That long runway changes how the year works. In Zone 6 and colder, fall planting is a bonus round; in Zone 7 it's a full second season. The gardeners who get the most out of this zone think in two gardens a year — a spring one and a fall one — with a hot July intermission in between. Look up your exact frost dates by ZIP code once (the free Old Farmer's Almanac tool) and shift our ranges to match; how the frost-date system works is in our one-chart planting guide.
Zone 7 at a glance
| Fact | Typical for Zone 7 |
|---|---|
| Winter low | 0 to 10°F (7a: 0…5, 7b: 5…10) |
| Average last spring frost | Late March to mid-April |
| Safe date for tomatoes & tender crops | Mid-to-late April |
| Average first fall frost | Late October to mid-November |
| Frost-free season | ~190–210 days |
February — the head start
- Start indoors: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, and head lettuce early in the month; they'll be garden-ready by late March.
- Direct sow (late February, warmer 7b pockets): peas and spinach — Zone 7 soils are often workable while Zone 6 is still frozen solid.
- Prep beds on mild days: a February afternoon at a waist-high bed beats a muddy March morning on your knees.
March — the cool-season sprint
- Direct sow all month: lettuce, radishes, carrots, beets, turnips, kale, chard, arugula.
- Plant potatoes mid-to-late March — the old Southern habit of planting "around St. Patrick's Day" fits most of Zone 7.
- Start tomatoes indoors in the first half of March (6–8 weeks ahead of their late-April date); peppers and eggplant right behind them.
- Transplant those February brassicas out from late March under a light row cover.
April — the handoff month
- Frost danger fades from about April 5 in 7b to mid-April in colder 7a spots — confirm your ZIP-code date and watch the 10-day forecast.
- Direct sow once soil passes 60°F: bush and pole beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash — usually from mid-April.
- Transplant tomatoes in the second half of April. Zone 7's classic mistake is the opposite of Zone 6's: not frost, but impatience with cold soil. A tomato set in 55°F dirt just sits there.
May — the warm-season main event
- Peppers, eggplant, melons, and winter squash go in as nights settle above 55°F.
- Zone 7 privileges: okra and sweet potato slips — marginal gambles up north — thrive here. Plant both in May and they'll carry you through the hottest weeks.
- Last comfortable month for lettuce in full sun; move salad crops to afternoon shade now.
June — heat management
- Finish planting melons, squash, and the last succession of beans by mid-month.
- Mulch deep (2–3 inches) — June mulch is July's watering plan.
- Lettuce and spinach bolt in the heat; don't fight it. Swap salads to heat-lovers (chard, Malabar spinach) or take the month off from greens.
July — the intermission
- The cool-season garden pauses; the gardener should too. Water deeply, harvest daily, and stay out of the afternoon sun.
- Start fall brassicas in trays (broccoli, cabbage, collards) somewhere bright but shaded mid-month — they transplant out in late August.
- Last call for a fast round of bush beans in the final week.
August — the second season begins
From mid-August, direct sow carrots, beets, and turnips for fall, and set out brassica transplants in the last week (shade them for their first few days). Zone 7's fall window is wide — our What to Plant in August guide covers it zone by zone.
September — a full planting month
Here's the Zone 7 luxury Zone 6 doesn't get: September is a genuine sowing month, not a last call.
- All month: lettuce, spinach, radishes, arugula, Asian greens, turnips.
- Early September: a fall round of peas — they'll crop in the mild October air.
- Keep new sowings evenly moist; September soil is still summer-warm.
October — greens and garlic prep
- Sow spinach and hardy lettuce under row cover into mid-month; they'll feed you through Thanksgiving and often beyond.
- The first frost usually arrives late in the month — an old bed sheet over the salad bed on cold nights keeps everything rolling.
- Buy seed garlic now; the planting window opens as the month ends.
November — garlic month
- Plant garlic from late October through mid-November — around your first frost, while the soil is still workable. Cloves root all winter here and size up beautifully. Full timing, depth, and a no-bend method: when to plant garlic.
- Onion sets can go in alongside (a Zone 7 trick — they overwinter and bulb early).
- Covered kale, collards, spinach, and carrots keep producing into December.
The no-bend view of Zone 7
Two seasons a year means twice the trips to the garden — which makes comfortable working height twice as valuable here:
- A waist-high bed turns the February and November edges of the season into pleasant work — no kneeling on cold, wet ground during the very months Zone 7 hands you for free.
- Containers bridge the July gap: pots of chard and herbs by a shaded door keep the kitchen supplied while the salad bed rests.
- Our raised bed height guide and container guide cover the setups.
Put your Zone 7 dates on paper
The free Printable Garden Planner Kit includes a fill-in planting calendar, frost-date tables for zones 3–10, bed grids, and seasonal checklists — all in large, readable print.
Frequently asked questions
When should I plant tomatoes in Zone 7?
Transplant in the second half of April for most of the zone — after your last frost date and once soil reaches 60°F. Start seeds indoors in early-to-mid March. Gamblers in 7b sometimes plant in early April under protection; the calendar gains little and the risk is real.
Can I grow okra and sweet potatoes in Zone 7?
Yes — comfortably, and that's a genuine Zone 7 advantage over cooler zones. Plant okra from seed and sweet potato slips in May once nights stay above 55°F. Both shrug off the July heat that stalls everything else.
When do I start a fall garden in Zone 7?
Start brassica seedlings in trays in mid-July, transplant them in late August, and direct sow roots from mid-August and greens right through September. Fall is a full second season here, not an afterthought.
Can I grow lettuce through the Zone 7 summer?
Realistically, no — June through August heat makes lettuce bolt bitter within days. Take a salad break (or grow chard in afternoon shade) and re-sow lettuce in September, when it excels.
When should I plant garlic in Zone 7?
Late October through mid-November, around your first frost while the soil is still workable. Zone 7 winters are ideal for garlic — cold enough to vernalize the cloves, mild enough for strong root growth. The full how-to is in our garlic planting guide.