions
  • Daily Recipe
  • Keep It Together Checklist
  • Best of Summer (Seasonal)
Home & Organizing:
  • Organizing | 
  • Cleaning | 
  • Decorating | 
  • Home Improvement | 
  • Gardening | 
  • Green Living | 
  • New Uses For Old things | 
  • Clever Organizing Solutions | 
  • Speed-Cleaning Tips & Tricks | 
  • New Uses for Everyday Items | 
  • DIY Decorating Ideas | 
  • Unexpected Natural Cleaners | 
  • Top Cleaning Checklists | 
  • Go Green | 
  • Painting Tips | 
  • Home Gardening Tips | 
  • 40 Decorating Tips for Your Living Room | 
  • Quick Weekend Projects | 
  • Simply Stated: Decorating & Organizing Blog


More from RealSimple.com:
  • Food & Recipes | 
  • Beauty & Fashion | 
  • Holidays & Entertaining | 
  • Health | 
  • Work & Life | 
  • Magazine & More
  • Real Simple Magazine:
  • Subscribe | 
  • Give a Gift Subscription | 
  • Tablet Edition
  • On The Go: 
  • Get Ideas Daily | 
  • Become a Fan on Facebook | 
  • Follow Real Simple on Twitter | 
  • Real Simple Mobile Apps
  • Contact Us | 
  • Customer Service | 
  • Privacy Policy | 
  • Your California Privacy Rights | 
  • Terms of Service | 
  • Print Media Kit | 
  • Digital Media Kit | 
  • Real Simple Rewards | 
  • Site Map
  • Ad Choices
Copyright © 2012 Time Inc. Lifestyle Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Real Simple Home and Lifestyle Network